Using a Science Centre as a School Lab ? a Case Story

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Helene

2004-01-01

responsibility for their own learning committed themselves to learn the scientific language. The study shows that in school science there has to be scaffolding around a project to insure that all students gain experience with science as a learning process in an environment with self-motivated, self......The study has the overall goal of finding suggestions for improving school visits to Science Centres and similar places. One such centre (Experimentarium) has established a partnership with a nearby school to investigate possibilities for cooperation. This case story tells about a project where...... tenth graders were trained to become museum ?explainers? as part of their science education. The objectives were to investigate if it was possible to obtain a quality out-of?school experience using the Experimentarium as a science lab. The intention of the study was to look at science learning...

Games, Simulations and Virtual Labs for Science Education: a Compendium and Some Examples

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, R. M.

2012-12-01

We have assembled a list of computer-based simulations, games, and virtual labs for science education. This list, with links to the sources of these resources, is available online. The entries span a broad range of science, math, and engineering topics. They also span a range of target student ages, from elementary school to university students. We will provide a brief overview of this web site and the resources found on it. We will also briefly demonstrate some of our own educational simulations and games. Computer-based simulations and virtual labs are valuable resources for science educators in various settings, allowing learners to experiment and explore "what if" scenarios. Educational computer games can motivate learners in both formal and informal settings, encouraging them to spend much more time exploring a topic than they might otherwise be inclined to do. Part of this presentation is effectively a "literature review" of numerous sources of simulations, games, and virtual labs. Although we have encountered several nice collections of such resources, those collections seem to be restricted in scope. They either represent materials developed by a specific group or agency (e.g. NOAA's games web site) or are restricted to a specific discipline (e.g. geology simulations and virtual labs). This presentation directs viewers to games, simulations, and virtual labs from many different sources and spanning a broad range of STEM disciplines.

Probing the Underground Science beyond the Standard Model with Ultra-Low Background Experiments at Sanford Lab/DUSEL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei, D.-M.

2010-01-01

We show that an improved sensitivity on effective neutrino mass to the atmospheric neutrino mass scale with the next generation germanium-based double-beta decay experiment together with results from cosmology survey, θ 13 measurements and neutrino oscillation experiments may be able to determine the absolute mass scale of the neutrino, and answer the question of the neutrino nature. To achieve such a sensitivity of 45 meV, the next generation germanium experiment must reduce background by a factor of 440 comparing to the existing results. The planned germanium experiment at the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) in western South Dakota aims at achieving such a sensitivity. Sanford Lab supported by the state of South Dakota and a private donor, Mr. T. Denny Sanford, will be up and running within the next year to pave the way for the creation of DUSEL in five years.

Encouraging Creativity in the Science Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Eyster, Linda

2010-01-01

Although science is a creative endeavor (NRC 1996, p. 46), many students think they are not encouraged--or even allowed--to be creative in the laboratory. When students think there is only one correct way to do a lab, their creativity is inhibited. Park and Seung (2008) argue for the importance of creativity in science classrooms and for the…

Simulations, Games, and Virtual Labs for Science Education: a Compendium and Some Examples

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, R. M.

2011-12-01

We have assembled a list of computer-based simulations, games, and virtual labs for science education. This list, with links to the sources of these resources, is available online. The entries span a broad range of science, math, and engineering topics. They also span a range of target student ages, from elementary school to university students. We will provide a brief overview of this web site and the resources found on it. We will also briefly demonstrate some of our own educational simulations, including the "Very, Very Simple Climate Model", and report on formative evaluations of these resources. Computer-based simulations and virtual labs are valuable resources for science educators in various settings, allowing learners to experiment and explore "what if" scenarios. Educational computer games can motivate learners in both formal and informal settings, encouraging them to spend much more time exploring a topic than they might otherwise be inclined to do. Part of this presentation is effectively a "literature review" of numerous sources of simulations, games, and virtual labs. Although we have encountered several nice collections of such resources, those collections seem to be restricted in scope. They either represent materials developed by a specific group or agency (e.g. NOAA's games web site) or are restricted to a specific discipline (e.g. geology simulations and virtual labs). This presentation directs viewers to games, simulations, and virtual labs from many different sources and spanning a broad range of STEM disciplines.

Incorporating lab experience into computer security courses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ben Othmane, L.; Bhuse, V.; Lilien, L.T.

2013-01-01

We describe our experience with teaching computer security labs at two different universities. We report on the hardware and software lab setups, summarize lab assignments, present the challenges encountered, and discuss the lessons learned. We agree with and emphasize the viewpoint that security

Berkeley Lab Computing Sciences: Accelerating Scientific Discovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hules, John A.

2008-01-01

Scientists today rely on advances in computer science, mathematics, and computational science, as well as large-scale computing and networking facilities, to increase our understanding of ourselves, our planet, and our universe. Berkeley Lab's Computing Sciences organization researches, develops, and deploys new tools and technologies to meet these needs and to advance research in such areas as global climate change, combustion, fusion energy, nanotechnology, biology, and astrophysics

Replacing textbook problems with lab experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Register, Trevor

2017-10-01

End-of-the-chapter textbook problems are often the bread and butter of any traditional physics classroom. However, research strongly suggests that students be given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in multiple contexts as well as be provided with opportunities to do the process of science through laboratory experiences. Little correlation has been shown linking the number of textbook problems solved with conceptual understanding of topics in mechanics. Furthermore, textbook problems as the primary source of practice for students robs them of the joy and productive struggle of learning how to think like an experimental physicist. Methods such as Modeling Instruction tackle this problem head-on by starting each instructional unit with an inquiry-based lab aimed at establishing the important concepts and equations for the unit, and this article will discuss ideas and experiences for how to carry that philosophy throughout a unit.

Expanding the Role of an Earth Science Data System: The GHRC Innovations Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Conover, H.; Ramachandran, R.; Smith, T.; Kulkarni, A.; Maskey, M.; He, M.; Keiser, K.; Graves, S. J.

2013-12-01

The Global Hydrology Resource Center is a NASA Earth Science Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC), managed in partnership by the Earth Science Department at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the University of Alabama in Huntsville's Information Technology and Systems Center. Established in 1991, the GHRC processes, archives and distributes global lightning data from space, airborne and ground based observations from hurricane science field campaigns and Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) ground validation experiments, and satellite passive microwave products. GHRC's close association with the University provides a path for technology infusion from the research center into the data center. The ITSC has a long history of designing and operating science data and information systems. In addition to the GHRC and related data management projects, the ITSC also conducts multidisciplinary research in many facets of information technology. The coupling of ITSC research with the operational GHRC Data Center has enabled the development of new technologies that directly impact the ability of researchers worldwide to apply Earth science data to their specific domains of interest. The GHRC Innovations Lab will provide a showcase for emerging geoinformatics technologies resulting from NASA-sponsored research at the ITSC. Research products to be deployed in the Innovations Lab include: * Data Albums - curated collections of information related to a specific science topic or event with links to relevant data files from different sources. * Data Prospecting - combines automated data mining techniques with user interaction to provide for quick exploration of large volumes of data. * Provenance Browser - provides for graphical exploration of data lineage and related contextual information. In the Innovations Lab, these technologies can be targeted to GHRC data sets, and tuned to address GHRC user interests. As technologies are tested and matured in the Innovations Lab, the

Bringing Art, Music, Theater and Dance Students into Earth and Space Science Research Labs: A New Art Prize Science and Engineering Artists-in-Residence Program

Science.gov (United States)

Moldwin, M.; Mexicotte, D.

2017-12-01

A new Arts/Lab Student Residence program was developed at the University of Michigan that brings artists into a research lab. Science and Engineering undergraduate and graduate students working in the lab describe their research and allow the artists to shadow them to learn more about the work. The Arts/Lab Student Residencies are designed to be unique and fun, while encouraging interdisciplinary learning and creative production by exposing students to life and work in an alternate discipline's maker space - i.e. the artist in the engineering lab, the engineer in the artist's studio or performance space. Each residency comes with a cash prize and the expectation that a work of some kind will be produced as a response to experience. The Moldwin Prize is designed for an undergraduate student currently enrolled in the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, the Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning or the School of Music, Theatre and Dance who is interested in exchange and collaboration with students engaged in research practice in an engineering lab. No previous science or engineering experience is required, although curiosity and a willingness to explore are essential! Students receiving the residency spend 20 hours over 8 weeks (February-April) participating with the undergraduate research team in the lab of Professor Mark Moldwin, which is currently doing work in the areas of space weather (how the Sun influences the space environment of Earth and society) and magnetic sensor development. The resident student artist will gain a greater understanding of research methodologies in the space and climate fields, data visualization and communication techniques, and how the collision of disciplinary knowledge in the arts, engineering and sciences deepens the creative practice and production of each discipline. The student is expected to produce a final work of some kind within their discipline that reflects, builds on, explores, integrates or traces their

The effects of different gender groupings on middle school students' performance in science lab

Science.gov (United States)

Drab, Deborah D.

Grouping students for labs in science classes is a common practice. This mixed methods quasi-experimental action research study examines homogeneous and heterogeneous gender grouping strategies to determine what gender grouping strategy is the most effective in a coeducational science classroom setting. Sixth grade students were grouped in same-gender and mixed-gender groups, alternating each quarter. Over the course of an academic year, data were collected from four sources. The teacher-researcher observed groups working during hands-on activities to collect data on student behaviors. Students completed post-lab questionnaires and an end-of-course questionnaire about their preferences and experiences in the different grouping strategies. Student scores on written lab assignments were also utilized. Data analysis focused on four areas: active engagement, student achievement, student perceptions of success and cooperative teamwork. Findings suggest that teachers may consider grouping students of different ability levels according to different gender grouping strategies to optimize learning.

Outreach Science Education: Evidence-Based Studies in a Gene Technology Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Scharfenberg, Franz-Josef; Bogner, Franz X.

2014-01-01

Nowadays, outreach labs are important informal learning environments in science education. After summarizing research to goals outreach labs focus on, we describe our evidence-based gene technology lab as a model of a research-driven outreach program. Evaluation-based optimizations of hands-on teaching based on cognitive load theory (additional…

Science Lab Restructuring of a Public School Elementary and High School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisiane da Costa Moro

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the process of restructuring the science lab of a state school in Caxias do Sul, whose main objective was to create a space where teachers could develop practical and experimental activities with their students. The restructuring of the science lab this school, was only possible through the project "More and Better Students and Teachers in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technologies" Initiation Program in Science and Mathematics, Engineering, Creative Technologies and Letters - PICMEL sponsored jointly by the University of Caxias do Sul, the SEDUC-RS, FAPERGS and CAPES. The project was developed at school by a teacher of physics and three high school students. Through the restructuring of the science lab, practical activities were developed and workshops where students had the opportunity to be more active in the process of teaching and learning. With the development of such activities was observed that the students were more willing to learn Science and Mathematics and could relate scientific knowledge to their daily lives, giving greater meaning to their learning.

The History of Science and Technology at Bell Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, David

2008-03-01

Over the last 80 years, Bell Labs has been one of the most scientifically and technologically productive research labs in the world. Inventions such as the transistor, laser, cell phone, solar cell, negative feedback amplifier, communications satellite and many others were made there. Scientific breakthroughs such as discovery of the Big Bang, the wave nature of the electron, electron localization and the fractional quantum hall effect were also made there making Bell Labs almost unique in terms of large impacts in both science and technology. In my talk, I will discuss the history of the lab, talk about the present and give some suggestions for how I see it evolving into the future.

Fifteen years experience: Egyptian metabolic lab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ekram M. Fateen

2014-10-01

Conclusion: This study illustrates the experience of the reference metabolic lab in Egypt over 15 years. The lab began metabolic disorder screening by using simple diagnostic techniques like thin layer chromatography and colored tests in urine which by time updated and upgraded the methods to diagnose a wide range of disorders. This study shows the most common diagnosed inherited inborn errors of metabolism among the Egyptian population.

The experiment editor: supporting inquiry-based learning with virtual labs

Science.gov (United States)

Galan, D.; Heradio, R.; de la Torre, L.; Dormido, S.; Esquembre, F.

2017-05-01

Inquiry-based learning is a pedagogical approach where students are motivated to pose their own questions when facing problems or scenarios. In physics learning, students are turned into scientists who carry out experiments, collect and analyze data, formulate and evaluate hypotheses, and so on. Lab experimentation is essential for inquiry-based learning, yet there is a drawback with traditional hands-on labs in the high costs associated with equipment, space, and maintenance staff. Virtual laboratories are helpful to reduce these costs. This paper enriches the virtual lab ecosystem by providing an integrated environment to automate experimentation tasks. In particular, our environment supports: (i) scripting and running experiments on virtual labs, and (ii) collecting and analyzing data from the experiments. The current implementation of our environment supports virtual labs created with the authoring tool Easy Java/Javascript Simulations. Since there are public repositories with hundreds of freely available labs created with this tool, the potential applicability to our environment is considerable.

Beam experiments with the Grenoble test electron cyclotron resonance ion source at iThemba LABS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomae, R., E-mail: rthomae@tlabs.ac.za; Conradie, J.; Fourie, D.; Mira, J.; Nemulodi, F. [iThemba LABS, P.O. Box 722, Somerset West 7130 (South Africa); Kuechler, D.; Toivanen, V. [CERN, BE/ABP/HSL, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland)

2016-02-15

At iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences (iThemba LABS) an electron cyclotron ion source was installed and commissioned. This source is a copy of the Grenoble Test Source (GTS) for the production of highly charged ions. The source is similar to the GTS-LHC at CERN and named GTS2. A collaboration between the Accelerators and Beam Physics Group of CERN and the Accelerator and Engineering Department of iThemba LABS was proposed in which the development of high intensity argon and xenon beams is envisaged. In this paper, we present beam experiments with the GTS2 at iThemba LABS, in which the results of continuous wave and afterglow operation of xenon ion beams with oxygen as supporting gases are presented.

Computer-based Astronomy Labs for Non-science Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, A. B. E.; Murray, S. D.; Ward, R. A.

1998-12-01

We describe and demonstrate two laboratory exercises, Kepler's Third Law and Stellar Structure, which are being developed for use in an astronomy laboratory class aimed at non-science majors. The labs run with Microsoft's Excel 98 (Macintosh) or Excel 97 (Windows). They can be run in a classroom setting or in an independent learning environment. The intent of the labs is twofold; first and foremost, students learn the subject matter through a series of informational frames. Next, students enhance their understanding by applying their knowledge in lab procedures, while also gaining familiarity with the use and power of a widely-used software package and scientific tool. No mathematical knowledge beyond basic algebra is required to complete the labs or to understand the computations in the spreadsheets, although the students are exposed to the concepts of numerical integration. The labs are contained in Excel workbook files. In the files are multiple spreadsheets, which contain either a frame with information on how to run the lab, material on the subject, or one or more procedures. Excel's VBA macro language is used to automate the labs. The macros are accessed through button interfaces positioned on the spreadsheets. This is done intentionally so that students can focus on learning the subject matter and the basic spreadsheet features without having to learn advanced Excel features all at once. Students open the file and progress through the informational frames to the procedures. After each procedure, student comments and data are automatically recorded in a preformatted Lab Report spreadsheet. Once all procedures have been completed, the student is prompted for a filename in which to save their Lab Report. The lab reports can then be printed or emailed to the instructor. The files will have full worksheet and workbook protection, and will have a "redo" feature at the end of the lab for students who want to repeat a procedure.

Effect of the Level of Inquiry of Lab Experiments on General Chemistry Students' Written Reflections

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Haozhi; Talanquer, Vincente

2013-01-01

The central goal of this exploratory study was to characterize the effects of experiments involving different levels of inquiry on the nature of college students' written reflections about laboratory work. Data were collected in the form of individual lab reports written using a science writing heuristic template by a subset of the students…

Awakening interest in the natural sciences - BASF's Kids' Labs.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Cinthia

2012-01-01

At BASF's Ludwigshafen headquarters, kids and young adults in grades 1-13 can learn about chemistry in the Kids' Labs. Different programs exist for different levels of knowledge. In the two 'Hands-on Lab H(2)O & Co.' Kids' Labs, students from grades 1-6 explore the secrets of chemistry. BASF Kids' Labs have now been set up in over 30 countries. In Switzerland alone, almost 2,000 students have taken part in the 'Water Loves Chemistry' Kids' Lab since it was started in 2011. In Alsace, 600 students have participated to date. In the Teens' Lab 'Xplore Middle School', middle school students explore five different programs with the themes 'substance labyrinth', 'nutrition', 'coffee, caffeine & co.', 'cosmetics' and 'energy'. Biotechnological methods are the focus of the Teens' Lab 'Xplore Biotech' for students taking basic and advanced biology courses. In the 'Xplore High School' Teens' Lab, chemistry teachers present their own experimental lab instruction for students in basic and advanced chemistry courses. The Virtual Lab has been expanding the offerings of the BASF Kids' Labs since 2011. The online lab was developed by the company for the International Year Of Chemistry and gives kids and young adults the opportunity to do interactive experiments outside of the lab.

Fifteen years experience: Egyptian metabolic lab | Fateen | Egyptian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Those patients were classified as: 722 patients (69.4%) with lysosomal storage disorders, 302 patients (29%) with amino acid disorders and 17 patients (1.6%) with galactosemia. Conclusion: This study illustrates the experience of the reference metabolic lab in Egypt over 15 years. The lab began metabolic disorder ...

Science Outside the Lab: Helping Graduate Students in Science and Engineering Understand the Complexities of Science Policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstein, Michael J; Reifschneider, Kiera; Bennett, Ira; Wetmore, Jameson M

2017-06-01

Helping scientists and engineers challenge received assumptions about how science, engineering, and society relate is a critical cornerstone for macroethics education. Scientific and engineering research are frequently framed as first steps of a value-free linear model that inexorably leads to societal benefit. Social studies of science and assessments of scientific and engineering research speak to the need for a more critical approach to the noble intentions underlying these assumptions. "Science Outside the Lab" is a program designed to help early-career scientists and engineers understand the complexities of science and engineering policy. Assessment of the program entailed a pre-, post-, and 1 year follow up survey to gauge student perspectives on relationships between science and society, as well as a pre-post concept map exercise to elicit student conceptualizations of science policy. Students leave Science Outside the Lab with greater humility about the role of scientific expertise in science and engineering policy; greater skepticism toward linear notions of scientific advances benefiting society; a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the actors involved in shaping science policy; and a continued appreciation of the contributions of science and engineering to society. The study presents an efficacious program that helps scientists and engineers make inroads into macroethical debates, reframe the ways in which they think about values of science and engineering in society, and more thoughtfully engage with critical mediators of science and society relationships: policy makers and policy processes.

Cockle Temperature Exposure Lab Experiment (2016)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — We carried out a lab experiment in which we exposed cockles to a range of air temperatures to simulate the physiological rigors of exposure to sunlight and air at...

EarthLabs - Investigating Hurricanes: Earth's Meteorological Monsters

Science.gov (United States)

McDaris, J. R.; Dahlman, L.; Barstow, D.

2007-12-01

Earth science is one of the most important tools that the global community needs to address the pressing environmental, social, and economic issues of our time. While, at times considered a second-rate science at the high school level, it is currently undergoing a major revolution in the depth of content and pedagogical vitality. As part of this revolution, labs in Earth science courses need to shift their focus from cookbook-like activities with known outcomes to open-ended investigations that challenge students to think, explore and apply their learning. We need to establish a new model for Earth science as a rigorous lab science in policy, perception, and reality. As a concerted response to this need, five states, a coalition of scientists and educators, and an experienced curriculum team are creating a national model for a lab-based high school Earth science course named EarthLabs. This lab course will comply with the National Science Education Standards as well as the states' curriculum frameworks. The content will focus on Earth system science and environmental literacy. The lab experiences will feature a combination of field work, classroom experiments, and computer access to data and visualizations, and demonstrate the rigor and depth of a true lab course. The effort is being funded by NOAA's Environmental Literacy program. One of the prototype units of the course is Investigating Hurricanes. Hurricanes are phenomena which have tremendous impact on humanity and the resources we use. They are also the result of complex interacting Earth systems, making them perfect objects for rigorous investigation of many concepts commonly covered in Earth science courses, such as meteorology, climate, and global wind circulation. Students are able to use the same data sets, analysis tools, and research techniques that scientists employ in their research, yielding truly authentic learning opportunities. This month-long integrated unit uses hurricanes as the story line by

ESIP Lab: Supporting Development of Earth Sciences Cyberinfrastructure through Innovation Commons

Science.gov (United States)

Burgess, A. B.; Robinson, E.

2017-12-01

The Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) is an open, networked community that brings together science, data and information technology practitioners from across sectors. Participation in ESIP is beneficial because it provides an intellectual commons to expose, gather and enhance in-house capabilities in support of an organization's own mandate. Recently, ESIP has begun to explore piloting activities that have worked in the U.S. in other countries as a way to facilitate international collaboration and cross-pollination. The newly formed ESIP Lab realizes the commons concept by providing a virtual place to come up with with new solutions through facilitated ideation, take that idea to a low stakes development environment and potentially fail, but if successful, expose developing technology to domain experts through a technology evaluation process. The Lab does this by supporting and funding solution-oriented projects that have discrete development periods and associated budgets across organizations and agencies. In addition, the Lab provides access to AWS cloud computing resources, travel support, virtual and in-person collaborative platform for distributed groups and exposure to the ESIP community as an expert pool. This cycle of ideation to incubation to evaluation and ultimately adoption or infusion of Earth sciences cyberinfrastructure empowers the scientific community and has spawned a variety of developments like community-led ontology portals, ideas for W3C prov standard improvement and an evaluation framework that pushes technology forward and aides in infusion. The Lab is one of these concepts that could be implemented in other countries and the outputs of the Lab would be shared as a commons and available across traditional borders. This presentation will share the methods and the outcomes of the Lab and seed ideas for adoption internationally.

Designing inquiry learning spaces for online labs in the Go-Lab platform

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, Ton; Gillet, Dennis; Sotiriou, Sofoklis; Agogi, Ellinogermaniki; Zacharia, Zacharias

2015-01-01

The Go-Lab project (http://www.go-lab-project.eu/) aims to enable the integration of online labs through inquiry-based learning approaches into science classrooms. Through the use of an advanced plug and play technological solution the Go-Lab project opens up remote science laboratories, data

Innovative Educational Practice: Using Virtual Labs in the Secondary Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcel Satsky Kerr, PhD

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Two studies investigated the effectiveness of teaching science labs online to secondary students. Study 1 compared achievement among students instructed using hands-on Chemistry labs versus those instructed using virtual Chemistry labs (eLabs. Study 2 compared the same groups of students again while both teachers instructed using hands-on Chemistry labs to determine whether teacher or student characteristics may have affected Study 1’s findings. Participants were high school Chemistry students from a Central Texas Independent School District. Results indicated that: students learn science effectively online, schools may experience cost savings from delivering labs online, and students gain valuable technology skills needed later in college and in the workplace.

Computational Experiments for Science and Engineering Education

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Charles

2011-01-01

How to integrate simulation-based engineering and science (SBES) into the science curriculum smoothly is a challenging question. For the importance of SBES to be appreciated, the core value of simulations-that they help people understand natural phenomena and solve engineering problems-must be taught. A strategy to achieve this goal is to introduce computational experiments to the science curriculum to replace or supplement textbook illustrations and exercises and to complement or frame hands-on or wet lab experiments. In this way, students will have an opportunity to learn about SBES without compromising other learning goals required by the standards and teachers will welcome these tools as they strengthen what they are already teaching. This paper demonstrates this idea using a number of examples in physics, chemistry, and engineering. These exemplary computational experiments show that it is possible to create a curriculum that is both deeper and wider.

Lab coats in Hollywood science, scientists, and cinema

CERN Document Server

Kirby, David A

2013-01-01

Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, released in 1968, is perhaps the most scientifically accurate film ever produced. The film presented such a plausible, realistic vision of space flight that many moon hoax proponents believe that Kubrick staged the 1969 moon landing using the same studios and techniques. Kubrick’s scientific verisimilitude in 2001 came courtesy of his science consultants—including two former NASA scientists—and the more than sixty-five companies, research organizations, and government agencies that offered technical advice. Although most filmmakers don’t consult experts as extensively as Kubrick did, films ranging from A Beautiful Mind and Contact to Finding Nemo and The Hulk have achieved some degree of scientific credibility because of science consultants. In Lab Coats in Hollywood, David Kirby examines the interaction of science and cinema: how science consultants make movie science plausible, how filmmakers negotiate scientific accuracy within production constraints, and ...

The Science Teaching Self-Efficacy of Prospective Elementary Education Majors Enrolled in Introductory Geology Lab Sections

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, Kathryn A.

2014-01-01

This study examined prospective elementary education majors' science teaching self-efficacy while they were enrolled in an introductory geology lab course for elementary education majors. The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument Form B (STEBI-B) was administered during the first and last lab class sessions. Additionally, students were…

GeneLab: A Systems Biology Platform for Spaceflight Omics Data

Science.gov (United States)

Reinsch, Sigrid S.; Lai, San-Huei; Chen, Rick; Thompson, Terri; Berrios, Daniel; Fogle, Homer; Marcu, Oana; Timucin, Linda; Chakravarty, Kaushik; Coughlan, Joseph

2015-01-01

NASA's mission includes expanding our understanding of biological systems to improve life on Earth and to enable long-duration human exploration of space. Resources to support large numbers of spaceflight investigations are limited. NASA's GeneLab project is maximizing the science output from these experiments by: (1) developing a unique public bioinformatics database that includes space bioscience relevant "omics" data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) and experimental metadata; (2) partnering with NASA-funded flight experiments through bio-sample sharing or sample augmentation to expedite omics data input to the GeneLab database; and (3) developing community-driven reference flight experiments. The first database, GeneLab Data System Version 1.0, went online in April 2015. V1.0 contains numerous flight datasets and has search and download capabilities. Version 2.0 will be released in 2016 and will link to analytic tools. In 2015 Genelab partnered with two Biological Research in Canisters experiments (BBRIC-19 and BRIC-20) which examine responses of Arabidopsis thaliana to spaceflight. GeneLab also partnered with Rodent Research-1 (RR1), the maiden flight to test the newly developed rodent habitat. GeneLab developed protocols for maxiumum yield of RNA, DNA and protein from precious RR-1 tissues harvested and preserved during the SpaceX-4 mission, as well as from tissues from mice that were frozen intact during spaceflight and later dissected. GeneLab is establishing partnerships with at least three planned flights for 2016. Organism-specific nationwide Science Definition Teams (SDTs) will define future GeneLab dedicated missions and ensure the broader scientific impact of the GeneLab missions. GeneLab ensures prompt release and open access to all high-throughput omics data from spaceflight and ground-based simulations of microgravity and radiation. Overall, GeneLab will facilitate the generation and query of parallel multi-omics data, and

Governing Methods: Policy Innovation Labs, Design and Data Science in the Digital Governance of Education

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Ben

2015-01-01

Policy innovation labs are emerging knowledge actors and technical experts in the governing of education. The article offers a historical and conceptual account of the organisational form of the policy innovation lab. Policy innovation labs are characterised by specific methods and techniques of design, data science, and digitisation in public…

Microbial Life in a Winogradsky Column: From Lab Course to Diverse Research Experience ?

OpenAIRE

Parks, Samantha T.

2015-01-01

Many traditional lab courses include both standard and inquiry-based experiments, yet lack cooperative and authentic lab experiences.  Such experiences are important for microbiology students and burgeoning researchers.  In a novel lab environment, students constructed Winogradsky columns using common soil and water sources.  During initial column incubation, students learned methods for identification of microbial isolates including staining, microscopy, biochemistry and 16S-rRNA sequencing....

Lab-on-fiber technology

CERN Document Server

Cusano, Andrea; Crescitelli, Alessio; Ricciardi, Armando

2014-01-01

This book focuses on a research field that is rapidly emerging as one of the most promising ones for the global optics and photonics community: the "lab-on-fiber" technology. Inspired by the well-established 'lab on-a-chip' concept, this new technology essentially envisages novel and highly functionalized devices completely integrated into a single optical fiber for both communication and sensing applications.Based on the R&D experience of some of the world's leading authorities in the fields of optics, photonics, nanotechnology, and material science, this book provides a broad and accurate de

Creating a lab to facilitate high school student engagement in authentic paleoclimate science practices

Science.gov (United States)

Maloney, A.; Walsh, E.

2012-12-01

A solid understanding of timescales is crucial for any climate change discussion. This hands-on lab was designed as part of a dual-credit climate change course in which high school students can receive college credit. Using homemade ice cores, students have the opportunity to participate in scientific practices associated with collecting, processing, and interpreting temperature and CO2 data. Exploring millennial-scale cycles in ice core data and extending the CO2 record to the present allows students to discover timescales from an investigators perspective. The Ice Core Lab has been piloted in two high school classrooms and student engagement, and epistemological and conceptual understanding was evaluated using quantitative pre and post assessment surveys. The process of creating this lab involved a partnership between an education assessment professional, high school teachers, and University of Washington professors and graduate students in Oceanography, Earth and Space Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences and the Learning Sciences as part of the NASA Global Climate Change University of Washington in the High School program. This interdisciplinary collaboration led to the inception of the lab and was necessary to ensure that the lesson plan was pedagogically appropriate and scientifically accurate. The lab fits into a unit about natural variability and is paired with additional hands-on activities created by other graduate students that explore short-timescale temperature variations, Milankovitch cycles, isotopes, and other proxies. While the Ice Core Lab is intended to follow units that review the scientific process, global energy budget, and transport, it can be modified to fit any teaching platform.

Enter FameLab and become the new face of science in Switzerland

CERN Multimedia

Paola Catapano, FameLab@Cern Project coordinator, Communication Group

2011-01-01

Are you 18 to 35 years old and studying or working in science in Switzerland? Are you passionate about your job and keen on exciting public imagination with a vision of the 21st century of science? Then this competition is for you!   FameLab is an international science communication competition for young researchers. It aims to find the new voices of science and engineering across the world. CERN has been chosen as the venue of the regional semi-finals for Switzerland. To compete, all you have to do is prepare a 3-minute talk that is scientifically accurate but also engaging to a non-scientific audience and impress your jury and your audience on Saturday 4 Februrary, 2012 at the Globe of Science and Innovation. Famelab aims to provide new opportunities for scientists to develop their skills as communicators. FameLab was set up in 2005 by Cheltenham Festivals, one of the UK’s premier cultural organisations, in partnership with NESTA (Nat...

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF E-LAB TO IMPROVE GENERIC SCIENCE SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF PHYSICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Siswanto

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aimed of this sudy are: (1 investigate the effectiveness of E-Lab to improve generic science skills and understanding the concepts oh physics; and (2 investigate the effect of generic science skills towards understanding the concept of students after learning by using the E-Lab. The method used in this study is a pre-experimental design with one group pretest-posttest. Subjects were students of Physics Education in University PGRI Semarang with methode random sampling. The results showed that: (1 learning to use E-Lab effective to increase generic science skills of students; and (2 Generic science skills give positive effect on student conceptual understanding on the material of the photoelectric effect, compton effect, and electron diffraction. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu: (1 menyelidiki efektifitas E-Lab untuk meningkatkan keterampilan generik sains dan pemahaman konsep mahasiswa; dan (2  menyelidiki pengaruh keterampilan generik sains terhadap pemahaman konsep mahasiswa setelah dilakukan pembelajaran dengan menggunakan E-Lab. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah pre-experimental dengan desain one group pretest-posttest. Subjek penelitian adalah mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan  Fisika  Universitas PGRI Semarang, dengan metode pengambilan sampel penelitian secara random. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa bahwa: (1 pembelajaran menggunakan E-Lab efektif untuk meningkatkan keterampilan generik sains mahasiswa; dan  (2 Keterampilan generik sains berpengaruh positif terhadap pemahaman konsep mahasiswa pada materi efek fotolistrik, efek compton, dan difraksi elektron. 

Tele-Lab IT-Security: an Architecture for an online virtual IT Security Lab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Meinel

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Recently, Awareness Creation in terms of IT security has become a big thing – not only for enterprises. Campaigns for pupils try to highlight the importance of IT security even in the user’s early years. Common practices in security education – as seen in computer science courses at universities – mainly consist of literature and lecturing. In the best case, the teaching facility offers practical courses in a dedicated isolated computer lab. Additionally, there are some more or less interactive e-learning applications around. Most existing offers can do nothing more than impart theoretical knowledge or basic information. They all lack of possibilities to provide practical experience with security software or even hacker tools in a realistic environment. The only exceptions are the expensive and hard-to-maintain dedicated computer security labs. Those can only be provided by very few organizations. Tele-Lab IT-Security was designed to offer hands-on experience exercises in IT security without the need of additional hardware or maintenance expenses. The existing implementation of Tele-Lab even provides access to the learning environment over the Internet – and thus can be used anytime and anywhere. The present paper describes the extended architecture on which the current version of the Tele-Lab server is built.

Differences between Lab Completion and Non-Completion on Student Performance in an Online Undergraduate Environmental Science Program

Science.gov (United States)

Corsi, Gianluca

2011-12-01

Web-based technology has revolutionized the way education is delivered. Although the advantages of online learning appeal to large numbers of students, some concerns arise. One major concern in online science education is the value that participation in labs has on student performance. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between lab completion and student academic success as measured by test grades, scientific self-confidence, scientific skills, and concept mastery. A random sample of 114 volunteer undergraduate students, from an online Environmental Science program at the American Public University System, was tested. The study followed a quantitative, non-experimental research design. Paired sample t-tests were used for statistical comparison between pre-lab and post-lab test grades, two scientific skills quizzes, and two scientific self-confidence surveys administered at the beginning and at the end of the course. The results of the paired sample t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements on all post-lab test scores: Air Pollution lab, t(112) = 6.759, p virtual reality platforms and digital animations. Future research is encouraged to investigate possible correlations between socio-demographic attributes and academic success of students enrolled in online science programs in reference to lab completion.

Using EarthLabs to Enhance Earth Science Curriculum in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Chegwidden, D. M.; Ellins, K. K.; Haddad, N.; Ledley, T. S.

2012-12-01

As an educator in Texas, a state that values and supports an Earth Science curriculum, I find it essential to educate my students who are our future voting citizens and tax payers. It is important to equip them with tools to understand and solve the challenges of solving of climate change. As informed citizens, students can help to educate others in the community with basic knowledge of weather and climate. They can also help to dispose of the many misconceptions that surround the climate change, which is perceived as a controversial topic. As a participant in a NSF-sponsored Texas Earth and Space (TXESS) Revolution teacher professional development program, I was selected to participate in a curriculum development project led by TERC to develop and test education resources for the EarthLabs climate literacy collection. I am involved in the multiple phases of the project, including reviewing labs that comprise the Climate, Weather and Biosphere module during the development phase, pilot teaching the module with my students, participating in research, and delivering professional development to other Texas teachers to expose them to the content found in the module and to encourage them to incorporate it into their teaching. The Climate, Weather and the Biosphere module emphasizes different forms of evidence and requires that learners apply different inquiry-based approaches to build the knowledge they need to develop as climate literate citizens. My involvement with the EarthLabs project has strengthened my overall knowledge and confidence to teach about Earth's climate system and climate change. In addition, the project has produced vigorous classroom discussion among my students as well as encouraged me to collaborate with other educators through our delivery of professional development to other teachers. In my poster, I will share my experiences, describe the impact the curriculum has made on my students, and report on challenges and valuable lessons gained by

WebLab-Deusto-CPLD: A Practical Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronica Canivell

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper shows the experience at the University of Deusto with the WebLab-Deusto-CPLD in the subject “Programmable Logic” of the Faculty of Engineering in the field of Digital Electronics. Presented herein is a technical overview of the laboratory, and its characteristics.

2014 FameLab heat: CERN welcomes 11 new stars of science communication!

CERN Multimedia

2014-01-01

The 2014 Swiss heat of the popular FameLab competition took place Thursday, 27 March at CERN. 11 young researchers from CERN, the Universities of Geneva, Lausanne and Neuchâtel, and the EPFL competed for the sought-after title of FameLab finalist. The winner and the four runners-up will participate in the Masterclass and the Swiss final, and just one will go on to represent Switzerland at the international Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK. Some of the participants share their feedback with us.   The FameLab 2014 contestants after their talks, at the Globe of Science and Innovation on 27 March. Miquel Oliu Barton (Swiss finalist): Amazed by the other contestants' performances, I almost forgot the stage fright! But then I was given the hands-free microphone and knew the time had come to talk about my research to a large audience and to the cameras.... Both with fear and excitement, I played that three-minute game and, though it felt really short, I enjoyed it very much. Th...

Adding New Features to New and Existing Remote Experiments through their Integration in WebLab-Deusto

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego López-de-Ipiña

2011-10-01

Full Text Available During the last decade, efforts have been made in the development and publishing of remote experiments for educational purposes. In order to reduce the duplicity of work and to improve the common requirements that are shared by different remote laboratories, remote experiment management platforms have been developed, such as MIT iLabs, LabShare Sahara or WebLab-Deusto. In this paper, we describe how the development of experiments is handled in WebLab-Deusto, supporting both managed (developed used the APIs provided by WebLab-Deusto and unmanaged experiments (using Virtual Machines or LabVIEW, and comparing both approaches. It also shows the results of integrating remote experiments under this system, with the use case of VISIR, the electronics remote laboratory developed in BTH.

Preservice science teachers' experiences with repeated, guided inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Slack, Amy B.

The purpose of this study was to examine preservice science teachers' experiences with repeated scientific inquiry (SI) activities. The National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996) stress students should understand and possess the abilities to do SI. For students to meet these standards, science teachers must understand and be able to perform SI; however, previous research demonstrated that many teachers have naive understandings in this area. Teacher preparation programs provide an opportunity to facilitate the development of inquiry understandings and abilities. In this study, preservice science teachers had experiences with two inquiry activities that were repeated three times each. The research questions for this study were (a) How do preservice science teachers' describe their experiences with repeated, guided inquiry activities? (b) What are preservice science teachers' understandings and abilities of SI? This study was conducted at a large, urban university in the southeastern United States. The 5 participants had bachelor's degrees in science and were enrolled in a graduate science education methods course. The researcher was one of the course instructors but did not lead the activities. Case study methodology was used. Data was collected from a demographic survey, an open-ended questionnaire with follow-up interviews, the researcher's observations, participants' lab notes, personal interviews, and participants' journals. Data were coded and analyzed through chronological data matrices to identify patterns in participants' experiences. The five domains identified in this study were understandings of SI, abilities to conduct SI, personal feelings about the experience, science content knowledge, and classroom implications. Through analysis of themes identified within each domain, the four conclusions made about these preservice teachers' experiences with SI were that the experience increased their abilities to conduct inquiry

S.E.A. Lab. Science Experiments and Activities. Marine Science for High School Students in Chemistry, Biology and Physics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, Kathy, Ed.

A series of science experiments and activities designed for secondary school students taking biology, chemistry, physics, physical science or marine science courses are outlined. Each of the three major sections--chemistry, biology, and physics--addresses concepts that are generally covered in those courses but incorporates aspects of marine…

Impact of Service-Learning Experiences in Culinary Arts and Nutrition Science

Science.gov (United States)

Daugherty, Jamie B.

2015-01-01

A grant from a regional nonprofit organization for the 2012-2013 academic year facilitated the revision of an existing course learning objective in a Culinary Nutrition lab course--performing effective culinary demonstrations--to include a service-learning experience. This course is a graduation requirement in a research- and science-based…

Transferring experience labs for production engineering students to universities in newly industrialized countries

Science.gov (United States)

Leiden, A.; Posselt, G.; Bhakar, V.; Singh, R.; Sangwan, K. S.; Herrmann, C.

2018-01-01

The Indian economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the demand for the skilled engineers is increasing. Subsequently the Indian education sector is growing to provide the necessary number of skilled engineers. Current Indian engineering graduates have broad theoretical background but lack in methodological, soft and practical skills. To bridge this gap, the experience lab ideas from the engineering education at “Die Lernfabrik” (learning factory) of the Technische Universität Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig) is transferred to the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani (BITS Pilani), India. This Lernfabrik successfully strengthened the methodological, soft and practical skills of the TU Braunschweig production-engineering graduates. The target group is discrete manufacturing education with focusing on energy and resource efficiency as well as cyber physical production systems. As the requirements of industry and academia in India differs from Germany, the transfer of the experience lab to the Indian education system needs special attention to realize a successful transfer project. This publication provides a unique approach to systematically transfer the educational concept in Learning Factory from a specific university environment to a different environment in a newly industrialized country. The help of a bilateral university driven practice partnership between the two universities creates a lighthouse for the Indian university environment.

Adding New Features to New and Existing Remote Experiments through their Integration in WebLab-Deusto

OpenAIRE

Diego López-de-Ipiña; Fabricio Gazzola; Javier Garcia-Zubia; Luis Rodriguez-Gil; Jaime Irurzun; Pablo Orduña

2011-01-01

During the last decade, efforts have been made in the development and publishing of remote experiments for educational purposes. In order to reduce the duplicity of work and to improve the common requirements that are shared by different remote laboratories, remote experiment management platforms have been developed, such as MIT iLabs, LabShare Sahara or WebLab-Deusto. In this paper, we describe how the development of experiments is handled in WebLab-Deusto, supporting both managed (developed...

Lab-oriented radical innovations as drivers of paradigm shifts in science

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coccia, M.

2014-01-01

An interesting problem in the economics of innovation and strategic management of labs is to explain the drivers of breakthroughs and paradigm shifts in science. This study confronts the issue by analysing a main case study: the technological determinant of the discovery of quasi-periodic materials

Lab experiments in demographic fieldwork: Understanding gender dynamics in Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Nii-Amoo Dodoo

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Anthropological literature has long linked bridewealth payments to decision-making about fertility. Recent research underscores the significance of men's preferences regarding women's reproductive behavior, and suggests that bridewealth payments place constraints on women's reproductive autonomy. Yet because survey data on bridewealth are rare, and the collection of new survey data on bridewealth presents serious challenges, this explanation could not be tested. Objective: Our objective in this paper is to highlight the potential utility of lab experiments (in particular, vignette experiments for improving our understanding of gender relations in Africa, using the hypothesized effect of bridewealth on normative constraints on women's reproductive autonomy as an illustration. Methods: We discuss our reasons for turning to lab experiments, and to vignette experiments in particular. We also summarize a series of studies (Horne, Dodoo, and Dodoo 2013; Dodoo, Horne, and Biney 2014 which have implemented our experimental approach. Results: Our experimental evidence shows that bridewealth payments are associated with greater normative constraints on women's reproductive autonomy. We also find that these negative effects of bridewealth are consistent across participant ages, and do not appear to be ameliorated by female schooling. Conclusions: We conclude that lab experiments in general (and vignette experiments in particular are underutilized methodological tools that may be useful for helping us gain a better understanding of the cultural context of gender relations in Africa; and that demographic research more generally may benefit from taking advantage of the strengths of experimental methods.

RoboLab and virtual environments

Science.gov (United States)

Giarratano, Joseph C.

1994-01-01

A useful adjunct to the manned space station would be a self-contained free-flying laboratory (RoboLab). This laboratory would have a robot operated under telepresence from the space station or ground. Long duration experiments aboard RoboLab could be performed by astronauts or scientists using telepresence to operate equipment and perform experiments. Operating the lab by telepresence would eliminate the need for life support such as food, water and air. The robot would be capable of motion in three dimensions, have binocular vision TV cameras, and two arms with manipulators to simulate hands. The robot would move along a two-dimensional grid and have a rotating, telescoping periscope section for extension in the third dimension. The remote operator would wear a virtual reality type headset to allow the superposition of computer displays over the real-time video of the lab. The operators would wear exoskeleton type arms to facilitate the movement of objects and equipment operation. The combination of video displays, motion, and the exoskeleton arms would provide a high degree of telepresence, especially for novice users such as scientists doing short-term experiments. The RoboLab could be resupplied and samples removed on other space shuttle flights. A self-contained RoboLab module would be designed to fit within the cargo bay of the space shuttle. Different modules could be designed for specific applications, i.e., crystal-growing, medicine, life sciences, chemistry, etc. This paper describes a RoboLab simulation using virtual reality (VR). VR provides an ideal simulation of telepresence before the actual robot and laboratory modules are constructed. The easy simulation of different telepresence designs will produce a highly optimum design before construction rather than the more expensive and time consuming hardware changes afterwards.

Promoting 21st-Century Skills in the Science Classroom by Adapting Cookbook Lab Activities: The Case of DNA Extraction of Wheat Germ

Science.gov (United States)

Alozie, Nonye M.; Grueber, David J.; Dereski, Mary O.

2012-01-01

How can science instruction engage students in 21st-century skills and inquiry-based learning, even when doing simple labs in the classroom? We collaborated with teachers in professional development workshops to transform "cookbook" activities into engaging laboratory experiences. We show how to change the common classroom activity of DNA…

Improving the Quality of Lab Reports by Using Them as Lab Instructions

Science.gov (United States)

Haagen-Schuetzenhoefer, Claudia

2012-10-01

Lab exercises are quite popular in teaching science. Teachers have numerous goals in mind when teaching science laboratories. Nevertheless, empirical research draws a heterogeneous picture of the benefits of lab work. Research has shown that it does not necessarily contribute to the enhancement of practical abilities or content knowledge. Lab activities are frequently based on recipe-like, step-by-step instructions ("cookbook style"), which do not motivate students to engage cognitively. Consequently, students put the emphasis on "task completion" or "manipulating equipment."2

Ionic liquids and green chemistry : a lab experiment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stark, A.; Ott-Reinhardt, D.; Kralisch, D.; Kreisel, G.; Ondruschka, B.

2010-01-01

Although ionic liquids have been investigated as solvents for many applications and are starting to be used in industrial processes, only a few lab experiments are available to introduce students to these materials. Ionic liquids have been discussed in the context of green chemistry, but few

An Overview of Dark Matter Experiments at Jefferson Lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyce, James R

2012-01-01

Dark Matter research at Jefferson Lab started in 2006 with the LIght Pseudoscalar and Scalar Search (LIPSS) collaboration to check the validity of results reported by the PVLAS collaboration. In the intervening years interest in dark matter laboratory experiments has grown at Jefferson Lab. Current research underway or in planning stages probe various mass regions covering 14 orders of magnitude: from 10 −6 eV to 100 MeV. This presentation will be an overview of our dark matter searches, three of which focus on the hypothesized A' gauge boson.

Faculty Perceptions of Students in Life and Physical Science Research Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Gonyo, Claire P.; Cantwell, Brendan

2015-01-01

This qualitative study involved interviews of 32 faculty principle investigators at three research institutions and explored how they view the role of students within physical and life science labs. We used socialization theory and student engagement literature to analyze faculty views, which can contribute to student investment in STEM fields.…

A Simple Inquiry-Based Lab for Teaching Osmosis

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, John R.

2014-01-01

This simple inquiry-based lab was designed to teach the principle of osmosis while also providing an experience for students to use the skills and practices commonly found in science. Students first design their own experiment using very basic equipment and supplies, which generally results in mixed, but mostly poor, outcomes. Classroom "talk…

Labs not in a lab: A case study of instructor and student perceptions of an online biology lab class

Science.gov (United States)

Doiron, Jessica Boyce

Distance learning is not a new phenomenon but with the advancement in technology, the different ways of delivering an education have increased. Today, many universities and colleges offer their students the option of taking courses online instead of sitting in a classroom on campus. In general students like online classes because they allow for flexibility, the comfort of sitting at home, and the potential to save money. Even though there are advantages to taking online classes, many students and instructors still debate the effectiveness and quality of education in a distant learning environment. Many universities and colleges are receiving pressure from students to offer more and more classes online. Research argues for both the advantages and disadvantages of online classes and stresses the importance of colleges and universities weighing both sides before deciding to adopt an online class. Certain classes may not be suitable for online instruction and not all instructors are suitable to teach online classes. The literature also reveals that there is a need for more research on online biology lab classes. With the lack of information on online biology labs needed by science educators who face the increasing demand for online biology labs, this case study hopes to provide insight into the use of online biology lab classes and the how students and an instructor at a community college in Virginia perceive their online biology lab experience as well as the effectiveness of the online labs.

Data-Oriented Astrophysics at NOAO: The Science Archive & The Data Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Juneau, Stephanie; NOAO Data Lab, NOAO Science Archive

2018-06-01

As we keep progressing into an era of increasingly large astronomy datasets, NOAO’s data-oriented mission is growing in prominence. The NOAO Science Archive, which captures and processes the pixel data from mountaintops in Chile and Arizona, now contains holdings at Petabyte scales. Working at the intersection of astronomy and data science, the main goal of the NOAO Data Lab is to provide users with a suite of tools to work close to this data, the catalogs derived from them, as well as externally provided datasets, and thus optimize the scientific productivity of the astronomy community. These tools and services include databases, query tools, virtual storage space, workflows through our Jupyter Notebook server, and scripted analysis. We currently host datasets from NOAO facilities such as the Dark Energy Survey (DES), the DESI imaging Legacy Surveys (LS), the Dark Energy Camera Plane Survey (DECaPS), and the nearly all-sky NOAO Source Catalog (NSC). We are further preparing for large spectroscopy datasets such as DESI. After a brief overview of the Science Archive, the Data Lab and datasets, I will briefly showcase scientific applications showing use of our data holdings. Lastly, I will describe our vision for future developments as we tackle the next technical and scientific challenges.

Ionic Liquids and Green Chemistry: A Lab Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, Annegret; Ott, Denise; Kralisch, Dana; Kreisel, Guenter; Ondruschka, Bernd

2010-01-01

Although ionic liquids have been investigated as solvents for many applications and are starting to be used in industrial processes, only a few lab experiments are available to introduce students to these materials. Ionic liquids have been discussed in the context of green chemistry, but few investigations have actually assessed the degree of…

Three Online Neutron Beam Experiments Based on the iLab Shared Architecture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yakov Ostrocsky

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Students at MIT have traditionally executed certain experiments in the containment building of the MIT nuclear reactor as part of courses in Nuclear Engineering and the third year laboratory course for Physics majors. A joint team of faculty and research staff from the MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory (MIT-NRL and MIT’s Center for Educational Computing Initiatives have implemented online versions of three classic experiments; (a a determination of MIT reactor coolant temperature through measurement of thermal neutron velocity, (b a demonstration of the DeBroglie relationship of the kinetic energy and momentum of thermal neutrons and study of Bragg diffraction through a single copper crystal at various orientations, and (c a measurement of beam depletion using a variety of shielding filters. These online experiments were implemented using the LabVIEW® virtual instrumentation package and the interactive version of the iLab Shared Architecture (ISA. Initial assessment of the online experiments indicates that they achieve comparable educational outcomes to traditional versions of the labs executed in the reactor containment building.

EarthLabs Climate Detectives: Using the Science, Data, and Technology of IODP Expedition 341 to Investigate the Earth's Past Climate

Science.gov (United States)

Mote, A. S.; Lockwood, J.; Ellins, K. K.; Haddad, N.; Ledley, T. S.; Lynds, S. E.; McNeal, K.; Libarkin, J. C.

2014-12-01

how learners can engage in authentic research experiences using real data in the secondary science classroom. In this session you will receive a brief overview of the EarthLabs project, learn more about IODP Expedition 341, and see some of the resources that the module makes available to students to help them analyze the data.

A remote lab for experiments with a team of mobile robots.

Science.gov (United States)

Casini, Marco; Garulli, Andrea; Giannitrapani, Antonio; Vicino, Antonio

2014-09-04

In this paper, a remote lab for experimenting with a team of mobile robots is presented. Robots are built with the LEGO Mindstorms technology and user-defined control laws can be directly coded in the Matlab programming language and validated on the real system. The lab is versatile enough to be used for both teaching and research purposes. Students can easily go through a number of predefined mobile robotics experiences without having to worry about robot hardware or low-level programming languages. More advanced experiments can also be carried out by uploading custom controllers. The capability to have full control of the vehicles, together with the possibility to define arbitrarily complex environments through the definition of virtual obstacles, makes the proposed facility well suited to quickly test and compare different control laws in a real-world scenario. Moreover, the user can simulate the presence of different types of exteroceptive sensors on board of the robots or a specific communication architecture among the agents, so that decentralized control strategies and motion coordination algorithms can be easily implemented and tested. A number of possible applications and real experiments are presented in order to illustrate the main features of the proposed mobile robotics remote lab.

A Remote Lab for Experiments with a Team of Mobile Robots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Casini

2014-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a remote lab for experimenting with a team of mobile robots is presented. Robots are built with the LEGO Mindstorms technology and user-defined control laws can be directly coded in the Matlab programming language and validated on the real system. The lab is versatile enough to be used for both teaching and research purposes. Students can easily go through a number of predefined mobile robotics experiences without having to worry about robot hardware or low-level programming languages. More advanced experiments can also be carried out by uploading custom controllers. The capability to have full control of the vehicles, together with the possibility to define arbitrarily complex environments through the definition of virtual obstacles, makes the proposed facility well suited to quickly test and compare different control laws in a real-world scenario. Moreover, the user can simulate the presence of different types of exteroceptive sensors on board of the robots or a specific communication architecture among the agents, so that decentralized control strategies and motion coordination algorithms can be easily implemented and tested. A number of possible applications and real experiments are presented in order to illustrate the main features of the proposed mobile robotics remote lab.

BioLab: Using Yeast Fermentation as a Model for the Scientific Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Pigage, Helen K.; Neilson, Milton C.; Greeder, Michele M.

This document presents a science experiment demonstrating the scientific method. The experiment consists of testing the fermentation capabilities of yeasts under different circumstances. The experiment is supported with computer software called BioLab which demonstrates yeast's response to different environments. (YDS)

Laboratory Notebooks in the Science Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Roberson, Christine; Lankford, Deanna

2010-01-01

Lab notebooks provide students with authentic science experiences as they become active, practicing scientists. Teachers gain insight into students' understanding of science content and processes, while students create a lasting personal resource. This article provides high school science teachers with guidelines for implementing lab notebooks in…

Advanced LabVIEW Labs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, Eric D.

1999-01-01

In the world of computer-based data acquisition and control, the graphical interface program LabVIEW from National Instruments is so ubiquitous that in many ways it has almost become the laboratory standard. To date, there have been approximately fifteen books concerning LabVIEW, but Professor Essick's treatise takes on a completely different tack than all of the previous discussions. In the more standard treatments of the ways and wherefores of LabVIEW such as LabVIEW Graphical Programming: Practical Applications in Instrumentation and Control by Gary W. Johnson (McGraw Hill, NY 1997), the emphasis has been instructing the reader how to program LabVIEW to create a Virtual Instrument (VI) on the computer for interfacing to a particular instruments. LabVIEW is written in ''G'' a graphical programming language developed by National Instruments. In the past the emphasis has been on training the experimenter to learn ''G''. Without going into details here, ''G'' incorporates the usual loops, arithmetic expressions, etc., found in many programming languages, but in an icon (graphical) environment. The net result being that LabVIEW contains all of the standard methods needed for interfacing to instruments, data acquisition, data analysis, graphics, and also methodology to incorporate programs written in other languages into LabVIEW. Historically, according to Professor Essick, he developed a series of experiments for an upper division laboratory course for computer-based instrumentation. His observation was that while many students had the necessary background in computer programming languages, there were students who had virtually no concept about writing a computer program let alone a computer- based interfacing program. Thus the beginnings of a concept for not only teaching computer- based instrumentation techniques, but aiso a method for the beginner to experience writing a com- puter program. Professor Essick saw LabVIEW as the ''perfect environment in which to

Field Evaluation of Highly Insulating Windows in the Lab Homes: Winter Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parker, Graham B.; Widder, Sarah H.; Bauman, Nathan N.

2012-06-01

This field evaluation of highly insulating windows was undertaken in a matched pair of 'Lab Homes' located on the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) campus during the 2012 winter heating season. Improving the insulation and solar heat gain characteristics of a home's windows has the potential to significantly improve the home's building envelope and overall thermal performance by reducing heat loss (in the winter), and cooling loss and solar heat gain (in the summer) through the windows. A high quality installation and/or window retrofit will also minimize or reduce air leakage through the window cavity and thus also contribute to reduced heat loss in the winter and cooling loss in the summer. These improvements all contribute to decreasing overall annual home energy use. Occupant comfort (non-quantifiable) can also be increased by minimizing or eliminating the cold 'draft' (temperature) many residents experience at or near window surfaces that are at a noticeably lower temperature than the room air temperature. Lastly, although not measured in this experiment, highly insulating windows (triple-pane in this experiment) also have the potential to significantly reduce the noise transmittance through windows compared to standard double-pane windows. The metered data taken in the Lab Homes and data analysis presented here represent 70 days of data taken during the 2012 heating season. As such, the savings from highly insulating windows in the experimental home (Lab Home B) compared to the standard double-pane clear glass windows in the baseline home (Lab Home A) are only a portion of the energy savings expected from a year-long experiment that would include a cooling season. The cooling season experiment will take place in the homes in the summer of 2012, and results of that experiment will be reported in a subsequent report available to all stakeholders.

A New Project-Based Lab for Undergraduate Environmental and Analytical Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Adami, Gianpiero

2006-01-01

A new project-based lab was developed for third year undergraduate chemistry students based on real world applications. The experience suggests that the total analytical procedure (TAP) project offers a stimulating alternative for delivering science skills and developing a greater interest for analytical chemistry and environmental sciences and…

Hands-On Open Access Broadband Wireless Technology Lab Mapping Course Outcomes to Lab Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yazan Alqudah

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The unprecedented growth in wireless communication is offering opportunities and challenges for educators. Thanks to technology advances and job opportunities, more and more students are interested in wireless communications courses. However, bridging the gap between classroom and real-world experience remains a challenge. Advanced undergraduate communications courses typically focus more on theory. Some courses are given online, and lack hands-on experiments. Driven by feedback from industry and students, we propose practical laboratory experiments that attempt to bridge the gap between classroom and real world. The laboratory exercises take advantage of the infrastructure of deployed wireless networks and allow students to measure, and analyze data, as well as to interact. The proposed labs can be used even in online courses. This paper describes the experiments proposed, the procedures and typical results. The experiments are tied to course objective.

GeoLab: A Geological Workstation for Future Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Cynthia; Calaway, Michael; Bell, Mary Sue; Li, Zheng; Tong, Shuo; Zhong, Ye; Dahiwala, Ravi

2014-01-01

The GeoLab glovebox was, until November 2012, fully integrated into NASA's Deep Space Habitat (DSH) Analog Testbed. The conceptual design for GeoLab came from several sources, including current research instruments (Microgravity Science Glovebox) used on the International Space Station, existing Astromaterials Curation Laboratory hardware and clean room procedures, and mission scenarios developed for earlier programs. GeoLab allowed NASA scientists to test science operations related to contained sample examination during simulated exploration missions. The team demonstrated science operations that enhance theThe GeoLab glovebox was, until November 2012, fully integrated into NASA's Deep Space Habitat (DSH) Analog Testbed. The conceptual design for GeoLab came from several sources, including current research instruments (Microgravity Science Glovebox) used on the International Space Station, existing Astromaterials Curation Laboratory hardware and clean room procedures, and mission scenarios developed for earlier programs. GeoLab allowed NASA scientists to test science operations related to contained sample examination during simulated exploration missions. The team demonstrated science operations that enhance the early scientific returns from future missions and ensure that the best samples are selected for Earth return. The facility was also designed to foster the development of instrument technology. Since 2009, when GeoLab design and construction began, the GeoLab team [a group of scientists from the Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office within the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Directorate at JSC] has progressively developed and reconfigured the GeoLab hardware and software interfaces and developed test objectives, which were to 1) determine requirements and strategies for sample handling and prioritization for geological operations on other planetary surfaces, 2) assess the scientific contribution of selective in-situ sample

Online labs and the MARVEL experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dieter Mueller

2005-06-01

Full Text Available MARVEL is a Leonardo da Vinci project that provides a framework to analyse the pedagogic effectiveness of online labs in various heterogeneous areas that include solar energy, robotics, electronics and electro-pneumatics. It is also used as a test bench to compare the implementation of purely remote labs, where all devices are real, versus mixed-reality environments, where real devices work together with simulation models. This paper describes the basic concepts underlying the implementation of such online labs and presents two case studies (which are openly available to the public. A final section discusses the main pedagogical implications of online labs and presents the research directions that are being considered as a follow-up from this project.

User recruitment, training, and support at NOAO Data Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Nikutta, Robert; Fitzpatrick, Michael J.; NOAO Data Lab

2018-06-01

The NOAO Data Lab (datalab.noao.edu) is a fully-fledged science data & analysis platform. However, simply building a science platform is notenough to declare it a success. Like any such system built for users, it needs actual users who see enough value in it to be willing toovercome the inertia of registering an account, studying the documentation, working through examples, and ultimately attempting tosolve their own science problems using the platform. The NOAO Data Lab has been open to users since June 2016. In this past year we haveregistered hundreds of users and improved the system, not least through the interaction with and feedback from our users. The posterwill delineate our efforts to recruit new users through conference presentations, platform demos and user workshops, and what we do toassure that users experience their first steps and their learning process with Data Lab as easy, competent, and inspiring. It will alsopresent our efforts in user retention and user support, from a human-staffed helpdesk, to one-on-one sessions, to regular"bring-your-own-problem (BYOP)" in-house sessions with interested users.

A Further Characterization of Empirical Research Related to Learning Outcome Achievement in Remote and Virtual Science Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Brinson, James R.

2017-10-01

This paper further characterizes recently reviewed literature related to student learning outcome achievement in non-traditional (virtual and remote) versus traditional (hands-on) science labs, as well as factors to consider when evaluating the state and progress of research in this field as a whole. Current research is characterized according to (1) participant nationality and culture, (2) participant education level, (3) participant demography, (4) scientific discipline, and (5) research methodology, which could provide avenues for further research and useful dialog regarding the measurement and interpretation of data related to student learning outcome achievement in, and thus the efficacy of, non-traditional versus traditional science labs. Current research is also characterized by (6) research publication media and (7) availability of non-traditional labs used, which demonstrate some of the obstacles to progress and consensus in this research field.

Real Science: MIT Reality Show Tracks Experiences, Frustrations of Chemistry Lab Students

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Kenneth J.

2012-01-01

A reality show about a college course--a chemistry class no less? That's what "ChemLab Boot Camp" is. The 14-part series of short videos is being released one episode at a time on the online learning site of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The novel show follows a diverse group of 14 freshmen as they struggle to master the…

GeneLab: NASA's Open Access, Collaborative Platform for Systems Biology and Space Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Berrios, Daniel C.; Thompson, Terri G.; Fogle, Homer W.; Rask, Jon C.; Coughlan, Joseph C.

2015-01-01

NASA is investing in GeneLab1 (http:genelab.nasa.gov), a multi-year effort to maximize utilization of the limited resources to conduct biological and medical research in space, principally aboard the International Space Station (ISS). High-throughput genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic or other omics analyses from experiments conducted on the ISS will be stored in the GeneLab Data Systems (GLDS), an open-science information system that will also include a biocomputation platform with collaborative science capabilities, to enable the discovery and validation of molecular networks.

Promoting Chemistry Learning through Undergraduate Work Experience in the Chemistry Lab: A Practical Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hong-Bin

2015-01-01

Hiring undergraduate lab assistants in chemistry departments is common in college. However, few studies have focused on promoting undergraduate chemistry learning and thinking skills through this work experience in chemistry teaching laboratories. This article discusses the strategy we implemented in the lab assistant program. The…

Report from the banding lab

Science.gov (United States)

Tautin, J.

1995-01-01

Mr. Tautin reported on the seemingly everchanging structure of biological science units within the Interior Department. Current Congressional proposals would either change the name of the Bird Banding Lab's parent agency or make it part of the Geological Survey. The current Congress has not looked favorably on science budgets within the Interior Department, and the Banding Lab's budget is being squeezed ever tighter.

Safety and shielding management for pulse power lab at IPR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Upadhyay, Shweta; Faldu, Akash; Koshti, Rahul; Kumar, Rajesh

2016-01-01

Experiments in pulsed power lab works with very high voltage and high current regime for the nanosecond to microsecond time scale. This produces lot of electromagnetic noise, which can cause interference or malfunctioning of equipment. Laboratory Safety and protection are a very important aspect of science and engineering. Without it, practical performance could result in very serious injury, if not death. To reduce its effect electromagnetic shielding and grounding has to be enforced effectively. Pulse power lab deals with many safety issues like Radiation safety (shielding), High voltage safety, electrical and mechanical safety, etc. In this paper radiation all the safety aspects in pulse power lab is described. (author)

One dimensional two-body collisions experiment based on LabVIEW interface with Arduino

Science.gov (United States)

Saphet, Parinya; Tong-on, Anusorn; Thepnurat, Meechai

2017-09-01

The purpose of this work is to build a physics lab apparatus that is modern, low-cost and simple. In one dimensional two-body collisions experiment, we used the Arduino UNO R3 as a data acquisition system which was controlled by LabVIEW program. The photogate sensors were designed using LED and LDR to measure position as a function of the time. Aluminium frame houseware and blower were used for the air track system. In both totally inelastic and elastic collision experiments, the results of momentum and energy conservation are in good agreement with the theoretical calculations.

Neue Aufgaben für wissenschaftliche Bibliotheken: Das Beispiel Open Science Lab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lambert Heller

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Vor dem Hintergrund des Aufkommens vieler neuer digitaler Werkzeuge und Methoden zur Unterstützung des wissenschaftlichen Arbeitens wird seit etwa fünf Jahren unter wissenschaftlichen Bibliothekaren in Deutschland immer häufiger über Innovationsmanagement diskutiert. Wie lassen sich relevante Trends und Herausforderungen rechtzeitig erkennen und mit den begrenzten Ressourcen einer Einrichtung des öffentlichen Dienstes adäquat aufgreifen, bis hin zu einer Veränderung der Bibliotheksstrategie? Der Beitrag behandelt das Modell des an der Technischen Informationsbibliothek Hannover (TIB 2013 ins Leben gerufenen Open Science Lab. Unter Leitung des Autors werden Trends beobachtet und aufgegriffen, um in enger Zusammenarbeit mit Wissenschaftlern und Wissenschaftlerinnen neue digitale Werkzeuge und Methoden zu erproben, eine neue Informationspraxis zu kultivieren und daraus Innovationen für das Dienste-Spektrum der Bibliothek abzuleiten. Dies wird beispielhaft anhand der beiden Schwerpunktthemen kollaboratives Schreiben sowie linked-data-basierte Forschungsinformationssysteme (FIS geschildert und diskutiert. Given the rise of many new digital tools and methods for supporting scientific work, the last five years have seen a lot of discussion amongst German academic librarians about innovation management. How can we discover relevant trends and challenges in time and respond to them adequately up to the point of changing whole library strategies, despite the limited resources of a public sector institution? The paper presents the model of the Open Science Lab which was set up at the German National Library of Science and Technology (TIB Hannover in 2013. Under the direction of the author and in close collaboration with scientific communities, the lab group keeps track of trends and selects some of them in order to try out new tools and methods. The ultimate aim is to cultivate new information practices and develop new, innovative

Lab at Home: Hardware Kits for a Digital Design Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, J. P.; Haim, F.

2009-01-01

An innovative laboratory methodology for an introductory digital design course is presented. Instead of having traditional lab experiences, where students have to come to school classrooms, a "lab at home" concept is proposed. Students perform real experiments in their own homes, using hardware kits specially developed for this purpose. They…

A LabVIEW based template for user created experiment automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, D J; Fisk, Z

2012-12-01

We have developed an expandable software template to automate user created experiments. The LabVIEW based template is easily modifiable to add together user created measurements, controls, and data logging with virtually any type of laboratory equipment. We use reentrant sequential selection to implement sequence script making it possible to wrap a long series of the user created experiments and execute them in sequence. Details of software structure and application examples for scanning probe microscope and automated transport experiments using custom built laboratory electronics and a cryostat are described.

Exploring problem-based cooperative learning in undergraduate physics labs: student perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Bergin, S. D.; Murphy, C.; Shuilleabhain, A. Ni

2018-03-01

This study examines the potential of problem-based cooperative learning (PBCL) in expanding undergraduate physics students’ understanding of, and engagement with, the scientific process. Two groups of first-year physics students (n = 180) completed a questionnaire which compared their perceptions of learning science with their engagement in physics labs. One cohort completed a lab based on a PBCL approach, whilst the other completed the same experiment, using a more traditional, manual-based lab. Utilising a participant research approach, the questionnaire was co-constructed by researchers and student advisers from each cohort in order to improve shared meaning between researchers and participants. Analysis of students’ responses suggests that students in the PBCL cohort engaged more in higher-order problem-solving skills and evidenced a deeper understanding of the scientific process than students in the more traditional, manual-based cohort. However, the latter cohort responses placed more emphasis on accuracy and measurement in lab science than the PBCL cohort. The students in the PBCL cohort were also more positively engaged with their learning than their counterparts in the manual led group.

Innovations in STEM education: the Go-Lab federation of online labs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, Anthonius J.M.; Sotiriou, Sofoklis; Gillet, Dennis

2014-01-01

The Go-Lab federation of online labs opens up virtual laboratories (simulation), remote laboratories (real equipment accessible at distance) and data sets from physical laboratory experiments (together called “online labs”) for large-scale use in education. In this way, Go-Lab enables inquiry-based

Beating Darwin-Bragg losses in lab-based ultrafast x-ray experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilfred K. Fullagar

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The use of low temperature thermal detectors for avoiding Darwin-Bragg losses in lab-based ultrafast experiments has begun. An outline of the background of this new development is offered, showing the relevant history and initiative taken by this work.

CLAS+FROST: new generation of photoproduction experiments at jefferson lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasyuk, E.

2009-01-01

A large part of the experimental program in Hall B of the Jefferson Lab is dedicated to baryon spectroscopy. Photoproduction experiments are essential part of this program. CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) and availability of circularly and linearly polarized tagged photon beams provide unique conditions for this type of experiments. Recent addition of the Frozen Spin Target (FROST) gives a remarkable opportunity to measure double and triple polarization observables for different pseudo-scalar meson photoproduction processes. For the first time, a complete or nearly complete experiment becomes possible and will allow model independent extraction of the reaction amplitude. An overview of the experiment and its current status is presented. (author)

Identifying potential types of guidance for supporting student inquiry when using virtual and remote labs in science: a literature review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zacharia, Zacharias C.; Manoli, Constantinos; Xenofontos, Nikoletta; de Jong, Anthonius J.M.; Pedaste, Margus; van Riesen, Siswa; Kamp, E.T.; Kamp, Ellen T.; Mäeots, Mario; Siiman, Leo; Tsourlidaki, Eleftheria

2015-01-01

The aim of this review is to identify specific types of guidance for supporting student use of online labs, that is, virtual and remote labs, in an inquiry context. To do so, we reviewed the literature on providing guidance within computer supported inquiry learning (CoSIL) environments in science

Beyond the Usability Lab Conducting Large-scale Online User Experience Studies

CERN Document Server

Albert, William; Tullis, Thomas

2010-01-01

Usability testing and user experience research typically take place in a controlled lab with small groups. While this type of testing is essential to user experience design, more companies are also looking to test large sample sizes to be able compare data according to specific user populations and see how their experiences differ across user groups. But few usability professionals have experience in setting up these studies, analyzing the data, and presenting it in effective ways.  Online usability testing offers the solution by allowing testers to elicit feedback simultaneously from 1,0

Towards a Metadata Schema for Characterizing Lesson Plans Supported by Virtual and Remote Labs in School Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Zervas, Panagiotis; Tsourlidaki, Eleftheria; Sotiriou, Sofoklis; Sampson, Demetrios G.

2015-01-01

Technological advancements in the field of World Wide Web have led to a plethora of remote and virtual labs (RVLs) that are currently available online and they are offered with or without cost. However, using a RVL to teach a specific science subject might not be a straightforward task for a science teacher. As a result, science teachers need to…

Beyond Classroom, Lab, Studio and Field

Science.gov (United States)

Waller, J. L.; Brey, J. A.; DeMuynck, E.; Weglarz, T. C.

2017-12-01

When the arts work in tandem with the sciences, the insights of these disciplines can be easily shared and teaching and learning are enriched. Our shared experiences in classroom/lab/studio instruction and in art and science based exhibitions reward all involved. Our individual disciplines cover a wide range of content- Art, Biology, Geography, Geology- yet we connect on aspects that link to the others'. We easily move from lab to studio and back again as we teach—as do our students as they learn! Art and science education can take place outside labs and studios through study abroad, international workshops, museum or gallery spaces, and in forums like the National Academies' programs. We can reach our neighbors at local public gatherings, nature centers and libraries. Our reach is extended in printed publications and in conferences. We will describe some of our activities listed above, with special focus on exhibitions: "Layers: Places in Peril"; "small problems, BIG TROUBLE" and the in-progress "River Bookends: Headwaters, Delta and the Volume of Stories In Between". Through these, learning and edification take place between the show and gallery visitors and is extended via class visits and related assignments, field trips for child and adult learners, interviews, films and panel presentations. These exhibitions offer the important opportunities for exhibit- participating scientists to find common ground with each other about their varied work. We will highlight a recent collaborative show opening a new university-based environmental research center and the rewarding activities there with art and science students and professors. We will talk about the learning enhancement added through a project that brought together a physical geography and a painting class. We will explore how students shared the form and content of their research projects with each other and then, became the educators through paintings and text of their geoscience topics on gallery walls.

LabVIEW-based X-ray detection system for laser compton scattering experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Wen; Xu Wang; Pan Qiangyan

2010-01-01

A LabVIEW-based X-ray detection system has been developed for laser-Compton scattering (LCS) experiment at the 100 MeV Linac of the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP). It mainly consists of a Si (Li) detector, readout electronics and a LabVIEW-based Data Acquisition (DAQ), and possesses the functions of signal spectrum displaying, acquisition control and simple online data analysis and so on. The performance test shows that energy and time resolutions of the system are 184 eV at 5.9 keV and ≤ 1% respectively and system instability is found to be 0.3‰ within a week. As a result, this X-ray detection system has low-cost and high-performance features and can meet the requirements of LCS experiment. (authors)

Using Evernote as an electronic lab notebook in a translational science laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Emily; Cho, Ilseung

2013-06-01

Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs) offer significant advantages over traditional paper laboratory notebooks (PLNs), yet most research labs today continue to use paper documentation. While biopharmaceutical companies represent the largest portion of ELN users, government and academic labs trail far behind in their usage. Our lab, a translational science laboratory at New York University School of Medicine (NYUSoM), wanted to determine if an ELN could effectively replace PLNs in an academic research setting. Over 6 months, we used the program Evernote to record all routine experimental information. We also surveyed students working in research laboratories at NYUSoM on the relative advantages and limitations of ELNs and PLNs and discovered that electronic and paper notebook users alike reported the inability to freehand into a notebook as a limitation when using electronic methods. Using Evernote, we found that the numerous advantages of ELNs greatly outweighed the inability to freehand directly into a notebook. We also used imported snapshots and drawing program add-ons to obviate the need for freehanding. Thus, we found that using Evernote as an ELN not only effectively replaces PLNs in an academic research setting but also provides users with a wealth of other advantages over traditional paper notebooks.

Communicating polar science to the general public: sharing the social media experience of @OceanSeaIceNPI

Science.gov (United States)

Rösel, Anja; Pavlov, Alexey K.; Granskog, Mats A.; Gerland, Sebastian; Meyer, Amelie; Hudson, Stephen R.; King, Jennifer; Itkin, Polona; Cohen, Lana; Dodd, Paul; de Steur, Laura

2016-04-01

The findings of climate science need to be communicated to the general public. Researchers are encouraged to do so by journalists, policy-makers and funding agencies and many of us want to become better science communicators. But how can we do this at the lab or small research group level without specifically allocated resources in terms of funds and communication officers? And how do we sustain communication on a regular basis and not just during the limited lifetime of a specific project? One of the solutions is to use the emerging platform of social media, which has become a powerful and inexpensive tool for communicating science to different target audiences. Many research institutions and individual researchers are already advanced users of social media, but small research groups and labs remain underrepresented. The group of oceanographers, sea ice and atmospheric scientists at the Norwegian Polar Institute (@OceanSeaIceNPI( will share our experiences developing and maintaining researcher-driven outreach for over a year through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We will present our solutions to some of the practical considerations such as identifying key target groups, defining the framework for sharing responsibilities and interactions within the research group, and choosing an up-to-date and appropriate social medium. By sharing this information, we aim to inspire and assist other research groups and labs in conducting their own effective science communication.

STAR: Preparing future science and math teachers through authentic research experiences at national laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, John; Rebar, Bryan

2012-11-01

The STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program provides 9-week paid summer research experiences at national research laboratories for future science and math teachers. The program, run by the Cal Poly Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CESaME) on behalf of the entire California State University (CSU) System, has arranged 290 research internships for 230 STEM undergraduates and credential candidates from 43 campuses over the past 6 years. The program has partnered with seven Department of Energy labs, four NASA centers, three NOAA facilities, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). Primary components of the summer experience include a) conducting research with a mentor or mentor team, b) participating in weekly 2-3 hour workshops focused on translating lessons learned from summer research into classroom practice, and c) presenting a research poster or oral presentation and providing a lesson plan linked to the summer research experience. The central premise behind the STAR Program is that future science and math teachers can more effectively prepare the next generation of science, math, and engineering students if they themselves have authentic experiences as researchers.

Implementation and use of cloud-based electronic lab notebook in a bioprocess engineering teaching laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Erin M; Hattaway, Holly Z; Felse, P Arthur

2017-01-01

Electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) are better equipped than paper lab notebooks (PLNs) to handle present-day life science and engineering experiments that generate large data sets and require high levels of data integrity. But limited training and a lack of workforce with ELN knowledge have restricted the use of ELN in academic and industry research laboratories which still rely on cumbersome PLNs for recordkeeping. We used LabArchives, a cloud-based ELN in our bioprocess engineering lab course to train students in electronic record keeping, good documentation practices (GDPs), and data integrity. Implementation of ELN in the bioprocess engineering lab course, an analysis of user experiences, and our development actions to improve ELN training are presented here. ELN improved pedagogy and learning outcomes of the lab course through stream lined workflow, quick data recording and archiving, and enhanced data sharing and collaboration. It also enabled superior data integrity, simplified information exchange, and allowed real-time and remote monitoring of experiments. Several attributes related to positive user experiences of ELN improved between the two subsequent years in which ELN was offered. Student responses also indicate that ELN is better than PLN for compliance. We demonstrated that ELN can be successfully implemented in a lab course with significant benefits to pedagogy, GDP training, and data integrity. The methods and processes presented here for ELN implementation can be adapted to many types of laboratory experiments.

Simple Harmonics Motion experiment based on LabVIEW interface for Arduino

Science.gov (United States)

Tong-on, Anusorn; Saphet, Parinya; Thepnurat, Meechai

2017-09-01

In this work, we developed an affordable modern innovative physics lab apparatus. The ultrasonic sensor is used to measure the position of a mass attached on a spring as a function of time. The data acquisition system and control device were developed based on LabVIEW interface for Arduino UNO R3. The experiment was designed to explain wave propagation which is modeled by simple harmonic motion. The simple harmonic system (mass and spring) was observed and the motion can be realized using curve fitting to the wave equation in Mathematica. We found that the spring constants provided by Hooke’s law and the wave equation fit are 9.9402 and 9.1706 N/m, respectively.

Work flows in life science

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wassink, I.

2010-01-01

The introduction of computer science technology in the life science domain has resulted in a new life science discipline called bioinformatics. Bioinformaticians are biologists who know how to apply computer science technology to perform computer based experiments, also known as in-silico or dry lab

DOSAR/CalLab Operations Manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogard, J.S.

2000-01-01

The Life Sciences Division (LSD) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has a long record of radiation dosimetry research, primarily using the Health Physics Research Reactor (HPRR) and the Dosimetry Applications Research (DOSAR) Program Calibration Laboratory (CalLab), referred to formerly as the Radiation Calibration Laboratory. These facilities have been used by a broad segment of the research community to perform a variety of experiments in areas including, but not limited to, radiobiology, radiation dosimeter and instrumentation development and calibration, and the testing of materials in a variety of radiation environments

A comparative study on real lab and simulation lab in communication engineering from students' perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Balakrishnan, B.; Woods, P. C.

2013-05-01

Over the years, rapid development in computer technology has engendered simulation-based laboratory (lab) in addition to the traditional hands-on (physical) lab. Many higher education institutions adopt simulation lab, replacing some existing physical lab experiments. The creation of new systems for conducting engineering lab activities has raised concerns among educators on the merits and shortcomings of both physical and simulation labs; at the same time, many arguments have been raised on the differences of both labs. Investigating the effectiveness of both labs is complicated, as there are multiple factors that should be considered. In view of this challenge, a study on students' perspectives on their experience related to key aspects on engineering laboratory exercise was conducted. In this study, the Visual Auditory Read and Kinetic model was utilised to measure the students' cognitive styles. The investigation was done through a survey among participants from Multimedia University, Malaysia. The findings revealed that there are significant differences for most of the aspects in physical and simulation labs.

How to Motivate Science Teachers to Use Science Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Trna

2012-10-01

Full Text Available A science experiment is the core tool in science education. This study describes the science teachers' professional competence to implement science experiments in teaching/learning science. The main objective is the motivation of science teachers to use science experiments. The presented research tries to answer questions aimed at the science teachers' skills to use science experiments in teaching/learning science. The research discovered the following facts: science teachers do not include science experiments in teaching/learning in a suitable way; are not able to choose science experiments corresponding to the teaching phase; prefer teachers' demonstration of science experiments; are not able to improvise with the aids; use only a few experiments. The important research result is that an important motivational tool for science teachers is the creation of simple experiments. Examples of motivational simple experiments used into teachers' training for increasing their own creativity and motivation are presented.

Assessment of Student Learning in Modern Experiments in the Introductory Calculus-Based Physics Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Woodahl, Brian; Ross, John; Lang, Sarah; Scott, Derek; Williams, Jeremy

2010-10-01

With the advent of newer microelectronic sensors it's now possible to modernize introductory physics labs with the latest technology and this may allow for enhanced student participation/learning in the experiments. For example, force plate sensors can digitize and record the force on an object, later it can be analyzed in detail (i.e, impulse from force vs. time). Small 3-axis accelerometers can record 3-dim, time-dependent acceleration of objects undergoing complex motions. These devices are small, fairly easy to use, and importantly, are likely to enhance student learning by ``personalizing'' data collection, i.e. making the student an active part of the measurement process and no longer a passive observer. To assess whether these new high-tech labs enhance student learning, we have implemented pre- and post- test sessions to measure the effectiveness of student learning. Four of our calculus-based lab sections were used: Two sections the control group, using the previous ``old technology'' labs, the other two, the experimental group, using the new ``modern technology'' labs. Initial returns of assessment data offer some surprising insight.

Community Resilience Informed by Science and Experience (C-RISE)

Science.gov (United States)

Young Morse, R.; Peake, L.; Bowness, G.

2017-12-01

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is developing an interactive learning experience that engages participants in the interdependence of humans and the environment, the cycles of observation and experiment that advance science knowledge, and the changes we see now and that are predicted for sea level and storm frequency. These scientific concepts and principles will be brought to human scale through the connection to the challenge of city planning in our harbor communities. We are leveraging the ESRI Story Maps platform to build rich visualization-based narratives that feature NOAA maps, data and tools. Our program participants work in teams to navigate the content and participate in facilitated group discussions led by our educators. Based on the adult learning experience and in concert with new content being developed for the LabVenture program around the theme of Climate Change, we will develop a learning experience for 5th and 6th graders.Our goal is to immerse 1000+ adults from target communities in Greater Portland region as well as 8000+ middle school students from throughout the state in the experience.

LabVIEW-based control and data acquisition system for cathodoluminescence experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bok, J; Schauer, P

2011-11-01

Computer automation of cathodoluminescence (CL) experiments using equipment developed in our laboratory is described. The equipment provides various experiments for CL efficiency, CL spectra, and CL time response studies. The automation was realized utilizing the graphical programming environment LabVIEW. The developed application software with procedures for equipment control and data acquisition during various CL experiments is presented. As the measured CL data are distorted by technical limitations of the equipment, such as equipment spectral sensitivity and time response, data correction algorithms were incorporated into the procedures. Some examples of measured data corrections are presented. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Are Virtual Labs as Effective as Hands-on Labs for Undergraduate Physics? A Comparative Study at Two Major Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Darrah, Marjorie; Humbert, Roxann; Finstein, Jeanne; Simon, Marllin; Hopkins, John

2014-01-01

Most physics professors would agree that the lab experiences students have in introductory physics are central to the learning of the concepts in the course. It is also true that these physics labs require time and money for upkeep, not to mention the hours spent setting up and taking down labs. Virtual physics lab experiences can provide an…

13 scientists aced their science communication test at the FameLab final

CERN Document Server

Antonella Del Rosso

2015-01-01

On 8 May, the joint CERN and Swiss FameLab final took place in CERN’s Restaurant 1, which was transformed into a cosy setting for the special occasion. The jury selected Oskari Vinko, a Master’s student in synthetic biology at ETH Zurich, as the winner of the Swiss final while Lillian Smestad, a physicist in the Aegis collaboration, will be the first CERN finalist to go to the international final at the Cheltenham Science Festival. In addition, CMS physicist Christos Lazaridis was awarded the audience prize.   

Bringing Science out of the Lab into the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

2006-03-01

activities," says Bill Stirling, Director General of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), representing EIROforum at the launch event. "Scientists across Europe, including those in EIROforum labs, are continually making discoveries that they would be willing and able to explain to young people, but there's no central mechanism to help do so - we think that this new journal can help fulfil that function." "Motivating more young people to take an interest in understanding and learning science at school is important not only because science careers are exciting and rewarding, but also because young people need to know about how science and technology is changing our world - their world!," says Stephen Parker, Head of Education and Science of the European Commission. "Science in School is just one of the initiatives being supported by the Commission to take this forward." EIROforum sustains many other education activities including the Science on Stage festival, a sort of European teaching Olympics where teachers present their most inventive methods. The best projects from last year's Science on Stage festival will be featured in Science in School.

The Design:Lab as platform in participatory design research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Binder, Thomas; Brandt, Eva

2008-01-01

The notion of laboratory or simply 'lab' has become popular in recent years in areas outside science and technology development. Learning Labs, Innovation Labs, Usability Labs, Media and Communication Labs and even Art Labs designate institutions or fora dedicated to change and experimentation...... as others have frequently used other metaphors like workshop, studio or atelier in design research. In this article we will argue that the laboratory metaphor is particularly suitable and useful for the design:lab, and we will give examples of how we have worked with the design:lab as a platform...

NASA GeneLab Project: Bridging Space Radiation Omics with Ground Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Beheshti, Afshin; Miller, Jack; Kidane, Yared; Berrios, Daniel; Gebre, Samrawit G; Costes, Sylvain V

2018-04-13

Accurate assessment of risks of long-term space missions is critical for human space exploration. It is essential to have a detailed understanding of the biological effects on humans living and working in deep space. Ionizing radiation from galactic cosmic rays (GCR) is a major health risk factor for astronauts on extended missions outside the protective effects of the Earth's magnetic field. Currently, there are gaps in our knowledge of the health risks associated with chronic low-dose, low-dose-rate ionizing radiation, specifically ions associated with high (H) atomic number (Z) and energy (E). The NASA GeneLab project ( https://genelab.nasa.gov/ ) aims to provide a detailed library of omics datasets associated with biological samples exposed to HZE. The GeneLab Data System (GLDS) includes datasets from both spaceflight and ground-based studies, a majority of which involve exposure to ionizing radiation. In addition to detailed information on radiation exposure for ground-based studies, GeneLab is adding detailed, curated dosimetry information for spaceflight experiments. GeneLab is the first comprehensive omics database for space-related research from which an investigator can generate hypotheses to direct future experiments, utilizing both ground and space biological radiation data. The GLDS is continually expanding as omics-related data are generated by the space life sciences community. Here we provide a brief summary of the space radiation-related data available at GeneLab.

Experiment Based Teaching of Solar Cell Operation and Characterization Using the SolarLab Platform

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spataru, Sergiu; Sera, Dezso; Kerekes, Tamas

2014-01-01

interfaces for exploring different solar cell principles and topics. The exercises presented in the current paper have been adapted from the original exercises developed for the SolarLab platform and are currently included in the Photovoltaic Power Systems courses (MSc and PhD level) taught at the Department...... which is a laboratory teaching tool developed at Transylvania University of Brasov. Using this platform, solar cells can be characterized under various illumination, temperature and angle of light incidence. Additionally, the SolarLab platform includes guided exercises and intuitive graphical user......Experiment based teaching methods are a great way to get students involved and interested in almost any topic. This paper presents such a hands-on approach for teaching solar cell operation principles along with characterization and modelling methods. This is achieved with the SolarLab platform...

Linear Motor Motion Control Experiment System Design Based on LabVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cuixian He

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In order to meet the needs of experimental training of electrical information industry, a linear motor motion experiment system based on LabVIEW was developed. This system is based on the STM32F103ZET6 system processor controller, a state signal when the motor moves through the grating encoder feedback controller to form a closed loop, through the RS232 serial port communication with the host computer, the host computer is designed in the LabVIEW interactive environment monitoring software. Combined with the modular design concept proposed overall program, given the detailed hardware circuit, targeted for the software function design, to achieve man-machine interface. The system control of high accuracy, good stability, meet the training requirements for laboratory equipment, but also as a reference embodiment of the linear motor monitoring system.

Ontology: A Support Structure for a V-Labs Network: Euronet-Lab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raul Cordeiro Correia

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Our propose is to build a network of virtual laboratories, based in a Virtual Closet that will contain all the elements and parts that are needed to build the various experiences available in a v-labs network (that we call Euronet-Lab. To build this complex network we need to find a system that supports effectively this structure. This probably will be a enormous database of v-labs and independent elements, where will be possible sometimes to “recycle” some of the elements. This means “re-use” the same element several times in many experiences. To do this is necessary to have a structure that allows us to have several instances of the same element. It’s important that in our structure and virtual environment we can create several “images” of the same reality and this images can be used simultaneously in different circuits/experiments. This means that we can create several instances of the same element, to be used in different experiences and exercises.

A Case Study of a High School Fab Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Lacy, Jennifer E.

This dissertation examines making and design-based STEM education in a formal makerspace. It focuses on how the design and implementation of a Fab Lab learning environment and curriculum affect how instructors and students see themselves engaging in science, and how the Fab Lab relates to the social sorting practices that already take place at North High School. While there is research examining design-based STEM education in informal and formal learning environments, we know little about how K-12 teachers define STEM in making activities when no university or museum partnership exists. This study sought to help fill this gap in the research literature. This case study of a formal makerspace followed instructors and students in one introductory Fab Lab course for one semester. Additional observations of an introductory woodworking course helped build the case and set it into the school context, and provided supplementary material to better understand the similarities and differences between the Fab Lab course and a more traditional design-based learning course. Using evidence from observational field notes, participant interviews, course materials, and student work, I found that the North Fab Lab relies on artifacts and rhetoric symbolic of science and STEM to set itself apart from other design-based courses at North High School. Secondly, the North Fab Lab instructors and students were unable to explain how what they were doing in the Fab Lab was science, and instead relied on vague and unsupported claims related to interdisciplinary STEM practices and dated descriptions of science. Lastly, the design and implementation of the Fab Lab learning environment and curriculum and its separation from North High School's low tech, design-based courses effectively reinforced social sorting practices and cultural assumptions about student work and intelligence.

OpenLabNotes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

List, Markus; Franz, Michael; Tan, Qihua

2015-01-01

be advantageous if an ELN was Integrated with a laboratory information management system to allow for a comprehensive documentation of experimental work including the location of samples that were used in a particular experiment. Here, we present OpenLabNotes, which adds state-of-the-art ELN capabilities to Open......LabFramework, a powerful and flexible laboratory information management system. In contrast to comparable solutions, it allows to protect the intellectual property of its users by offering data protection with digital signatures. OpenLabNotes effectively Closes the gap between research documentation and sample management......, thus making Open-Lab Framework more attractive for laboratories that seek to increase productivity through electronic data management....

Research Microcultures as Socialization Contexts for Underrepresented Science Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Thoman, Dustin B; Muragishi, Gregg A; Smith, Jessi L

2017-06-01

How much does scientific research potentially help people? We tested whether prosocial-affordance beliefs (PABs) about science spread among group members and contribute to individual students' motivation for science. We tested this question within the context of research experience for undergraduates working in faculty-led laboratories, focusing on students who belong to underrepresented minority (URM) groups. Longitudinal survey data were collected from 522 research assistants in 41 labs at six institutions. We used multilevel modeling, and results supported a socialization effect for URM students: The aggregate PABs of their lab mates predicted the students' own initial PABs, as well as their subsequent experiences of interest and their motivation to pursue a career in science, even after controlling for individual-level PABs. Results demonstrate that research labs serve as microcultures of information about the science norms and values that influence motivation. URM students are particularly sensitive to this information. Efforts to broaden participation should be informed by an understanding of the group processes that convey such prosocial values.

New Dimensions in Teaching Digital Electronics: A Multimode Laboratory Utilizing NI ELVIS IITM, LabVIEW and NI Multisim

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Katumba

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Over the years, conventional Laboratories in African Universities have been hampered by inadequate resources in terms of the required hardware, space and skilled personnel to administer them. This paper describes a multi-dimensional approach to experimentation, developed by the Makerere University iLabs Project Team, hereafter referred to as iLABS@MAK. The two dimensional approach involves both Virtual Labs and Online Laboratories designed to address laboratory deficiencies in Digital Electronics, encompassing five courses in the curricula of the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc in Computer, Electrical and Telecommunication Engineering Programs. A digital Online Laboratory, the Makerere University Digital iLab (MDEi supporting experiments in the fields of combinational logic circuits and asynchronous sequential logic circuits has been developed. The laboratory utilizes the National Instruments Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS II™ platform, the Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW graphical programming environment and NI Multisim. Typical experiment setups supported by the MDEi are presented

EarthLabs Modules: Engaging Students In Extended, Rigorous Investigations Of The Ocean, Climate and Weather

Science.gov (United States)

Manley, J.; Chegwidden, D.; Mote, A. S.; Ledley, T. S.; Lynds, S. E.; Haddad, N.; Ellins, K.

2016-02-01

EarthLabs, envisioned as a national model for high school Earth or Environmental Science lab courses, is adaptable for both undergraduate middle school students. The collection includes ten online modules that combine to feature a global view of our planet as a dynamic, interconnected system, by engaging learners in extended investigations. EarthLabs support state and national guidelines, including the NGSS, for science content. Four modules directly guide students to discover vital aspects of the oceans while five other modules incorporate ocean sciences in order to complete an understanding of Earth's climate system. Students gain a broad perspective on the key role oceans play in fishing industry, droughts, coral reefs, hurricanes, the carbon cycle, as well as life on land and in the seas to drive our changing climate by interacting with scientific research data, manipulating satellite imagery, numerical data, computer visualizations, experiments, and video tutorials. Students explore Earth system processes and build quantitative skills that enable them to objectively evaluate scientific findings for themselves as they move through ordered sequences that guide the learning. As a robust collection, EarthLabs modules engage students in extended, rigorous investigations allowing a deeper understanding of the ocean, climate and weather. This presentation provides an overview of the ten curriculum modules that comprise the EarthLabs collection developed by TERC and found at http://serc.carleton.edu/earthlabs/index.html. Evaluation data on the effectiveness and use in secondary education classrooms will be summarized.

Providing guidance in virtual lab experimentation : the case of an experiment design tool

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Efstathiou, Charalampos; Hovardas, Tasos; Xenofontos, Nikoletta A.; Zacharia, Zacharias C.; de Jong, Ton A.J.M.; Anjewierden, Anjo; van Riesen, Siswa A.N.

2018-01-01

The present study employed a quasi-experimental design to assess a computer-based tool, which was intended to scaffold the task of designing experiments when using a virtual lab for the process of experimentation. In particular, we assessed the impact of this tool on primary school students’

A Big Bang Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Scheider, Walter

2005-01-01

The February 2005 issue of The Science Teacher (TST) reminded everyone that by learning how scientists study stars, students gain an understanding of how science measures things that can not be set up in lab, either because they are too big, too far away, or happened in a very distant past. The authors of "How Far are the Stars?" show how the…

UniSchooLabs Toolkit: Tools and Methodologies to Support the Adoption of Universities’ Remote and Virtual Labs in Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Augusto Chioccariello

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The UniSchooLabs project aims at creating an infrastructure supporting web access to remote/virtual labs and associated educational resources to engage learners with hands-on and minds-on activities in science, technology and math in schools. The UniSchooLabs tool-kit supports the teacher in selecting a remote or virtual lab and developing a lab activity based on an inquiry model template. While working with the toolkit the teacher has access to three main features: a a catalogue of available online laboratories; b an archive of activities created by other users; c a tool for creating new activities or reusing existing ones.

From traditional lab protocols to a Guided Inquiry Based approach: an experience for Biotechnology students at the European University of Madrid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rocío González Soltero

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Current conventional laboratory sessions for science undergraduate students are currently reported to fail in developing research competences. However, authentic research experiences, in and out of the laboratory, are becoming more common in introductory undergraduate science programs after the implantation of The Bologna Process. Project-based learning (PBL experiences based on inquiry-based protocols could be used to help students to identify and analyze the information they need to move into complex problems. Inquiry-based courses have been described in the past, where students participate in semester-long guided research projects focused in specific learning objectives (Hatfull et al. 2006; Call et al., 2007; Lopatto et al., 2008. During this last academic year we have designed a PBL model that provides an active learning laboratory experience based on an inquiry-based protocol for 2nd year Biotechnology students. We have designed a modular molecular genetics course that includes bioinformatics and molecular biology lab sessions. In both modules, students had the opportunity to conduct in collaborative groups different research projects about a central theme in molecular biology: the cell cycle. As they were responsible of their own projects, they becoming practicing scientists by proposing and evaluating biological experiments of their own design mentored by teacher facilitation. Final assessments included a thorough literature review about the central topic of the project and a final written paper resembling established publishing criteria for science research international journals. Students were also encouraged to contact well-known scientists in their research area by email during their bibliography search. From the satisfaction surveys, we conclude that results were positive in terms of student satisfaction (as measured in questionnaires and written reflections. This experience helped students understand the strengths, limitations and

Library-Labs-for-Science Literacy Courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Pestel, Beverly C.; Engeldinger, Eugene A.

1992-01-01

Describes two library-lab exercises the authors have incorporated into their college chemistry course. The first exercise introduces students to scientific information and familiarizes them with the tools for accessing it. The second provides a framework for evaluating the reliability of that information and addresses the criteria that should be…

Virtual Labs in proteomics: new E-learning tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Sandipan; Koshy, Nicole Rachel; Reddy, Panga Jaipal; Srivastava, Sanjeeva

2012-05-17

Web-based educational resources have gained enormous popularity recently and are increasingly becoming a part of modern educational systems. Virtual Labs are E-learning platforms where learners can gain the experience of practical experimentation without any direct physical involvement on real bench work. They use computerized simulations, models, videos, animations and other instructional technologies to create interactive content. Proteomics being one of the most rapidly growing fields of the biological sciences is now an important part of college and university curriculums. Consequently, many E-learning programs have started incorporating the theoretical and practical aspects of different proteomic techniques as an element of their course work in the form of Video Lectures and Virtual Labs. To this end, recently we have developed a Virtual Proteomics Lab at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, which demonstrates different proteomics techniques, including basic and advanced gel and MS-based protein separation and identification techniques, bioinformatics tools and molecular docking methods, and their applications in different biological samples. This Tutorial will discuss the prominent Virtual Labs featuring proteomics content, including the Virtual Proteomics Lab of IIT-Bombay, and E-resources available for proteomics study that are striving to make proteomic techniques and concepts available and accessible to the student and research community. This Tutorial is part of the International Proteomics Tutorial Programme (IPTP 14). Details can be found at: http://www.proteomicstutorials.org/. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Women, race, and science: The academic experiences of twenty women of color with a passion for science

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Angela C.

Women of color drop out of science at higher rates than other students. This study is an ethnographic examination of why this occurs and how women of color can be supported in studying science. Through participant observation in science classes, labs, and a program supporting high-achieving students of color, as well as interviews with minority women science students, the student identities celebrated by science departments, as well as those embraced by my informants, were uncovered. Cultural norms of science classes often differed from those of the women in the study. Only one identity---apprentice research scientist---was celebrated in science settings, although others were tolerated. The women tended to either embrace the apprentice research scientist identity, form an alternative science-oriented identity, or never form a satisfying science student identity. Women who were more racially marked were more likely to fall into the second and third groups. This study uncovered difficulties which women students of color faced more than other science students. In addition, it uncovered several seemingly neutral institutional features of science lectures and labs which actually served to discourage or marginalize women students of color. It revealed values held in common by the women in the study and how those characteristics (especially altruism and pride and pleasure in academic challenge) led them to study science. It also revealed strategies used by the most successful women science students, as well as by professors and programs most successful at supporting women of color in the study of science. Based on this study, increasing the participation of women of color in science holds the possibility of altering the basic values of science; however, institutional features and personal interactions within science departments tend to resist those changes, primarily by encouraging women of color to abandon their study of science.

An overview of the user program for the Jefferson Lab free electron laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dylla, H.F.

1999-01-01

Jefferson Lab is commissioning a high-average-power IR FEL during 1998. When driven with its superconducting linac operating in a recirculated mode, the IR Demo FEL is capable of producing kilowatt-level average power in the mid-infrared (2-7 mu m) range. With operational experience and hardware changes involving primarily change-out of the optical cavity mirrors, the FEL is capable of covering a wide range of the infrared (1-16 mu m) at power levels exceeding 100 W. This tuning range combined with a unique pulse structure makes the Jefferson Lab FEL a versatile research and development tool for a wide variety of laser applications. A core group of industrial partners has been involved in planning applications using the FEL since 1991. This initial user group was augmented with university partners in 1993 and with participants from several national laboratories in 1996-1997. With the initiation of construction of the FEL and the associated 600 m 2 user facility laboratory in 1996, a number of topical user groups were formed to plan and implement the first series of user experiments. The industrial partners have formed user groups planning applications in polymer surface processing, metal surface processing, microfabrication, and electronic materials. University partners have submitted proposals on basic science topics which complement and planned applied research topics, in addition to proposing experiments in atomic physics, chemical physics and materials science which take advantage of one or more of the unique characteristics of the FEL. A synopsis of the proposed user experiments for the first phase of operation of the Jefferson Lab FEL will be presented

Simulated and Virtual Science Laboratory Experiments: Improving Critical Thinking and Higher-Order Learning Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Nicole A.

Virtual laboratory experiments using interactive computer simulations are not being employed as viable alternatives to laboratory science curriculum at extensive enough rates within higher education. Rote traditional lab experiments are currently the norm and are not addressing inquiry, Critical Thinking, and cognition throughout the laboratory experience, linking with educational technologies (Pyatt & Sims, 2007; 2011; Trundle & Bell, 2010). A causal-comparative quantitative study was conducted with 150 learners enrolled at a two-year community college, to determine the effects of simulation laboratory experiments on Higher-Order Learning, Critical Thinking Skills, and Cognitive Load. The treatment population used simulated experiments, while the non-treatment sections performed traditional expository experiments. A comparison was made using the Revised Two-Factor Study Process survey, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and the Scientific Attitude Inventory survey, using a Repeated Measures ANOVA test for treatment or non-treatment. A main effect of simulated laboratory experiments was found for both Higher-Order Learning, [F (1, 148) = 30.32,p = 0.00, eta2 = 0.12] and Critical Thinking Skills, [F (1, 148) = 14.64,p = 0.00, eta 2 = 0.17] such that simulations showed greater increases than traditional experiments. Post-lab treatment group self-reports indicated increased marginal means (+4.86) in Higher-Order Learning and Critical Thinking Skills, compared to the non-treatment group (+4.71). Simulations also improved the scientific skills and mastery of basic scientific subject matter. It is recommended that additional research recognize that learners' Critical Thinking Skills change due to different instructional methodologies that occur throughout a semester.

Lab architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Crease, Robert P.

2008-04-01

There are few more dramatic illustrations of the vicissitudes of laboratory architecturethan the contrast between Building 20 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and its replacement, the Ray and Maria Stata Center. Building 20 was built hurriedly in 1943 as temporary housing for MIT's famous Rad Lab, the site of wartime radar research, and it remained a productive laboratory space for over half a century. A decade ago it was demolished to make way for the Stata Center, an architecturally striking building designed by Frank Gehry to house MIT's computer science and artificial intelligence labs (above). But in 2004 - just two years after the Stata Center officially opened - the building was criticized for being unsuitable for research and became the subject of still ongoing lawsuits alleging design and construction failures.

SANE Of Jefferson Lab: Spin Asymmetries on the Nucleon Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmidouch, Abdellah

2011-01-01

The Spin Asymmetry on the Nucleon Experiment (SANE) at Jefferson Lab measures proton spin observables A 1 p , A 2 p and structure functions g 1 p and g 2 p over a broad range of Bjorken scaling variable x from 0.3 to 0.8, for four-momentum transfers ranging from 2.5 GeV 2 to 6.5 GeV 2 . Inclusive double spin asymmetries were measured by scattering 4.7 and 5.9-GeV longitudinally polarized electron beam off a polarized solid NH 3 target, in both parallel and near-perpendicular configuration. Scattered electrons were detected using a novel non-magnetic detector array with 194-msr acceptance. This paper presents the physics motivation for the experiment, the detector performance, and the latest status of the ongoing data analysis.

LabVIEW 8 student edition

CERN Document Server

Bishop, Robert H

2007-01-01

For courses in Measurement and Instrumentation, Electrical Engineering lab, and Physics and Chemistry lab. This revised printing has been updated to include new LabVIEW 8.2 Student Edition. National Instruments' LabVIEW is the defacto industry standard for test, measurement, and automation software solutions. With the Student Edition of LabVIEW, students can design graphical programming solutions to their classroom problems and laboratory experiments with software that delivers the graphical programming capabilites of the LabVIEW professional version. . The Student Edition is also compatible with all National Instruments data acquisition and instrument control hardware. Note: The LabVIEW Student Edition is available to students, faculty, and staff for personal educational use only. It is not intended for research, institutional, or commercial use. For more information about these licensing options, please visit the National Instruments website at (http:www.ni.com/academic/)

African American eighth-grade female students' perceptions and experiences as learners of science literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Crim, Sharan R.

learners of science literacy: (1) the influence of family members, especially mothers and grandmothers, (2) the personal connections made to science concepts and real life, (3) the creative student-researched and designed projects, labs, and experiments. Trustworthiness and rigor were established through adherence to guidelines for establishing credibility, confirmability, dependability, and transferability (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).

The Information Science Experiment System - The computer for science experiments in space

Science.gov (United States)

Foudriat, Edwin C.; Husson, Charles

1989-01-01

The concept of the Information Science Experiment System (ISES), potential experiments, and system requirements are reviewed. The ISES is conceived as a computer resource in space whose aim is to assist computer, earth, and space science experiments, to develop and demonstrate new information processing concepts, and to provide an experiment base for developing new information technology for use in space systems. The discussion covers system hardware and architecture, operating system software, the user interface, and the ground communication link.

Giant Ants and Walking Plants: Using Science Fiction to Teach a Writing-Intensive, Lab-Based Biology Class for Nonmajors

Science.gov (United States)

Firooznia, Fardad

2006-01-01

This writing-intensive, lab-based, nonmajor biology course explores scientific inquiry and biological concepts through specific topics illustrated or inaccurately depicted in works of science fiction. The laboratory emphasizes the scientific method and introduces several techniques used in biological research related to the works we study.…

Connecting Lab-Based Attosecond Science with FEL research

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2011-01-01

In the last few years laboratory-scale femtosecond laser-based research using XUV light has developed dramatically following the successful development of attosecond laser pulses by means of high-harmonic generation. Using attosecond laser pulses, studies of electron dynamics on the natural timescale that electronic processes occur in atoms, molecules and solids can be contemplated, providing unprecedented insight into the fundamental role that electrons play in photo-induced processes. In my talk I will briefly review the present status of the attosecond science research field in terms of present and foreseen capabilities, and discuss a few recent applications, including a first example of the use of attosecond laser pulses in molecular science. In addition, I will discuss very recent results of experiments where photoionization of dynamically aligned molecules is investigated using a high-harmonics XUV source. Photoionization of aligned molecules becomes all the more interesting if the experiment is perfo...

The Evaluation of Students' Written Reflection on the Learning of General Chemistry Lab Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Ng Sook; Li, Ho Ket; Sin, Lee Choy; Sin, Keng Pei

2014-01-01

Reflective writing is often used to increase understanding and analytical ability. The lack of empirical evidence on the effect of reflective writing interventions on the learning of general chemistry lab experiment supports the examination of this concept. The central goal of this exploratory study was to evaluate the students' written…

Using Infiniscope Exploratory Activities in an Online Astronomy Lab Course for Non-Science Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Knierman, Karen; Anbar, Ariel; Tamer, A. Joseph; Hunsley, Diana; Young, Patrick A.; Center for Education Through eXploration

2018-01-01

With the growth of online astronomy courses, it has become necessary to design different strategies for students to engage meaningfully with astronomy content. In contrast to some of the previously designed “cookbook”-style lab exercises, the strategy of these Infiniscope activities is to provide an experience where the students explore and discover the content for themselves. The Infiniscope project was created by ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate as part of the NASA Exploration Connection project. As part of this project, online activities on topics such as asteroids and Kuiper Belt objects, eclipses, and Kepler’s Laws were designed and created for middle school (grades 6-8) and informal education settings. This poster discusses adapting these activities to the undergraduate non-science major setting. In fall 2017, the Infiniscope activities, such as Small Worlds and Kepler’s Laws, will be incorporated into an Arizona State University online astronomy course, AST 113, which is the laboratory component for the Introduction to Solar System Astronomy course sequence. This course typically enrolls about 800-900 students per semester with a combination of students who are online only as well as those who also take in person classes. In this type of class, we cannot have any in-person required sessions and all content must be delivered online asynchronously. The use of the Infiniscope exploratory exercises will provide students with the ability to use NASA data in a hands-on manner to discover the solar system for themselves.

Connecting university science experiences to middle school science teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Gordon; Laughran, Laura; Tamppari, Ray; Thomas, Perry

1991-06-01

Science teachers naturally rely on their university science experiences as a foundation for teaching middle school science. This foundation consists of knowledge far too complex for the middle level students to comprehend. In order for middle school science teachers to utilize their university science training they must search for ways to adapt their college experiences into appropriate middle school learning experience. The criteria set forth above provide broad-based guidelines for translating university science laboratory experiences into middle school activities. These guidelines are used by preservice teachers in our project as they identify, test, and organize a resource file of hands-on inquiry activities for use in their first year classrooms. It is anticipated that this file will provide a basis for future curriculum development as the teacher becomes more comfortable and more experienced in teaching hands-on science. The presentation of these guidelines is not meant to preclude any other criteria or considerations which a teacher or science department deems important. This is merely one example of how teachers may proceed to utilize their advanced science training as a basis for teaching middle school science.

Time Trials--An AP Physics Challenge Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, David

2009-01-01

I have come to the conclusion that for high school physics classroom and laboratory experiences, simpler is better! In this paper I describe a very simple and effective lab experience that my AP students have thoroughly enjoyed year after year. I call this lab exercise "Time Trials." The experiment is simple in design and it is a lot of fun for…

Research Experiences in Community College Science Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Beauregard, A.

2011-12-01

research with my community college students by partnering with a research oceanographer. Through this partnership, students have had access to an active oceanographic researcher through classroom visits, use of data in curriculum, and research/cruise progress updates. With very little research activity currently going on at the community college, this "window" into scientific research is invaluable. Another important aspect of this project is the development of a summer internship program that has allowed four community college students to work directly with an oceanographer in her lab for ten weeks. This connection of community college students with world-class scientists in the field promotes better understanding of research and potentially may encourage more students to major in the sciences. In either approach, the interaction with scientists at different stages of their careers, from undergraduate and graduate students at universities to post docs and research scientists, also provides community college students with the opportunity to gain insight into possible career pathways. For both majors and non-majors, a key outcome of such experiences will be gaining experience in using inquiry and reasoning through the scientific method and becoming comfortable with data and technology.

The watershed years of 1958-1962 in the Harvard Pigeon Lab.

OpenAIRE

Catania, A Charles

2002-01-01

During the years 1958-1962, the final years of support by the National Science Foundation for B. F. Skinner's Pigeon Lab in Memorial Hall at Harvard University, 20 or so pigeon experiments (plus some with other organisms) ran concurrently 7 days a week. The research style emphasized experimental analyses, exploratory procedures, and the parametric exploration of variables. This reminiscence describes some features of the laboratory, the context within which it operated, and the activities of ...

Attracting STEM talent: do STEM students prefer traditional or work/life-interaction labs?

Science.gov (United States)

DeFraine, William C; Williams, Wendy M; Ceci, Stephen J

2014-01-01

The demand for employees trained in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields continues to increase, yet the number of Millennial students pursuing STEM is not keeping pace. We evaluated whether this shortfall is associated with Millennials' preference for flexibility and work/life-interaction in their careers-a preference that may be inconsistent with the traditional idea of a science career endorsed by many lab directors. Two contrasting approaches to running STEM labs and training students were explored, and we created a lab recruitment video depicting each. The work-focused video emphasized the traditional notions of a science lab, characterized by long work hours and a focus on individual achievement and conducting research above all else. In contrast, the work/life-interaction-focused video emphasized a more progressive view - lack of demarcation between work and non-work lives, flexible hours, and group achievement. In Study 1, 40 professors rated the videos, and the results confirmed that the two lab types reflected meaningful real-world differences in training approaches. In Study 2, we recruited 53 current and prospective graduate students in STEM fields who displayed high math-identification and a commitment to science careers. In a between-subjects design, they watched one of the two lab-recruitment videos, and then reported their anticipated sense of belonging to and desire to participate in the lab depicted in the video. Very large effects were observed on both primary measures: Participants who watched the work/life-interaction-focused video reported a greater sense of belonging to (d = 1.49) and desire to participate in (d = 1.33) the lab, relative to participants who watched the work-focused video. These results suggest Millennials possess a strong desire for work/life-interaction, which runs counter to the traditional lab-training model endorsed by many lab directors. We discuss implications of these findings for STEM

Exploring the Fundamentals of Microreactor Technology with Multidisciplinary Lab Experiments Combining the Synthesis and Characterization of Inorganic Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Emmanuel, Noemie; Emonds-Alt, Gauthier; Lismont, Marjorie; Eppe, Gauthier; Monbaliu, Jean-Christophe M.

2017-01-01

Multidisciplinary lab experiments combining microfluidics, nanoparticle synthesis, and characterization are presented. These experiments rely on the implementation of affordable yet efficient microfluidic setups based on perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA) capillary coils and standard HPLC connectors in upper undergraduate chemistry laboratories.…

Folding Inquiry into Cookbook Lab Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Gooding, Julia; Metz, Bill

2012-01-01

Cookbook labs have been a part of science programs for years, even though they serve little purpose other than to verify phenomena that have been previously presented by means other than through investigations. Cookbook science activities follow a linear path to a known outcome, telling students what procedures to follow, which materials to use,…

Programming Arduino with LabVIEW

CERN Document Server

Schwartz, Marco

2015-01-01

If you already have some experience with LabVIEW and want to apply your skills to control physical objects and make measurements using the Arduino sensor, this book is for you. Prior knowledge of Arduino and LabVIEW is essential to fully understand the projects detailed in this book.

First results on GlioLab/GlioSat Precursors Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Cappelletti, Chantal; Notarangelo, Angelo; Demoss, Darrin; Carella, Massimo

2012-07-01

Since 2009 GAUSS group is involved in a joint collaboration with Morehead State University (MSU) Space Science Center and IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (CSS) research labs with the aim to design a biomedical project in order to investigate if the combined effects of microgravity conditions and ionizing radiation increase or decrease the survival rate of cancer cells. The biological sample consists of Glioblastoma cancer cell line ANGM-CSS. Glioblastoma is a kind of cancer that can be treated after surgery only by radiotherapy using ionizing radiation. This treatment, anyway, results in a very low survival rate. This project uses different university space platforms: a CubeLab, named GlioLab, on board the International Space Station and the university microsatellite UniSat-5 designed by GAUSS. In addition a GlioLab/GlioSat precursor experiment has already flown two times with the Space Shuttle during the missions STS-134 and STS-135. The phase 0 or the precursor of GlioLab uses a COTS system, named Liquid Mixing Apparatus (LMA), to board the biological samples inside the Space Shuttle for thirty day . The LMA allows to board liquids inside a vial but is not equipped with environment control system. After landing the samples were investigated by researchers at CSS in Italy and at MSU in Kentucky. This paper deals with the experimental set up and the results obtained during the STS-134 and STS-135 missions and with the new evidences on the behavior of this kind of cancer. In particular the results obtained on the DNA analysis give a confirmation of the original idea of GLioLab/Gliosat project justifying the development of the two systems.

Discovery of the Collaborative Nature of Science with Undergraduate Science Majors and Non-Science Majors through the Identification of Microorganisms Enriched in Winogradsky Columns.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, Jasmine; Pinedo, Catalina Arango; Forster, Brian M

2015-12-01

Today's science classrooms are addressing the need for non-scientists to become scientifically literate. A key aspect includes the recognition of science as a process for discovery. This process relies upon interdisciplinary collaboration. We designed a semester-long collaborative exercise that allows science majors taking a general microbiology course and non-science majors taking an introductory environmental science course to experience collaboration in science by combining their differing skill sets to identify microorganisms enriched in Winogradsky columns. These columns are self-sufficient ecosystems that allow researchers to study bacterial populations under specified environmental conditions. Non-science majors identified phototrophic bacteria enriched in the column by analyzing the signature chlorophyll absorption spectra whereas science majors used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify the general bacterial diversity. Students then compiled their results and worked together to generate lab reports with their final conclusions identifying the microorganisms present in their column. Surveys and lab reports were utilized to evaluate the learning objectives of this activity. In pre-surveys, nonmajors' and majors' answers diverged considerably, with majors providing responses that were more accurate and more in line with the working definition of collaboration. In post-surveys, the answers between majors and nonmajors converged, with both groups providing accurate responses. Lab reports showed that students were able to successfully identify bacteria present in the columns. These results demonstrate that laboratory exercises designed to group students across disciplinary lines can be an important tool in promoting science education across disciplines.

Quantifying the Level of Inquiry in a Reformed Introductory Geology Lab Course

Science.gov (United States)

Moss, Elizabeth; Cervato, Cinzia

2016-01-01

As part of a campus-wide effort to transform introductory science courses to be more engaging and more accurately convey the excitement of discovery in science, the curriculum of an introductory physical geology lab course was redesigned. What had been a series of ''cookbook'' lab activities was transformed into a sequence of activities based on…

Assessing the Impact of a Virtual Lab in an Allied Health Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Kay, Robin; Goulding, Helene; Li, Jia

2018-01-01

Competency-based education in health care requires rigorous standards to ensure professional proficiency. Demonstrating competency in hands-on laboratories calls for effective preparation, knowledge, and experience, all of which can be difficult to achieve using traditional teaching methods. Virtual laboratories are an alternative, cost-effective approach to providing students with sufficient preparatory information. Research on the use of virtual labs in allied health education is limited. The current study investigated the benefits, challenges, and perceived impact of a virtual lab in an allied health program. The sample consisted of 64 students (55 females, 9 males) enrolled in a university medical laboratory science program. A convergent mixed-methods approach (Likert survey, open-ended questions, think-aloud protocol data) revealed that students had positive attitudes towards visual learning, authenticity, learner control, organization, and scaffolding afforded by the virtual lab. Challenges reported included navigational difficulties, an absence of control over content selection, and lack of understanding for certain concepts. Over 90% of students agreed that the virtual lab helped them prepare for hands-on laboratory sessions and that they would use this format of instruction again. Overall, 84% of the students agreed that the virtual lab helped them to achieve greater success in learning.

Using Experiential Learning Through Science Experiments to Increase the Motivation of Students Classified as Emotionally Disturbed

Science.gov (United States)

Crozier, Marisa

When learning is an adventure rather than an exercise in memorization, students can enjoy the process and be motivated to participate in classroom activities (Clem, Mennicke, & Beasley, 2014). Students classified as emotionally disturbed are prone to disruptive behaviors and struggle learning in a traditional science classroom consisting of lecture and demonstrations. They cannot maintain the necessary level of attention nor have the strong reading, writing or memory skills needed to succeed. Therefore, this study examined whether the use of experiential learning would increase on-task behavior and improve the motivation of emotionally disturbed, middle school students in science. Students completed four hands-on experiments aligned with the science curriculum. The data collection methods implemented were an observation checklist with corresponding journal entries, a summative assessment in the form of lab sheets, and student interviews. Through triangulation and analysis, data revealed that the students had more on-task behaviors, were engaged in the lessons, and improved grades in science.

LabVIEW Support at CERN

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2010-01-01

Since the beginning of 2009, due to the CERN restructuring, LabVIEW support moved from the IT to the EN department, joining the Industrial Controls and Electronics Group (ICE). LabVIEW support has been merged with the Measurement, Test and Analysis (MTA) section which, using LabVIEW, has developed most of the measurement systems to qualify the LHC magnets and components over the past 10 years. The post mortem analysis for the LHC hardware commissioning has also been fully implemented using LabVIEW, customised into a framework, called RADE, for CERN needs. The MTA section has started with a proactive approach sharing its tools and experience with the CERN LabVIEW community. Its framework (RADE) for CERN integrated application development has been made available to the users. Courses on RADE have been integrated into the standard National Instruments training program at CERN. RADE and LabVIEW support were merged together in 2010 on a single email address:labview.support@cern.ch For more information please...

Teaching and Learning Coastal Processes through Research in a Non-Lab Science Course and Having Fun at the Same Time

Science.gov (United States)

Thissen, J.

2014-12-01

At Nassau Community College students are required to take one lab science and one non-lab science. These two science courses will probably be the only sciences courses they'll take in their college career. What are they looking for in a science course? "Is it easy?" "Will we have fun?" I can try for "fun" but "easy" and "science" seem to be oxymorons. I've found that they don't notice the difficulty when they're having fun. With this is mind I set out to create a course that would fulfill this requirement but also challenge them to learn science through hands-on, real-life, placed based activities and projects. Beaches and Coasts is essentially a coastal processes course that requires a full term research project along with other hands-on activities. We live on an island (Long Island, NY). The state of our shoreline impacts all of us - something we saw during Superstorm Sandy. Long Island's shorelines vary tremendously. Our north shore is glacially controlled and irregular with many harbors and bays; our south shore is an Atlantic Ocean coastline with many barrier islands and lagoons that contain many inlets and marshes. Many municipalities have small natural beaches along this coastline. For their project students choose a shoreline, with input from the instructor, and take "ownership" of it for at least one moon cycle. They collect data on tides, currents, waves, offshore sediment transport and anthropogenic structures and then study the impact of these factors on their section of shoreline. They also collect sediment from their beach to analyze later in the lab. They are given a rubric with the specific requirements and then make a PowerPoint presentation that includes all their data, charts and graphs as well as their photos that they took while doing their research. Students love doing this project. They can't believe they get credits for going to the beach - something they do anyway (the "fun" factor). They all say that they'll never go to the beach the same

Making the Case for Jefferson Lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gross, Franz

2011-01-01

This chapter is a personal account of the initial planning and competition for a new laboratory, which eventually became known as the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, with the official nickname 'Jefferson Lab'. The period covered starts as far back as 1964, with the introduction of quarks, and extends up to the late 1980s after the initial team was assembled, the superconducting design was in place, and construction was well underway. I describe some of the major experiments that were proposed to justify the laboratory, reflect on the present status of those initially proposed experiments, and very briefly outline some of the new ideas that emerged after the laboratory was constructed. The science is presented in a simple manner intended for a lay audience, with some of the ideas illustrated by cartoons that were often used in popular lectures given during this period.

Science at the interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knorr Cetina, K.

2004-01-01

Laboratories have advantages One of these is that a laboratory science does not have to put up with its objects of investigation as they occur in nature. First, it does not need to accommodate a natural object where it is, anchored in a natural environment; laboratory sciences bring objects inside and manipulate them on their own terms in the lab. Second, a laboratory science need not accommodate an event when it happens; it can dispense with natural cycles of occurrence and make events happen frequently enough for continuous study. Third, a laboratory science does not have to put up with an object as it is; it can substitute transformed and partial versions. Dissociating natural objects from their environment and re-configuring them in the lab is not simple, but it has epistemic advantages when it can be accomplished. For example, the objects of interest tend to become miniaturized (cell cultures rather than whole plants, image measurements rather than cosmological objects), they tend to become continually available in laboratories world-wide for inquiry, and planetary and stellar time scales are replaced by the time scales of the social order. Laboratories also impose conditions, for example sharp boundaries between the internal and the external world. Most laboratories in the natural sciences have procedures (and walls) to fend off unwanted transgressions of objects from the natural and human environment which they see as potential contaminants. A wild-type mouse in a molecular biology lab is not, for example, an animal caught in the wild. It is a special mouse strain inbred over many generations in breeding labs to serve as a control in relevant experiments. Animals that live in the wild (or in the buildings where labs are located) are strictly prohibited from entering a lab facility as potential disease carriers and pollutants. Laboratories, then, are not only specialized places, they are places that set up barriers against the environment and attempt to raise

Brownfield Action: An education through an environmental science simulation experience for undergraduates

Science.gov (United States)

Kelsey, Ryan Daniel

Brownfield Action is a computer simulation experience used by undergraduates in an Introduction to Environmental Science course for non-science majors at Barnard College. Students play the role of environmental consultants given the semester-long task of investigating a potentially contaminated landsite in a simulated town. The simulation serves as the integration mechanism for the entire course. The project is a collaboration between Professor Bower and the Columbia University Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL). This study chronicles the discovery, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of this project over its four-year history from prototype to full-fledged semester-long integrated lecture and lab experience. The complete project history serves as a model for the development of best practices in contributing to the field of educational technology in higher education through the study of fully designed and implemented projects in real classrooms. Recommendations from the project focus on linking the laboratory and lecture portions of a course, the use of simulations (especially for novice students), instructor adaptation to the use of technology, general educational technology project development, and design research, among others. Findings from the study also emphasize the uniqueness of individual student's growth through the experience, and the depth of understanding that can be gained from embracing the complexity of studying sophisticated learning environments in real classrooms.

Family experiences, the motivation for science learning and science ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Family experiences, the motivation for science learning and science achievement of ... active learning and achievement goals); boys perceived family experiences ... Recommendations were made as to how schools can support families in ...

Attracting STEM talent: do STEM students prefer traditional or work/life-interaction labs?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William C DeFraine

Full Text Available The demand for employees trained in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM fields continues to increase, yet the number of Millennial students pursuing STEM is not keeping pace. We evaluated whether this shortfall is associated with Millennials' preference for flexibility and work/life-interaction in their careers-a preference that may be inconsistent with the traditional idea of a science career endorsed by many lab directors. Two contrasting approaches to running STEM labs and training students were explored, and we created a lab recruitment video depicting each. The work-focused video emphasized the traditional notions of a science lab, characterized by long work hours and a focus on individual achievement and conducting research above all else. In contrast, the work/life-interaction-focused video emphasized a more progressive view - lack of demarcation between work and non-work lives, flexible hours, and group achievement. In Study 1, 40 professors rated the videos, and the results confirmed that the two lab types reflected meaningful real-world differences in training approaches. In Study 2, we recruited 53 current and prospective graduate students in STEM fields who displayed high math-identification and a commitment to science careers. In a between-subjects design, they watched one of the two lab-recruitment videos, and then reported their anticipated sense of belonging to and desire to participate in the lab depicted in the video. Very large effects were observed on both primary measures: Participants who watched the work/life-interaction-focused video reported a greater sense of belonging to (d = 1.49 and desire to participate in (d = 1.33 the lab, relative to participants who watched the work-focused video. These results suggest Millennials possess a strong desire for work/life-interaction, which runs counter to the traditional lab-training model endorsed by many lab directors. We discuss implications of these

Information at a Cost: A Lab Experiment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

P. Robalo (Pedro); R.S. Sayag (Rei)

2012-01-01

textabstractThe supposed irrelevance of historical costs for rational decision making has been the subject of much interest in the economic literature. In this paper we explore whether individual decision making under risk is affected by the cost of the supplied information. Outside of the lab, it

Investigation of Science Inquiry Items for Use on an Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards Using Cognitive Lab Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Dickenson, Tammiee S.; Gilmore, Joanna A.; Price, Karen J.; Bennett, Heather L.

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the benefits of item enhancements applied to science-inquiry items for incorporation into an alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards for high school students. Six items were included in the cognitive lab sessions involving both students with and without disabilities. The enhancements (e.g., use of visuals,…

Large-scale laboratory testing of bedload-monitoring technologies: overview of the StreamLab06 Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Marr, Jeffrey D.G.; Gray, John R.; Davis, Broderick E.; Ellis, Chris; Johnson, Sara; Gray, John R.; Laronne, Jonathan B.; Marr, Jeffrey D.G.

2010-01-01

A 3-month-long, large-scale flume experiment involving research and testing of selected conventional and surrogate bedload-monitoring technologies was conducted in the Main Channel at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory under the auspices of the National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics. These experiments, dubbed StreamLab06, involved 25 researchers and volunteers from academia, government, and the private sector. The research channel was equipped with a sediment-recirculation system and a sediment-flux monitoring system that allowed continuous measurement of sediment flux in the flume and provided a data set by which samplers were evaluated. Selected bedload-measurement technologies were tested under a range of flow and sediment-transport conditions. The experiment was conducted in two phases. The bed material in phase I was well-sorted siliceous sand (0.6-1.8 mm median diameter). A gravel mixture (1-32 mm median diameter) composed the bed material in phase II. Four conventional bedload samplers – a standard Helley-Smith, Elwha, BLH-84, and Toutle River II (TR-2) sampler – were manually deployed as part of both experiment phases. Bedload traps were deployed in study Phase II. Two surrogate bedload samplers – stationarymounted down-looking 600 kHz and 1200 kHz acoustic Doppler current profilers – were deployed in experiment phase II. This paper presents an overview of the experiment including the specific data-collection technologies used and the ambient hydraulic, sediment-transport and environmental conditions measured as part of the experiment. All data collected as part of the StreamLab06 experiments are, or will be available to the research community.

Family experiences, the motivation for science learning and science ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Schulze, Salome

Student Motivation for Science Learning questionnaire combined with items investigating family experiences. ... science achievement: inadequate school resources and weak household ..... informal interviews with the science teachers of the.

Learning Experience on Transformer Using HOT Lab for Pre-service Physics Teacher’s

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, A.; Setiawan, A.; Suhandi, A.; Permanasari, A.

2017-09-01

This study aimed at investigating pre-service teacher’s critical thinking skills improvement through Higher Order Thinking (HOT) Lab on transformer learning. This research used mix method with the embedded experimental model. Research subjects are 60 students of Physics Education in UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung. The results showed that based on the results of the analysis of practical reports and observation sheet shows students in the experimental group was better in carrying out the practicum and can solve the real problem while the control group was going on the opposite. The critical thinking skills of students applying the HOT Lab were higher than the verification lab. Critical thinking skills could increase due to HOT Lab based problems solving that can develop higher order thinking skills through laboratory activities. Therefore, it was concluded that the application of HOT Lab was more effective than verification lab on improving students’ thinking skills on transformer topic learning. Finally, HOT Lab can be implemented in other subject learning and could be used to improve another higher order thinking skills.

Physical experience enhances science learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Kontra, Carly; Lyons, Daniel J; Fischer, Susan M; Beilock, Sian L

2015-06-01

Three laboratory experiments involving students' behavior and brain imaging and one randomized field experiment in a college physics class explored the importance of physical experience in science learning. We reasoned that students' understanding of science concepts such as torque and angular momentum is aided by activation of sensorimotor brain systems that add kinetic detail and meaning to students' thinking. We tested whether physical experience with angular momentum increases involvement of sensorimotor brain systems during students' subsequent reasoning and whether this involvement aids their understanding. The physical experience, a brief exposure to forces associated with angular momentum, significantly improved quiz scores. Moreover, improved performance was explained by activation of sensorimotor brain regions when students later reasoned about angular momentum. This finding specifies a mechanism underlying the value of physical experience in science education and leads the way for classroom practices in which experience with the physical world is an integral part of learning. © The Author(s) 2015.

IonLab. A remote-controlled experiment for academic and vocational education and training on extraction chromatography and ion exchange

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulz, Wolfgang; Fournier, Claudia; Vahlbruch, Jan-Willem; Walther, Clemens [Leibniz Univ., Hannover (Germany). Inst. for Radioecology and Radiation Protection (IRS)

2016-07-01

As a major contribution to modern web-based education and training in nuclear chemistry we have built and operated a remote-controlled experiment - IonLab - as part of the integrated EUFP7 project CINCHII. The setup is suitable for teaching basics on extraction chromatography and ion exchange using radionuclides. We describe separation of the beta emitting nuclides Sr-90 and Y-90 followed by radiometric detection, but the experiment is easily adapted to other separation schemes. This approach is aimed at institutions in academic or vocational education who need to convey the skills of handling radioactive (or otherwise dangerous, e.g. biotoxic) substances without appropriately licensed laboratory space for teaching. This camera-monitored remote controlled lab experiment has proved to be much closer to a real hands-on training and superior to a mere computer simulation.

GeneLab: Multi-Omics Investigation of Rodent Research-1 Bio-Banked Tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, San-Huei; Boyko, Valery; Chakravarty, Kaushik; Chen, Rick; Dueck, Sandra; Berrios, Daniel C.; Fogle, Homer; Marcu, Oana; Timucin, Linda; Reinsch, Sigrid;

Social media connecting ocean sciences and the general public: the @OceanSeaIceNPI experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlov, A. K.; Granskog, M. A.; Gerland, S.; Meyer, A.; Hudson, S. R.; Rösel, A.; King, J.; Itkin, P.; Cohen, L.; Dodd, P. A.; de Steur, L.

2016-02-01

As researchers we are constantly being encouraged by funding agencies, policy-makers and journalists to conduct effective outreach and to communicate our latest research findings. As environmental scientists we also understand the necessity of communicating our research to the general public. Many of us wish to become better science communicators but have little time and limited funding available to do so. How can we expend our science communication past project-based efforts that have a limited lifetime? Most critically, how can a small research groups do it without additional resources such as funds and communication officers? Social media is one answer, and has become a powerful and inexpensive tool for communicating science to different target audiences. Many research institutions and researchers are exploring the full breadth of possibilities brought by social media for reaching out to the general public, journalists, policy-makers, stake-holders, and research community. However, smaller research groups and labs are still underrepresented in social media. When it comes to practice, some essential difficulties can be encountered: identifying key target groups, defining the framework for sharing responsibilities and interaction within the research group, and finally, choosing a currently up-to-date social medium as a technical solution for communicating your research. Here, a group of oceanography and sea ice researchers (@OceanSeaIceNPI) share the positive experience of developing and maintaining for more than one year a researcher-driven outreach effort currently implemented through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We will present potential pitfalls and challenges that small research groups could face, and how to better overcome them. This will hopefully inspire and help other research groups and labs to conduct their own effective ocean science communication.

The Multisensory Sound Lab: Sounds You Can See and Feel.

Science.gov (United States)

Lederman, Norman; Hendricks, Paula

1994-01-01

A multisensory sound lab has been developed at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (District of Columbia). A special floor allows vibrations to be felt, and a spectrum analyzer displays frequencies and harmonics visually. The lab is used for science education, auditory training, speech therapy, music and dance instruction, and relaxation…

Coping with Science

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ricard, Lykke Margot

2003-01-01

Life of Science, edited by Lykke Margot Ricard and Robin Engelhardt. Learning Lab Denmark, Copenhagen, pages 39-45. 2003 Short description: What makes children think about scientific inventions? In this case it was watching the news and listing to parents conversation that made a 12-year old...... schoolboy write an essay on the theme: ?The world would be a better place to live in if?!? Abstract: Science has a long tradition for emphasizing objectivity, but it is the emotional impact of science that makes children interested. Metaphors and personal experiences of the scientist can be a useful...

The Leadership Lab for Women: Advancing and Retaining Women in STEM through Professional Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ellen B. Van Oosten

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Innovative professional development approaches are needed to address the ongoing lack of women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM careers. Developed from the research on women who persist in engineering and computing professions and essential elements of women’s leadership development, the Leadership Lab for Women in STEM Program was launched in 2014. The Leadership Lab was created as a research-based leadership development program, offering 360-degree feedback, coaching, and practical strategies aimed at increasing the advancement and retention of women in the STEM professions. The goal is to provide women with knowledge, tools and a supportive learning environment to help them navigate, achieve, flourish, and catalyze organizational change in male-dominated and technology-driven organizations. This article describes the importance of creating unique development experiences for women in STEM fields, the genesis of the Leadership Lab, the design and content of the program, and the outcomes for the participants.

The Leadership Lab for Women: Advancing and Retaining Women in STEM through Professional Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Oosten, Ellen B; Buse, Kathleen; Bilimoria, Diana

2017-01-01

Innovative professional development approaches are needed to address the ongoing lack of women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. Developed from the research on women who persist in engineering and computing professions and essential elements of women's leadership development, the Leadership Lab for Women in STEM Program was launched in 2014. The Leadership Lab was created as a research-based leadership development program, offering 360-degree feedback, coaching, and practical strategies aimed at increasing the advancement and retention of women in the STEM professions. The goal is to provide women with knowledge, tools and a supportive learning environment to help them navigate, achieve, flourish, and catalyze organizational change in male-dominated and technology-driven organizations. This article describes the importance of creating unique development experiences for women in STEM fields, the genesis of the Leadership Lab, the design and content of the program, and the outcomes for the participants.

Measure, Then Show: Grasping Human Evolution Through an Inquiry-Based, Data-driven Hominin Skulls Lab.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayer, Chris N; Luberda, Michael

2016-01-01

Incomprehension and denial of the theory of evolution among high school students has been observed to also occur when teachers are not equipped to deliver a compelling case also for human evolution based on fossil evidence. This paper assesses the outcomes of a novel inquiry-based paleoanthropology lab teaching human evolution to high-school students. The inquiry-based Be a Paleoanthropologist for a Day lab placed a dozen hominin skulls into the hands of high-school students. Upon measuring three variables of human evolution, students explain what they have observed and discuss findings. In the 2013/14 school year, 11 biology classes in 7 schools in the Greater New Orleans area participated in this lab. The interviewed teacher cohort unanimously agreed that the lab featuring hominin skull replicas and stimulating student inquiry was a pedagogically excellent method of delivering the subject of human evolution. First, the lab's learning path of transforming facts to data, information to knowledge, and knowledge to acceptance empowered students to themselves execute part of the science that underpins our understanding of deep time hominin evolution. Second, although challenging, the hands-on format of the lab was accessible to high-school students, most of whom were readily able to engage the lab's scientific process. Third, the lab's exciting and compelling pedagogy unlocked higher order thinking skills, effectively activating the cognitive, psychomotor and affected learning domains as defined in Bloom's taxonomy. Lastly, the lab afforded students a formative experience with a high degree of retention and epistemic depth. Further study is warranted to gauge the degree of these effects.

Writing and Science Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss-Magasic, Coleen

2012-01-01

Writing activities are a sure way to assess and enhance students' science literacy. Sometimes the author's students use technical writing to communicate their lab experiences, just as practicing scientists do. Other times, they use creative writing to make connections to the topics they're learning. This article describes both types of writing…

CERN Technical Training 2006: LabVIEW Course Sessions (September-December 2006)

CERN Multimedia

2006-01-01

The following LabVIEW course sessions are currently scheduled in the framework of the CERN Technical Training Programme 2006, and in collaboration with National Instruments (CH): LabVIEW Basics 1 (course in English): 11-13.9.2006 (3 days, only 3 places available) LabVIEW Basics 2 (course in English): 14-15.9.2006 (2 days) LabVIEW: Working efficiently with LabVIEW 8 (course in English): 18.9.2006 (1 day) **NEW COURSE** LabVIEW Application Development (course in English): 13-15.11.2006 (3 days. Pre-requisite: LabVIEW Basics I ans II, or equivalent experience) LabVIEW Advanced Programming (course in English): 16-17.11.2006 (2 days. Pre-requisite: LabVIEW Application Development, or equivalent experience) LabVIEW Base 1 (course in French): 4-6.12.2006 (3 days, only 1 place available) LabVIEW Base 2 (course in French): 7-8.12.2006 (2 days) If you are interested in attending any of the above course sessions, please discuss with your supervisor and/or your DTO, and apply electronically via EDH from the cour...

Virtual Lab for Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PICOVICI, D.

2008-06-01

Full Text Available This article details an experimental system developed to enhance the education and research in the area of wireless networks technologies. The system referred, as Virtual Lab (VL is primarily targeting first time users or users with limited experience in programming and using wireless sensor networks. The VL enables a set of predefined sensor networks to be remotely accessible and controlled for constructive and time-efficient experimentation. In order to facilitate the user's wireless sensor applications, the VL is using three main components: a a Virtual Lab Motes (VLM, representing the wireless sensor, b a Virtual Lab Client (VLC, representing the user's tool to interact with the VLM and c a Virtual Lab Server (VLS representing the software link between the VLM and VLC. The concept has been proven using the moteiv produced Tmote Sky modules. Initial experimental use clearly demonstrates that the VL approach reduces dramatically the learning curve involved in programming and using the associated wireless sensor nodes. In addition the VL allows the user's focus to be directed towards the experiment and not towards the software programming challenges.

The Senior Living Lab: an example of nursing leadership

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riva-Mossman S

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Susie Riva-Mossman, Thomas Kampel, Christine Cohen, Henk Verloo School of Nursing Sciences, La Source, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland, Lausanne, Switzerland Abstract: The Senior Living Lab (SLL is dedicated to the care of older adults and exemplifies how nursing leadership can influence clinical practice by designing research models capable of configuring interdisciplinary partnerships with the potential of generating innovative practices and better older patient outcomes. Demographic change resulting in growing numbers of older adults requires a societal approach, uniting stakeholders in social innovation processes. The LL approach is an innovative research method that values user perceptions and participation in the cocreation of new products and services. The SLL is crafting a platform responsive to change. It is a learning organization facilitating community-based participatory research methods in the field. Advanced nurse practitioners are well positioned to lead the way forward, fostering interdisciplinary academic collaborations dedicated to healthy aging at home. The SLL demonstrates how nursing science is taking the lead in the field of social innovation. Keywords: community-based participatory approach, Living Lab, nursing leadership, nursing practice, Senior Living Lab, social innovation

BioMEMS and Lab-on-a-Chip Course Education at West Virginia University

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuxin Liu

2011-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid growth of Biological/Biomedical MicroElectroMechanical Systems (BioMEMS and microfluidic-based lab-on-a-chip (LOC technology to biological and biomedical research and applications, demands for educated and trained researchers and technicians in these fields are rapidly expanding. Universities are expected to develop educational plans to address these specialized needs in BioMEMS, microfluidic and LOC science and technology. A course entitled BioMEMS and Lab-on-a-Chip was taught recently at the senior undergraduate and graduate levels in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at West Virginia University (WVU. The course focused on the basic principles and applications of BioMEMS and LOC technology to the areas of biomedicine, biology, and biotechnology. The course was well received and the enrolled students had diverse backgrounds in electrical engineering, material science, biology, mechanical engineering, and chemistry. Student feedback and a review of the course evaluations indicated that the course was effective in achieving its objectives. Student presentations at the end of the course were a highlight and a valuable experience for all involved. The course proved successful and will continue to be offered regularly. This paper provides an overview of the course as well as some development and future improvements.

Modifying Cookbook Labs.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Robert, L.; Clough, Michael P.; Berg, Craig A.

2000-01-01

Modifies an extended lab activity from a cookbook approach for determining the percent mass of water in copper sulfate pentahydrate crystals to one which incorporates students' prior knowledge, engenders active mental struggling with prior knowledge and new experiences, and encourages metacognition. (Contains 12 references.) (ASK)

Nuclear science experiments in high schools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowenthal, G.C.

1990-01-01

This paper comments on the importance of nuclear science experiments and demonstrations to science education in secondary schools. It claims that radiation protection is incompletly realised unless supported by some knowledge about ionizing radiations. The negative influence of the NHMRC Code of Practice on school experiments involving ionizing radiation is also outlined. The authors offer some suggestions for a new edition of the Code with a positive approach to nuclear science experiments in schools. 7 refs., 4 figs

THE STORY OF THE BC FAMILY JUSTICE INNOVATION LAB

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jane Morley

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Many in the justice system know that fundamental change is needed but few know the best way to do it.  Previous attempts using strategic planning approaches have not achieved meaningful change.  Something different is needed.  The BC Family Justice Innovation Lab (the Lab is experimenting with a different approach drawing on complexity science, the experience of other jurisdictions and disciplines and incorporating human-centred design as a way of focusing on the well-being of families going through the transition of separation and divorce.  This article is the story of the first few years of the Lab’s life.  It has been a fascinating and challenging path so far, and it remains to be seen whether it will ultimately succeed. The story is offered so that others with similar ambitions can learn from the Lab’s experience – its successes and its failures.  It is the nature and strength of stories that the reader will take from them what they will. For the authors, one overriding theme that emerges from this story is that transforming a complex social system, such as the family justice system in British Columbia, requires embracing the complexity of paradox and refusing to be defeated by the tension of opposites and a multitude of wicked, unanswerable questions.    Bon nombre d’intervenants du système de justice savent qu’un changement fondamental s’impose, mais peu connaissent la meilleure façon de le réaliser. Dans le passé, l’utilisation d’approches de planification stratégique n’a pas donné les résultats escomptés. Une approche différente est nécessaire. S’inspirant de l’expérience vécue dans d’autres ressorts et d’autres disciplines, le BC Family Justice Innovation Lab (le Lab expérimente actuellement une approche différente fondée sur la science de la complexité, et s’efforce d’intégrer une conception axée sur la personne afin de mettre de l’avant le bien-être des familles �

National Labs Host Classroom Ready Energy Educational Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, C. D.

2009-12-01

take research to the classroom. The DOE ACTS program is designed for science and math teachers seeking an independent research experience with a mentor scientist at a DOE National Laboratory to serve as technical leaders and agents of positive change in their local, regional and national communities. (www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/ACTS/about.htm) The National Labs developed education materials and outreach combined with DOE ACTS are several small steps in the right direction. That is, a small step toward impacting and influencing thousands of youth across the nation (our future workforce) as only teachers can do. (www.rne2ew.org http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/)

Materials science experiments in space

Science.gov (United States)

Gelles, S. H.; Giessen, B. C.; Glicksman, M. E.; Margrave, J. L.; Markovitz, H.; Nowick, A. S.; Verhoeven, J. D.; Witt, A. F.

1978-01-01

The criteria for the selection of the experimental areas and individual experiments were that the experiment or area must make a meaningful contribution to the field of material science and that the space environment was either an absolute requirement for the successful execution of the experiment or that the experiment can be more economically or more conveniently performed in space. A number of experimental areas and individual experiments were recommended for further consideration as space experiments. Areas not considered to be fruitful and others needing additional analysis in order to determine their suitability for conduct in space are also listed. Recommendations were made concerning the manner in which these materials science experiments are carried out and the related studies that should be pursued.

Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

Science.gov (United States)

, which aims to showcase some of the latest material science and metallurgy content published in the Synthesis Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Scattering and Instrumentation Science Centers Center for intrinsically consist of atomic rotation Scientists Discover Material Ideal for Smart Photovoltaic Windows A

Congress moves to reorganize Department of Energy labs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanson, D.J.

1993-01-01

Two bills that would transform the missions and practices of the Department of Energy's research laboratories are moving forward in both branches of Congress. Each of the two is crafted to improve cooperative research between DOE and private industry, but the House bill goes further by making fundamental changes in lab administration. H.R. 1432 provides a clear statement of purpose for the labs. The eight missions outlined in the bill are as follows: Enhance the nation's understanding of energy production and use, with a goal of reducing reliance on imported sources of fuels; Advance nuclear science and technology for national security purposes; Assist with dismantlement of nuclear weapons and work to curb nuclear arms proliferation; Conduct fundamental research in energy-related science and technology; Assist in development of technologies for disposal of hazardous wastes, particularly nuclear waste; Work with private industry to develop generic green technologies; Conduct technology-transfer activities; and Work to improve the quality of science, math, and engineering education in the U.S

OpenLabNotes--An Electronic Laboratory Notebook Extension for OpenLabFramework.

Science.gov (United States)

List, Markus; Franz, Michael; Tan, Qihua; Mollenhauer, Jan; Baumbach, Jan

2015-10-06

Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs) are more accessible and reliable than their paper based alternatives and thus find widespread adoption. While a large number of commercial products is available, small- to mid-sized laboratories can often not afford the costs or are concerned about the longevity of the providers. Turning towards free alternatives, however, raises questions about data protection, which are not sufficiently addressed by available solutions. To serve as legal documents, ELNs must prevent scientific fraud through technical means such as digital signatures. It would also be advantageous if an ELN was integrated with a laboratory information management system to allow for a comprehensive documentation of experimental work including the location of samples that were used in a particular experiment. Here, we present OpenLabNotes, which adds state-of-the-art ELN capabilities to OpenLabFramework, a powerful and flexible laboratory information management system. In contrast to comparable solutions, it allows to protect the intellectual property of its users by offering data protection with digital signatures. OpenLabNotes effectively closes the gap between research documentation and sample management, thus making Open-LabFramework more attractive for laboratories that seek to increase productivity through electronic data management.

OpenLabNotes - An Electronic Laboratory Notebook Extension for OpenLabFramework.

Science.gov (United States)

List, Markus; Franz, Michael; Tan, Qihua; Mollenhauer, Jan; Baumbach, Jan

2015-09-01

Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs) are more accessible and reliable than their paper based alternatives and thus find widespread adoption. While a large number of commercial products is available, small- to mid-sized laboratories can often not afford the costs or are concerned about the longevity of the providers. Turning towards free alternatives, however, raises questions about data protection, which are not sufficiently addressed by available solutions. To serve as legal documents, ELNs must prevent scientific fraud through technical means such as digital signatures. It would also be advantageous if an ELN was integrated with a laboratory information management system to allow for a comprehensive documentation of experimental work including the location of samples that were used in a particular experiment. Here, we present OpenLabNotes, which adds state-of-the-art ELN capabilities to OpenLabFramework, a powerful and flexible laboratory information management system. In contrast to comparable solutions, it allows to protect the intellectual property of its users by offering data protection with digital signatures. OpenLabNotes effectively closes the gap between research documentation and sample management, thus making Open- LabFramework more attractive for laboratories that seek to increase productivity through electronic data management.

Measure, Then Show: Grasping Human Evolution Through an Inquiry-Based, Data-driven Hominin Skulls Lab.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chris N Bayer

Full Text Available Incomprehension and denial of the theory of evolution among high school students has been observed to also occur when teachers are not equipped to deliver a compelling case also for human evolution based on fossil evidence. This paper assesses the outcomes of a novel inquiry-based paleoanthropology lab teaching human evolution to high-school students. The inquiry-based Be a Paleoanthropologist for a Day lab placed a dozen hominin skulls into the hands of high-school students. Upon measuring three variables of human evolution, students explain what they have observed and discuss findings. In the 2013/14 school year, 11 biology classes in 7 schools in the Greater New Orleans area participated in this lab. The interviewed teacher cohort unanimously agreed that the lab featuring hominin skull replicas and stimulating student inquiry was a pedagogically excellent method of delivering the subject of human evolution. First, the lab's learning path of transforming facts to data, information to knowledge, and knowledge to acceptance empowered students to themselves execute part of the science that underpins our understanding of deep time hominin evolution. Second, although challenging, the hands-on format of the lab was accessible to high-school students, most of whom were readily able to engage the lab's scientific process. Third, the lab's exciting and compelling pedagogy unlocked higher order thinking skills, effectively activating the cognitive, psychomotor and affected learning domains as defined in Bloom's taxonomy. Lastly, the lab afforded students a formative experience with a high degree of retention and epistemic depth. Further study is warranted to gauge the degree of these effects.

Beyond the lab: observations on the process by which science successfully informs management and policy decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, S.

2012-12-01

Scientific findings inform management decisions and policy products through various ways, these include: synthesis reports, white papers, in-person and web-based seminars (webinars), communication from specialized staff, and seminal peer-reviewed journal articles. Scientists are often told that if they want their science to inform management decisions and policy products that they must: clearly and simply articulate discreet pieces of scientific information and avoid attaching advocacy messages to the science; however, solely relying on these tenants does not ensure that scientific products will infuse the realms of management and policy. The process by which science successfully informs management decisions and policy products rarely begins at the time the results come out of the lab, but rather, before the research is carried out. Having an understanding of the political climate, management needs, agency research agendas, and funding limitations, as well as developing a working relationship with the intended managers and policy makers are key elements to developing the kind of science results and products that often make an impact in the management and policy world. In my presentation I will provide case-studies from California (USA) to highlight the type of coastal, ocean and climate science that has been successful in informing management decisions and policy documents, as well as provide a state-level agency perspective on the process by which this occurs.

Operating experience with superconducting cavities at Jefferson Lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reece, C.E.

1998-01-01

The CEBAF recirculating superconducting electron linac at Jefferson Lab is now in full operation supporting nuclear physics experiments in three target halls at up to 4.4 GeV. The 330 SRF cavities, operating at 2.0 K, continue to perform well above design specifications, and have accumulated over 8,000,000 operating cavity hours. The authors have to date no evidence of degradation of cavity performance. The SRF cavities have demonstrated excellent reliability. The one klystron per cavity design provides CEBAF with flexibility and redundancy for normal operations. Several techniques have been developed for establishing optimum operating conditions for the 330 independent systems. Operation of the cavities and control systems at the full design current of 1 mA has recently been achieved. The principal constraints on usable gradient for low current operations are (1) discharge at the cold ceramic rf window induced by electron field emission in cavities, (2) tuner controls, and (3) stability of the waveguide vacuum in the region between the warm and cold windows. Several cryomodules have been improved by application of rf helium processing while installed on the beamline

Encouraging entrepreneurship in university labs: Research activities, research outputs, and early doctorate careers.

Science.gov (United States)

Roach, Michael

2017-01-01

This paper investigates how the encouragement of entrepreneurship within university research labs relates with research activities, research outputs, and early doctorate careers. Utilizing a panel survey of 6,840 science & engineering doctoral students at 39 R1 research universities, this study shows that entrepreneurship is widely encouraged across university research labs, ranging from 54% in biomedical engineering to 18% in particle physics, while only a small share of labs openly discourage entrepreneurship, from approximately 3% in engineering to approximately 12% in the life sciences. Within fields, there is no difference between labs that encourage entrepreneurship and those that do not with respect to basic research activity and the number of publications. At the same time, labs that encourage entrepreneurship are significantly more likely to report invention disclosures, particularly in engineering where such labs are 41% more likely to disclose inventions. With respect to career pathways, PhDs students in labs that encourage entrepreneurship do not differ from other PhDs in their interest in academic careers, but they are 87% more likely to be interested in careers in entrepreneurship and 44% more likely to work in a startup after graduation. These results persist even when accounting for individuals' pre-PhD interest in entrepreneurship and the encouragement of other non-academic industry careers.

Encouraging entrepreneurship in university labs: Research activities, research outputs, and early doctorate careers

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

This paper investigates how the encouragement of entrepreneurship within university research labs relates with research activities, research outputs, and early doctorate careers. Utilizing a panel survey of 6,840 science & engineering doctoral students at 39 R1 research universities, this study shows that entrepreneurship is widely encouraged across university research labs, ranging from 54% in biomedical engineering to 18% in particle physics, while only a small share of labs openly discourage entrepreneurship, from approximately 3% in engineering to approximately 12% in the life sciences. Within fields, there is no difference between labs that encourage entrepreneurship and those that do not with respect to basic research activity and the number of publications. At the same time, labs that encourage entrepreneurship are significantly more likely to report invention disclosures, particularly in engineering where such labs are 41% more likely to disclose inventions. With respect to career pathways, PhDs students in labs that encourage entrepreneurship do not differ from other PhDs in their interest in academic careers, but they are 87% more likely to be interested in careers in entrepreneurship and 44% more likely to work in a startup after graduation. These results persist even when accounting for individuals’ pre-PhD interest in entrepreneurship and the encouragement of other non-academic industry careers. PMID:28178270

Informal Science: Family Education, Experiences, and Initial Interest in Science

Science.gov (United States)

Dabney, Katherine P.; Tai, Robert H.; Scott, Michael R.

2016-01-01

Recent research and public policy have indicated the need for increasing the physical science workforce through development of interest and engagement with informal and formal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics experiences. This study examines the association of family education and physical scientists' informal experiences in…

Family experiences, the motivation for science learning and science ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Schulze, Salome

Student Motivation for Science Learning questionnaire combined with items investigating family experiences. The findings .... decisions and formulate behavioural goals for their ..... science achievement, making interpretation diffi- cult and ...

Science Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Laboratory Delivering science and technology to protect our nation and promote world stability Science & ; Innovation Collaboration Careers Community Environment Science & Innovation Facilities Science Pillars Research Library Science Briefs Science News Science Highlights Lab Organizations Science Programs Applied

FameLab - Swiss Semi Finals

CERN Multimedia

Corinne Pralavorio

2012-01-01

Twenty-two young scientists participated in the FameLab semi-final at CERN's Globe of Science and Innovation on 4 February, supported by a large audience and by more than 100 fans following via webcast. A panel of judges chose Lemmer and four other candidates to join five other semi-finalists at the national finals in Zurich on 30 March.

Guerilla Science: Outreach at music and art festival

Science.gov (United States)

Rosin, Mark

2012-10-01

Guerilla Science a non-profit science education organization that, since 2007, has brought live events to unconventional venues for science, such as music festivals, art galleries, banquets, department stores and theaters. Guerilla Science sets science free by taking it out of the lab and into the traditional domains of the arts. By producing events that mix science with art, music and play, they create unique opportunities for adult audiences to experience science in unorthodox ways, such as interactive events, games, live experiments, demonstrations and performances by academics, artists, musicians, actors, and professional science communicators. Much of Guerilla Science's work has focused on astrophysical and terrestrial plasmas, and this presentation will provide an overview of Guerilla Science's work in this area. Guerilla Science has produced over twenty events, receiving international media coverage, and directly reached over fifteen thousand members of the public.

TXESS Revolution: Utilizing TERC's EarthLabs Cryosphere Module to Support Professional Development of Texas Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Odell, M.; Ellins, K. K.; Polito, E. J.; Castillo Comer, C. A.; Stocks, E.; Manganella, K.; Ledley, T. S.

2010-12-01

TERC’s EarthLabs project provides rigorous and engaging Earth and environmental science labs. Four existing modules illustrate sequences for learning science concepts through data analysis activities and hands-on experiments. A fifth module, developed with NSF, comprises a series of linked inquiry based activities focused on the cryosphere to help students understand concepts around change over time on multiple and embedded time scales. Teachers recruited from the NSF-OEDG-sponsored Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution teacher professional development program conducted a pedagogical review of the Cryosphere EarthLabs module and provided feedback on how well the materials matched high school needs in Texas and were aligned with state and national standards. Five TXESS Revolution teachers field tested the materials in their classrooms and then trained other TXESS Revolution teachers on their implementation during spring and summer 2010. Here we report on the results of PD delivery during the summer 2010 TXESS Revolution summer institute as determined by (1) a set of evaluation instruments that included a pre-post concept map activity to assess changes in workshop teachers’ understanding of the concepts presented, a pre-post test content knowledge test, and a pre-post survey of teachers’ comfort in teaching the Texas Earth and Space Science standards addressed by the module; (2) teacher reflections; and (3) focus group responses. The findings reveal that the teachers liked the module activities and felt they could use them to teach Environmental and Earth Science. They appreciated that the sequence of activities contributed to a deeper understanding and observed that the variety of methods used to present the information accommodates different learning styles. Information about the cryosphere was new to all the teachers. The content knowledge tests reveal that although teachers made appreciable gains, their understanding of cryosphere, how it changes

Providing Middle School Students With Science Research Experiences Through Community Partnerships

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, D.

2007-12-01

Science research courses have been around for years at the university and high school level. As inquiry based learning has become more and more a part of the science teacher's vocabulary, many of these courses have adopted an inquiry model for studying science. Learners of all ages benefit from learning through the natural process of inquiry. I participated in the CIRES Earthworks program for science teachers (Colorado University) in the summer of 2007 and experienced, first hand, the value of inquiry learning. With the support and vision of my school administration, and with the support and commitment of community partners, I have developed a Middle School Science Research Program that is transforming how science is taught to students in my community. Swift Creek Middle School is located in Tallahassee, Florida. There are approximately 1000 students in this suburban public school. Students at Swift Creek are required to take one science class each year through 8th grade. As more emphasis is placed on learning a large number of scientific facts and information, in order to prepare students for yearly, standardized tests, there is a concern that less emphasis may be placed on the process and nature of science. The program I developed draws from the inquiry model followed at the CIRES Earthworks program, utilizes valuable community partnerships, and plays an important role in meeting that need. There are three major components to this Middle School Research Program, and the Center for Integrated Research and Learning (CIRL) at the National High Magnetic Field Lab (NHMFL) at Florida State University is playing an important role in all three. First, each student will develop their own research question and design experiments to answer the question. Scientists from the NHMFL are serving as mentors, or "buddy scientists," to my students as they work through the process of inquiry. Scientists from the CIRES - Earthworks program, Florida State University, and other

NASA GeneLab Project: Bridging Space Radiation Omics with Ground Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Beheshti, Afshin; Miller, Jack; Kidane, Yared H.; Berrios, Daniel; Gebre, Samrawit G.; Costes, Sylvain V.

2018-01-01

Accurate assessment of risk factors for long-term space missions is critical for human space exploration: therefore it is essential to have a detailed understanding of the biological effects on humans living and working in deep space. Ionizing radiation from Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) is one of the major risk factors factor that will impact health of astronauts on extended missions outside the protective effects of the Earth's magnetic field. Currently there are gaps in our knowledge of the health risks associated with chronic low dose, low dose rate ionizing radiation, specifically ions associated with high (H) atomic number (Z) and energy (E). The GeneLab project (genelab.nasa.gov) aims to provide a detailed library of Omics datasets associated with biological samples exposed to HZE. The GeneLab Data System (GLDS) currently includes datasets from both spaceflight and ground-based studies, a majority of which involve exposure to ionizing radiation. In addition to detailed information for ground-based studies, we are in the process of adding detailed, curated dosimetry information for spaceflight missions. GeneLab is the first comprehensive Omics database for space related research from which an investigator can generate hypotheses to direct future experiments utilizing both ground and space biological radiation data. In addition to previously acquired data, the GLDS is continually expanding as Omics related data are generated by the space life sciences community. Here we provide a brief summary of space radiation related data available at GeneLab.

The cryogenic target for the G0 experiment at Jefferson lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Covrig, S.D.; Beise, E.J.; Carr, R.; Gustafsson, K.K.; Hannelius, L.; Herda, M.-C.; Jones, C.E.; Liu, J.; McKeown, R.D.; Neveling, R.; Rauf, A.W.; Smith, G.

2005-01-01

A cryogenic horizontal single loop target has been designed, built, tested and operated for the G 0 experiment in Hall C at Jefferson Lab. The target cell is 20cm long, the loop volume is 6.5l and the target operates with the cryogenic pump fully immersed in the fluid. The target has been designed to operate at 30Hz rotational pump speed with either liquid hydrogen or liquid deuterium. The high-power heat exchanger is able to remove 1000W of heat from the liquid hydrogen, while the nominal electron beam with current of 40μA and energy of 3GeV deposits about 320W of heat into the liquid. The increase in the systematic uncertainty due to the liquid hydrogen target is negligible on the scale of a parity violation experiment. The global normalized yield reduction for 40μA beam is about 1.5% and the target density fluctuations contribute less than 238ppm (parts per million) to the total asymmetry width, typically about 1200ppm, in a Q 2 bin

Baseball Physics: A New Mechanics Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Wagoner, Kasey; Flanagan, Daniel

2018-05-01

The game of baseball provides an interesting laboratory for experimenting with mechanical phenomena (there are many good examples in The Physics Teacher, available on Professor Alan Nathan's website, and discussed in Physics of Baseball & Softball). We have developed a lab, for an introductory-level physics course, that investigates many of these phenomena. The lab uses inexpensive, readily available equipment such as wooden baseball bats, baseballs, and actual Major League Baseball data. By the end of the lab, students have revisited many concepts they learned earlier in the semester and come away with an understanding of how to put seemingly disparate ideas together to analyze a fun sport.

Enhancing learning in geosciences and water engineering via lab activities

Science.gov (United States)

Valyrakis, Manousos; Cheng, Ming

2016-04-01

This study focuses on the utilisation of lab based activities to enhance the learning experience of engineering students studying Water Engineering and Geosciences. In particular, the use of modern highly visual and tangible presentation techniques within an appropriate laboratory based space are used to introduce undergraduate students to advanced engineering concepts. A specific lab activity, namely "Flood-City", is presented as a case study to enhance the active engagement rate, improve the learning experience of the students and better achieve the intended learning objectives of the course within a broad context of the engineering and geosciences curriculum. Such activities, have been used over the last few years from the Water Engineering group @ Glasgow, with success for outreach purposes (e.g. Glasgow Science Festival and demos at the Glasgow Science Centre and Kelvingrove museum). The activity involves a specific setup of the demonstration flume in a sand-box configuration, with elements and activities designed so as to gamely the overall learning activity. Social media platforms can also be used effectively to the same goals, particularly in cases were the students already engage in these online media. To assess the effectiveness of this activity a purpose designed questionnaire is offered to the students. Specifically, the questionnaire covers several aspects that may affect student learning, performance and satisfaction, such as students' motivation, factors to effective learning (also assessed by follow-up quizzes), and methods of communication and assessment. The results, analysed to assess the effectiveness of the learning activity as the students perceive it, offer a promising potential for the use of such activities in outreach and learning.

Undergraduate African American females in the sciences: A qualitative study of student experiences affecting academic success and persistence

Science.gov (United States)

Essien-Wood, Idara R.

Given the lack of literature on Undergraduate African American females in the sciences (UAAFS), this study sought to explicate their experiences at one large, predominantly White, Research I institution in the southwestern United States. In particular, the purpose of this study was to identify factors that affect the academic success and persistence of Black females in the natural and physical sciences. Data was collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 15 Black female science majors. Findings from this study identified several supportive mechanisms for academic success: family, religion, teaching assistants and friends. Also identified were seven barriers to academic success: employment, lack of diversity, cultural dissonance, unwelcoming Research I environment, faculty, advisors, classmates, and lab groups. Further, an analysis of students' responses revealed numerous instances of racial and gender micro-aggressions. Recommendations are provided to address factors identified as affecting student academic success and persistence as well as a culture of micro-aggressive behavior.

The Advanced Lab Course at the University of Houston

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, Rebecca

2009-04-01

The University of Houston Advanced Lab course is designed to help students understand the physics in classic experiments, become familiar with experimental equipment and techniques, gain experience with independent experimentation, and learn to communicate results orally and in writing. It is a two semester course, with a Lab Seminar also required during the first semester. In the Seminar class we discuss keeping a notebook and writing a laboratory report, error analysis, data fitting, and scientific ethics. The students give presentations, in pairs, on the workings and use of basic laboratory equipment. In the Lab courses students do a one week introductory experiment, followed by six two-week experiments each semester. These range from traditional experiments in modern physics to contemporary experiments with superconductivity and chaos. The students are required to keep a laboratory notebook and to write a four-page paper for each experiment in the publication style of the American Institute of Physics. This course introduces students to the experimental tools and techniques used in physics, engineering, and industry laboratories, and allows them to mature as experimentalists.

CERN Technical Training 2006: LabVIEW Course Sessions (September-December 2006)

CERN Multimedia

2006-01-01

The following LabVIEW course sessions are currently scheduled in the framework of the CERN Technical Training Programme 2006, and in collaboration with National Instruments (CH): LabVIEW Basics 1 (course in English): 11-13.9.2006 (3 days, only 3 places available) (course in English): 14-15.9.2006 (2 days) LabVIEW: Working efficiently with LabVIEW 8 (course in English): 18.9.2006 (1 day) **NEW COURSE** LabVIEW Application Development (course in English): 13-15.11.2006 (3 days. Pre-requisite: LabVIEW Basics I ans II, or equivalent experience) LabVIEW Advanced Programming (course in English): 16-17.11.2006 (2 days. Pre-requisite: LabVIEW Application Development, or equivalent experience) LabVIEW Base 1 (course in French): 4-6.12.2006 (3 days, only 1 place available) LabVIEW Base 2 (course in French): 7-8.12.2006 (2 days) If you are interested in attending any of the above course sessions, please discuss with your supervisor and/or your DTO,...

Computer Labs | College of Engineering & Applied Science

Science.gov (United States)

Engineering Concentration on Ergonomics M.S. Program in Computer Science Interdisciplinary Concentration on Structural Engineering Laboratory Water Resources Laboratory Computer Science Department Computer Science Academic Programs Computer Science Undergraduate Programs Computer Science Major Computer Science Tracks

Encouraging entrepreneurship in university labs: Research activities, research outputs, and early doctorate careers

OpenAIRE

Roach, Michael

2017-01-01

This paper investigates how the encouragement of entrepreneurship within university research labs relates with research activities, research outputs, and early doctorate careers. Utilizing a panel survey of 6,840 science & engineering doctoral students at 39 R1 research universities, this study shows that entrepreneurship is widely encouraged across university research labs, ranging from 54% in biomedical engineering to 18% in particle physics, while only a small share of labs openly discoura...

Indicators for the use of robotic labs in basic biomedical research: a literature analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Groth

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Robotic labs, in which experiments are carried out entirely by robots, have the potential to provide a reproducible and transparent foundation for performing basic biomedical laboratory experiments. In this article, we investigate whether these labs could be applicable in current experimental practice. We do this by text mining 1,628 papers for occurrences of methods that are supported by commercial robotic labs. Using two different concept recognition tools, we find that 86%–89% of the papers have at least one of these methods. This and our other results provide indications that robotic labs can serve as the foundation for performing many lab-based experiments.

Encouraging entrepreneurship in university labs: Research activities, research outputs, and early doctorate careers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Roach

Full Text Available This paper investigates how the encouragement of entrepreneurship within university research labs relates with research activities, research outputs, and early doctorate careers. Utilizing a panel survey of 6,840 science & engineering doctoral students at 39 R1 research universities, this study shows that entrepreneurship is widely encouraged across university research labs, ranging from 54% in biomedical engineering to 18% in particle physics, while only a small share of labs openly discourage entrepreneurship, from approximately 3% in engineering to approximately 12% in the life sciences. Within fields, there is no difference between labs that encourage entrepreneurship and those that do not with respect to basic research activity and the number of publications. At the same time, labs that encourage entrepreneurship are significantly more likely to report invention disclosures, particularly in engineering where such labs are 41% more likely to disclose inventions. With respect to career pathways, PhDs students in labs that encourage entrepreneurship do not differ from other PhDs in their interest in academic careers, but they are 87% more likely to be interested in careers in entrepreneurship and 44% more likely to work in a startup after graduation. These results persist even when accounting for individuals' pre-PhD interest in entrepreneurship and the encouragement of other non-academic industry careers.

Putting teachers-to-be in the field and the lab: Hands-on research at the American Museum of Natural History

Science.gov (United States)

Nadeau, P. A.; Ebel, D. S.; Harlow, G. E.; Landman, N. H.; Pagnotta, A.; Sessa, J.; Shara, M.; Ustunisik, G. K.; Webster, J. D.; Blair, D.; Shumer, M.

2013-12-01

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) is halfway through a pilot program designed to prepare Earth Science teachers for grades 7-12 in high-needs schools in New York. The program was implemented to address a critical shortage of qualified Earth Science teachers throughout the state as well as to reach student populations that traditionally have limited science exposure and hands-on learning opportunities. This Master of Arts in Teaching is unique amongst teacher preparation programs, not only in that it is housed at a world-class research museum and places the teacher candidates in a year-long teaching residency, but also in that it accepts only students with a strong background in Earth Science via a degree in geology, meteorology, oceanography, astronomy, or a related discipline. Following a year of graduate courses in science and pedagogy, as well as teaching residencies, and only months before embarking on teaching career, candidates begin a seven-week science practicum. This exercise combines field and lab work under the tutelage of AMNH science curators and postdoctoral research fellows to provide experience with the scientific process, from field work and data collection to interpretation and public presentation of results. In the science practicum, teaching candidates begin by selecting one of four topics on which to focus their research: astrophysics, experimental petrology, mineralogy, or paleontology. An introduction to lab materials, techniques, and instrumentation is followed by two weeks in the field, both upstate and in New York City, where rocks of all types are encountered and discussed. Nights are devoted to astronomical observing and data collection to supplement the geology-oriented daytime sessions. Following the trips, candidates are back at AMNH analyzing data and samples in preparation for a short, scientific-style manuscript and presentation of results in an AGU-style talk. Three research groups have already discovered potentially

An investigation of communication patterns and strategies between international teaching assistants and undergraduate students in university-level science labs

Science.gov (United States)

Gourlay, Barbara Elas

This research project investigates communication between international teaching assistants and their undergraduate students in university-level chemistry labs. During the fall semester, introductory-level chemistry lab sections of three experienced non-native speaking teaching assistants and their undergraduate students were observed. Digital audio and video recordings documented fifteen hours of lab communication, focusing on the activities and interactions in the first hour of the chemistry laboratory sessions. In follow-up one-on-one semi-structured interviews, the participants (undergraduates, teaching assistants, and faculty member) reviewed interactions and responded to a 10-item, 7-point Likert-scaled interview. Interactions were classified into success categories based on participants' opinions. Quantitative and qualitative data from the observations and interviews guided the analysis of the laboratory interactions, which examined patterns of conversational listening. Analysis of laboratory communication reveals that undergraduates initiated nearly two-thirds of laboratory communication, with three-fourths of interactions less than 30 seconds in duration. Issues of gender and topics of interaction activity were also explored. Interview data identified that successful undergraduate-teaching assistant communication in interactive science labs depends on teaching assistant listening comprehension skills to interpret and respond successfully to undergraduate questions. Successful communication in the chemistry lab depended on the coordination of visual and verbal sources of information. Teaching assistant responses that included explanations and elaborations were also seen as positive features in the communicative exchanges. Interaction analysis focusing on the listening comprehension demands placed on international teaching assistants revealed that undergraduate-initiated questions often employ deixis (exophoric reference), requiring teaching assistants to

Electromagnetic calorimeter for the Heavy Photon Search Experiment at Jefferson Lab

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buchanan, Emma [Univ. of Glasgow, Scotland (United Kingdom)

2014-11-01

The Heavy Photon Search Experiment (HPS) seeks to detect a hypothesised hidden sector boson, the A', predicted to be produced in dark matter decay or annihilation. Theories suggest that the A' couples weakly to electric charge through kinetic mixing, allowing it, as a result, to decay to Standard Matter (SM) lepton pair, which may explain the electron and positron excess recently observed in cosmic rays. Measuring the lepton pair decay of the A' could lead to indirect detection of dark matter. The HPS experiment is a fixed target experiment that will utilize the electron beam produced at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab). The detector set-up includes a silicon vertex tracker (SVT) and an Electromagnetic Calorimeter (ECal). The ECal will provide the trigger and detect e+e- pairs and its construction and testing forms the focus of this thesis. The ECal consists of 442 PbWO₄- tapered crystals with a length 16cm and a 1.6x1.6cm² cross-section, stacked into a rectangular array and are coupled to Large Area APDs and corresponding pre-amplifiers. Supplementary to the ECal is a Light Monitoring System (LMS) consisting of bi-coloured LEDs that will monitor changes in APD gain and crystal transparency due to radiation damage. Before construction of the ECal each of the components were required to be individually tested to determine a number of different characteristics. Irradiation tests were performed on PbWO₄ ECal crystals and, as a comparison, one grown by a different manufacturer to determine their radiation hardness. A technique for annealing the radiation damage by optical bleaching, which involves injecting light of various wavelengths into the crystal, was tested using the blue LED from the LMS as a potential candidate. The light yield dependence on temperature was also measured for one of the PbWO₄ crystal types. Each APD was individually tested to determine if they

Fermentation art and science at the Nordic Food Lab

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reade, Benedict; de Valicourt, Justine; Evans, Joshua David

2015-01-01

The Nordic Food Lab (NFL) is a self-governed foundation based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The aim of NFL is to investigate food diversity and deliciousness and to share the results in an open-source format. We combine scientific and cultural approaches with culinary techniques from around the world...

Incorporating inquiry and the process of science into introductory astronomy labs at the George Washington University

Science.gov (United States)

Cobb, Bethany E.

2018-01-01

Since 2013, the Physics Department at GWU has used student-centered active learning in the introductory astronomy course “Introduction to the Cosmos.” Class time is spent in groups on questions, math problems, and hands-on activities, with multiple instructors circulating to answer questions and engage with the students. The students have responded positively to this active-learning. Unfortunately, in transitioning to active-learning there was no time to rewrite the labs. Very quickly, the contrast between the dynamic classroom and the traditional labs became apparent. The labs were almost uniformly “cookie-cutter” in that the procedure and analysis were specified step-by-step and there was just one right answer. Students rightly criticized the labs for lacking a clear purpose and including busy-work. Furthermore, this class fulfills the GWU scientific reasoning general education requirement and thus includes learning objectives related to understanding the scientific method, testing hypotheses with data, and considering uncertainty – but the traditional labs did not require these skills. I set out to rejuvenate the lab sequence by writing new inquiry labs based on both topic-specific and scientific reasoning learning objectives. While inquiry labs can be challenging for the students, as they require active thinking and creativity, these labs engage the students more thoroughly in the scientific process. In these new labs, whenever possible, I include real astronomical data and ask the students to use digital tools (SDSS SkyServer, SOHO archive) as if they are real astronomers. To allow students to easily plot, manipulate and analyze data, I built “smart” Excel files using formulas, dropdown menus and macros. The labs are now much more authentic and thought-provoking. Whenever possible, students independently develop questions, hypotheses, and procedures and the scientific method is “scaffolded” over the semester by providing more guidance in the

Pollution hazard closes neutrino lab

CERN Multimedia

Jones, Nicola

2003-01-01

"A leading astrophysics laboratory in Italy has closed down all but one of its experiments over concerns that toxic polluants could leak form the underground lab into the local water supply" (0.5 page)

Goddard's Astrophysics Science Divsion Annual Report 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Weaver, Kimberly (Editor); Reddy, Francis (Editor); Tyler, Pat (Editor)

2015-01-01

The Astrophysics Science Division (ASD, Code 660) is one of the world's largest and most diverse astronomical organizations. Space flight missions are conceived, built and launched to observe the entire range of the electromagnetic spectrum, from gamma rays to centimeter waves. In addition, experiments are flown to gather data on high-energy cosmic rays, and plans are being made to detect gravitational radiation from space-borne missions. To enable these missions, we have vigorous programs of instrument and detector development. Division scientists also carry out preparatory theoretical work and subsequent data analysis and modeling. In addition to space flight missions, we have a vibrant suborbital program with numerous sounding rocket and balloon payloads in development or operation. The ASD is organized into five labs: the Astroparticle Physics Lab, the X-ray Astrophysics Lab, the Gravitational Astrophysics Lab, the Observational Cosmology Lab, and the Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Lab. The High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC) is an Office at the Division level. Approximately 400 scientists and engineers work in ASD. Of these, 80 are civil servant scientists, while the rest are resident university-based scientists, contractors, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and administrative staff. We currently operate the Swift Explorer mission and the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. In addition, we provide data archiving and operational support for the XMM mission (jointly with ESA) and the Suzaku mission (with JAXA). We are also a partner with Caltech on the NuSTAR mission. The Hubble Space Telescope Project is headquartered at Goddard, and ASD provides Project Scientists to oversee operations at the Space Telescope Science Institute. Projects in development include the Neutron Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission, an X-ray timing experiment for the International Space Station; the Transiting Exoplanet Sky Survey (TESS

Lab-on-a-Chip: Frontier Science in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Wietsma, Jan Jaap; van der Veen, Jan T.; Buesink, Wilfred; van den Berg, Albert; Odijk, Mathieu

2018-01-01

Lab-on-a-chip technology is brought into the classroom through development of a lesson series with hands-on practicals. Students can discover the principles of microfluidics with different practicals covering laminar flow, micromixing, and droplet generation, as well as trapping and counting beads. A quite affordable novel production technique…

UBioLab: a web-LABoratory for Ubiquitous in-silico experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bartocci E.

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The huge and dynamic amount of bioinformatic resources (e.g., data and tools available nowadays in Internet represents a big challenge for biologists -for what concerns their management and visualization- and for bioinformaticians -for what concerns the possibility of rapidly creating and executing in-silico experiments involving resources and activities spread over the WWW hyperspace. Any framework aiming at integrating such resources as in a physical laboratory has imperatively to tackle -and possibly to handle in a transparent and uniform way- aspects concerning physical distribution, semantic heterogeneity, co-existence of different computational paradigms and, as a consequence, of different invocation interfaces (i.e., OGSA for Grid nodes, SOAP for Web Services, Java RMI for Java objects, etc.. The framework UBioLab has been just designed and developed as a prototype following the above objective. Several architectural features -as those ones of being fully Web-based and of combining domain ontologies, Semantic Web and workflow techniques- give evidence of an effort in such a direction.

A Hardware Lab Anywhere At Any Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tobias Schubert

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Scientific technical courses are an important component in any student's education. These courses are usually characterised by the fact that the students execute experiments in special laboratories. This leads to extremely high costs and a reduction in the maximum number of possible participants. From this traditional point of view, it doesn't seem possible to realise the concepts of a Virtual University in the context of sophisticated technical courses since the students must be "on the spot". In this paper we introduce the so-called Mobile Hardware Lab which makes student participation possible at any time and from any place. This lab nevertheless transfers a feeling of being present in a laboratory. This is accomplished with a special Learning Management System in combination with hardware components which correspond to a fully equipped laboratory workstation that are lent out to the students for the duration of the lab. The experiments are performed and solved at home, then handed in electronically. Judging and marking are also both performed electronically. Since 2003 the Mobile Hardware Lab is now offered in a completely web based form.

Teaching chemistry and other sciences to blind and low-vision students through hands-on learning experiences in high school science laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Supalo, Cary Alan

2010-11-01

Students with blindness and low vision (BLV) have traditionally been underrepresented in the sciences as a result of technological and attitudinal barriers to equal access in science laboratory classrooms. The Independent Laboratory Access for the Blind (ILAB) project developed and evaluated a suite of talking and audible hardware/software tools to empower students with BLV to have multisensory, hands-on laboratory learning experiences. This dissertation focuses on the first year of ILAB tool testing in mainstream science laboratory classrooms, and comprises a detailed multi-case study of four students with BLV who were enrolled in high school science classes during 2007--08 alongside sighted students. Participants attended different schools; curricula included chemistry, AP chemistry, and AP physics. The ILAB tools were designed to provide multisensory means for students with BLV to make observations and collect data during standard laboratory lessons on an equivalent basis with their sighted peers. Various qualitative and quantitative data collection instruments were used to determine whether the hands-on experiences facilitated by the ILAB tools had led to increased involvement in laboratory-goal-directed actions, greater peer acceptance in the students' lab groups, improved attitudes toward science, and increased interest in science. Premier among the ILAB tools was the JAWS/Logger Pro software interface, which made audible all information gathered through standard Vernier laboratory probes and visually displayed through Logger Pro. ILAB tools also included a talking balance, a submersible audible light sensor, a scientific talking stopwatch, and a variety of other high-tech and low-tech devices and techniques. While results were mixed, all four participating BLV students seemed to have experienced at least some benefit, with the effect being stronger for some than for others. Not all of the data collection instruments were found to reveal improvements for all

Capabilities: Science Pillars

Science.gov (United States)

Alamos National Laboratory Delivering science and technology to protect our nation and promote world stability Science & Innovation Collaboration Careers Community Environment Science & Innovation Facilities Science Pillars Research Library Science Briefs Science News Science Highlights Lab Organizations

Faces of Science

Science.gov (United States)

Alamos National Laboratory Delivering science and technology to protect our nation and promote world stability Science & Innovation Collaboration Careers Community Environment Science & Innovation Facilities Science Pillars Research Library Science Briefs Science News Science Highlights Lab Organizations

Bradbury Science Museum

Science.gov (United States)

Alamos National Laboratory Delivering science and technology to protect our nation and promote world stability Science & Innovation Collaboration Careers Community Environment Science & Innovation Facilities Science Pillars Research Library Science Briefs Science News Science Highlights Lab Organizations

Office of Science

Science.gov (United States)

Alamos National Laboratory Delivering science and technology to protect our nation and promote world stability Science & Innovation Collaboration Careers Community Environment Science & Innovation Facilities Science Pillars Research Library Science Briefs Science News Science Highlights Lab Organizations

LXI Technologies for Remote Labs: An Extension of the VISIR Project

OpenAIRE

Jaime Irurzun; Olga Dziabenko; Pablo Orduña; Diego Lopez-de-Ipiña; Ignacio Angulo; Javier García-Zubia; Unai Hernandez-Jayo

2010-01-01

Several remote labs to support analog circuits are presented in this work. They are analyzed from the software and the hardware point of view. VISIR remote lab is one of these labs. After this analysis, a new VISIR remote lab approach is presented. This extension of the VISIR project is based on LXI technologies with the aim of becoming it in a remote lab easily interchangeable with other instruments. The addition of new components and experiments is also easier and cheaper.

Forest litter crickets prefer higher substrate moisture for oviposition: Evidence from field and lab experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

de Farias-Martins, Fernando; Sperber, Carlos Frankl; Albeny-Simões, Daniel; Breaux, Jennifer Ann; Fianco, Marcos; Szinwelski, Neucir

2017-01-01

For insects, choosing a favorable oviposition site is a type of parental care, as far as it increases the fitness of its offspring. Niche theory predicts that crickets should show a bell-shaped oviposition response to substrate moisture. However, lab experiments with mole crickets showed a linear oviposition response to substrate moisture. Studies with the house cricket Acheta domesticus also showed a linear juvenile body growth response to water availability, thus adult ovipositing females should respond positively to substrate moisture. We used a field experiment to evaluate the relationship between oviposition preference and substrate moisture in forest litter-dwelling cricket species. We also evaluated oviposition responses to substrate moisture level in Ubiquepuella telytokous, the most abundant litter cricket species in our study area, using a laboratory study. We offered cotton substrate for oviposition which varied in substrate moisture level from zero (i.e., dry) to maximum water absorption capacity. We used two complementary metrics to evaluate oviposition preference: (i) presence or absence of eggs in each sampling unit as binary response variable, and (ii) number of eggs oviposited per sampling unit as count response variable. To test for non-linear responses, we adjusted generalized additive models (GAMM) with mixed effects. We found that both cricket oviposition probability and effort (i.e., number of eggs laid) increased linearly with substrate moisture in the field experiment, and for U. telytokous in the lab experiment. We discarded any non-linear responses. Our results demonstrate the importance of substrate moisture as an ecological niche dimension for litter crickets. This work bolsters knowledge of litter cricket life history association with moisture, and suggests that litter crickets may be particularly threatened by changes in climate that favor habitat drying.

Meeting the Next Generation Science Standards Through "Rediscovered" Climate Model Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Sohl, L. E.; Chandler, M. A.; Zhou, J.

2013-12-01

Since the Educational Global Climate Model (EdGCM) Project made its debut in January 2005, over 150 institutions have employed EdGCM software for a variety of uses ranging from short lab exercises to semester-long and year-long thesis projects. The vast majority of these EdGCM adoptees have been at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with few users at the K-12 level. The K-12 instructors who have worked with EdGCM in professional development settings have commented that, although EdGCM can be used to illustrate a number of the Disciplinary Core Ideas and connects to many of the Common Core State Standards across subjects and grade levels, significant hurdles preclude easy integration of EdGCM into their curricula. Time constraints, a scarcity of curriculum materials, and classroom technology are often mentioned as obstacles in providing experiences to younger grade levels in realistic climate modeling research. Given that the NGSS incorporates student performance expectations relating to Earth System Science, and to climate science and the human dimension in particular, we feel that a streamlined version of EdGCM -- one that eliminates the need to run the climate model on limited computing resources, and provides a more guided climate modeling experience -- would be highly beneficial for the K-12 community. This new tool currently under development, called EzGCM, functions through a browser interface, and presents "rediscovery experiments" that allow students to do their own exploration of model output from published climate experiments, or from sensitivity experiments designed to illustrate how climate models as well as the climate system work. The experiments include background information and sample questions, with more extensive notes for instructors so that the instructors can design their own reflection questions or follow-on activities relating to physical or human impacts, as they choose. An added benefit of the EzGCM tool is that, like EdGCM, it helps

OpenLabNotes – An Electronic Laboratory Notebook Extension for OpenLabFramework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

List Markus

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs are more accessible and reliable than their paper based alternatives and thus find widespread adoption. While a large number of commercial products is available, small- to mid-sized laboratories can often not afford the costs or are concerned about the longevity of the providers. Turning towards free alternatives, however, raises questions about data protection, which are not sufficiently addressed by available solutions. To serve as legal documents, ELNs must prevent scientific fraud through technical means such as digital signatures. It would also be advantageous if an ELN was integrated with a laboratory information management system to allow for a comprehensive documentation of experimental work including the location of samples that were used in a particular experiment. Here, we present OpenLabNotes, which adds state-of-the-art ELN capabilities to OpenLabFramework, a powerful and flexible laboratory information management system. In contrast to comparable solutions, it allows to protect the intellectual property of its users by offering data protection with digital signatures. OpenLabNotes effectively closes the gap between research documentation and sample management, thus making Open- LabFramework more attractive for laboratories that seek to increase productivity through electronic data management.

Lab Manual & Resources for Materials Science, Engineering and Technology on CD-Rom

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, James A.; McKenney, Alfred E.

2001-01-01

The National Educators' Workshop (NEW:Update) series of workshops has been in existence since 1986. These annual workshops focus on technical updates and laboratory experiments for materials science, engineering and technology, involving new and traditional content in the field. Scores of educators and industrial and national laboratory personnel have contributed many useful experiments and demonstrations which were then published as NASA Conference Proceedings. This "out poring of riches" creates an ever-expanding shelf of valuable teaching tools for college, university, community college and advanced high school instruction. Now, more than 400 experiments and demonstrations, representing the first thirteen years of NEW:Updates have been selected and published on a CD-ROM, through the collaboration of this national network of materials educators, engineers, and scientists. The CD-ROM examined in this document utilizes the popular Adobe Acrobat Reader format and operates on most popular computer platforms. This presentation provides an overview of the second edition of Experiments in Materials Science, Engineering and Technology (EMSET2) CD-ROM, ISBN 0-13-030534-0.

LXI Technologies for Remote Labs: An Extension of the VISIR Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Irurzun

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Several remote labs to support analog circuits are presented in this work. They are analyzed from the software and the hardware point of view. VISIR remote lab is one of these labs. After this analysis, a new VISIR remote lab approach is presented. This extension of the VISIR project is based on LXI technologies with the aim of becoming it in a remote lab easily interchangeable with other instruments. The addition of new components and experiments is also easier and cheaper.

The Processing of Human Emotional Faces by Pet and Lab Dogs: Evidence for Lateralization and Experience Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Barber, Anjuli L. A.; Randi, Dania; Müller, Corsin A.; Huber, Ludwig

2016-01-01

From all non-human animals dogs are very likely the best decoders of human behavior. In addition to a high sensitivity to human attentive status and to ostensive cues, they are able to distinguish between individual human faces and even between human facial expressions. However, so far little is known about how they process human faces and to what extent this is influenced by experience. Here we present an eye-tracking study with dogs emanating from two different living environments and varying experience with humans: pet and lab dogs. The dogs were shown pictures of familiar and unfamiliar human faces expressing four different emotions. The results, extracted from several different eye-tracking measurements, revealed pronounced differences in the face processing of pet and lab dogs, thus indicating an influence of the amount of exposure to humans. In addition, there was some evidence for the influences of both, the familiarity and the emotional expression of the face, and strong evidence for a left gaze bias. These findings, together with recent evidence for the dog's ability to discriminate human facial expressions, indicate that dogs are sensitive to some emotions expressed in human faces. PMID:27074009

Discourse in science communities: Issues of language, authority, and gender in a life sciences laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Conefrey, Theresa Catherine

Government-sponsored and private research initiatives continue to document the underrepresentation of women in the sciences. Despite policy initiatives, women's attrition rates each stage of their scientific careers remain higher than those of their male colleagues. In order to improve retention rates more information is needed about why many drop out or do not succeed as well as they could. While broad sociological studies and statistical surveys offer a valuable overview of institutional practices, in-depth qualitative analyses are needed to complement these large-scale studies. This present study goes behind statistical generalizations about the situation of women in science to explore the actual experience of scientific socialization and professionalization. Beginning with one reason often cited by women who have dropped out of science: "a bad lab experience," I explore through detailed observation in a naturalistic setting what this phrase might actually mean. Using ethnographic and discourse analytic methods, I present a detailed analysis of the discourse patterns in a life sciences laboratory group at a large research university. I show how language accomplishes the work of indexing and constituting social constraints, of maintaining or undermining the hierarchical power dynamics of the laboratory, of shaping members' presentation of self, and of modeling social and professional skills required to "do science." Despite the widespread conviction among scientists that "the mind has no sex," my study details how gender marks many routine interactions in the lab, including an emphasis on competition, a reinforcement of sex-role stereotypes, and a conversational style that is in several respects more compatible with men's than women's forms of talk.

Discovery of the Collaborative Nature of Science with Undergraduate Science Majors and Non-Science Majors through the Identification of Microorganisms Enriched in Winogradsky Columns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jasmine Ramirez

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Today’s science classrooms are addressing the need for non-scientists to become scientifically literate. A key aspect includes the recognition of science as a process for discovery. This process relies upon interdisciplinary collaboration. We designed a semester-long collaborative exercise that allows science majors taking a general microbiology course and non-science majors taking an introductory environmental science course to experience collaboration in science by combining their differing skill sets to identify microorganisms enriched in Winogradsky columns. These columns are self-sufficient ecosystems that allow researchers to study bacterial populations under specified environmental conditions. Non-science majors identified phototrophic bacteria enriched in the column by analyzing the signature chlorophyll absorption spectra whereas science majors used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify the general bacterial diversity. Students then compiled their results and worked together to generate lab reports with their final conclusions identifying the microorganisms present in their column. Surveys and lab reports were utilized to evaluate the learning objectives of this activity. In pre-surveys, nonmajors’ and majors’ answers diverged considerably, with majors providing responses that were more accurate and more in line with the working definition of collaboration. In post-surveys, the answers between majors and nonmajors converged, with both groups providing accurate responses. Lab reports showed that students were able to successfully identify bacteria present in the columns. These results demonstrate that laboratory exercises designed to group students across disciplinary lines can be an important tool in promoting science education across disciplines. Editor's Note:The ASM advocates that students must successfully demonstrate the ability to explain and practice safe laboratory techniques. For more information, read the laboratory

A Remote Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Communications Lab Utilising the Emona DATEx

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cosmas Mwikirize

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Remote labs have become popular learning aids due to their versatility and considerable ease of utilisation as compared to their physical counterparts. At Makerere University, the remote labs are based on the standard Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT iLabs Shared Architecture (ISA - a scalable and generic platform. Presented in this paper is such a lab, addressing the key practical aspects of Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS communication. The lab is built on the National Instruments Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS with the Emona Digital and Analog Telecommunications Experimenter (DATEx add-on board. It also incorporates switching hardware. The lab facilitates real-time control of the equipment, with users able to set, manipulate and observe signal parameters in both the frequency and the time domains. Simulation and data Acquisition modes of the experiment are supported to provide a richer learning experience.

FameLab Switzerland: a CERN PhD student triumphs

CERN Multimedia

Alexander Brown

2013-01-01

Would you be able to explain your work to a non-specialist in just three minutes? On Friday 24 May, the Swiss national final of FameLab saw six young researchers from CERN attempt just that. FameLab is an international competition in the style of a TV talent show, seeking out the next generation of talent in science communication.   Participants in the Swiss national final of FameLab alongside Deni Subasic, presenter of the event (far left), on Friday 24 May. Having qualified from the Geneva heat held in the Globe in March, the six CERN representatives took to the stage in Moods bar in Zurich. As well as particle physics, from the fundamental building blocks (literally) of the Standard Model to medical applications, the line-up featured immunology, neurology and genetics. Although slideshows are strictly banned from FameLab, other visual props are strongly encouraged. For instance, Piotr Traczyk (CMS) represented the apparent chaos of particle collisions by throwing together two decks of ca...

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE EXPERIENCES: PRE-COLLEGIATE SCIENCE EDUCATORS’ SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES DURING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea C. Burrows

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Twenty-three pre-collegiate educators of elementary students (ages 5-10 years and secondary students (ages 11-18 years attended a two-week science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM astronomy focused professional development in the summer of 2015 with activities focused on authentic science experiences, inquiry, and partnership building. ‘Authentic’ in this research refers to scientific skills and are defined. The study explores the authentic science education experience of the pre-collegiate educators, detailing the components of authentic science as seen through a social constructionism lens. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the researchers analyzed the successes and challenges of pre-collegiate science and mathematics educators when immersed in STEM and astronomy authentic science practices, the educators’ perceptions before and after the authentic science practices, and the educators’ performance on pre to post content tests during the authentic science practices. Findings show that the educators were initially engaged, then disengaged, and then finally re-engaged with the authentic experience. Qualitative responses are shared, as are the significant results of the quantitative pre to post content learning scores of the educators. Conclusions include the necessity for PD team delivery of detailed explanations to the participants - before, during, and after – for the entire authentic science experience and partnership building processes. Furthermore, expert structure and support is vital for participant research question generation, data collection, and data analysis (successes, failures, and reattempts. Overall, in order to include authentic science in pre-collegiate classrooms, elementary and secondary educators need experience, instruction, scaffolding, and continued support with the STEM processes.

The lab of fame

CERN Multimedia

Antonella Del Rosso

2014-01-01

For a third time, CERN is organising the Swiss heat of Famelab, the world’s leading science communication competition that has already gathered over 5,000 young and talented scientists and engineers from all across the planet.   Besides their degrees, the scientists who participate in Famelab have another thing in common: their passion for communicating science. Coming from a variety of scientific fields, from medicine to particle physics and microbiology, the contestants have three minutes to present a science, technology, mathematics or engineering-based talk using only the props he or she can carry onto the stage; PowerPoint presentations are not permitted. The contestants are then judged by a panel of three judges who evaluate the content, clarity and charisma of their talks. What's unique about FameLab is the fact that content is an important aspect of the performance. At the end of their presentation, contestants are often questioned about the scientific relevance of...

Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Space Science's Past, Present, and Future on the International Space Station (ISS)

Science.gov (United States)

Spivey, Reggie A.; Spearing, Scott F.; Jordan, Lee P.; McDaniel S. Greg

2012-01-01

The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) is a double rack facility designed for microgravity investigation handling aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The unique design of the facility allows it to accommodate science and technology investigations in a "workbench" type environment. MSG facility provides an enclosed working area for investigation manipulation and observation in the ISS. Provides two levels of containment via physical barrier, negative pressure, and air filtration. The MSG team and facilities provide quick access to space for exploratory and National Lab type investigations to gain an understanding of the role of gravity in the physics associated research areas. The MSG is a very versatile and capable research facility on the ISS. The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on the International Space Station (ISS) has been used for a large body or research in material science, heat transfer, crystal growth, life sciences, smoke detection, combustion, plant growth, human health, and technology demonstration. MSG is an ideal platform for gravity-dependent phenomena related research. Moreover, the MSG provides engineers and scientists a platform for research in an environment similar to the one that spacecraft and crew members will actually experience during space travel and exploration. The MSG facility is ideally suited to provide quick, relatively inexpensive access to space for National Lab type investigations.

Science and Math Lesson Plans to Meet the Ohio Revised Science Standards and the Next Generation of Standards for Today; Technology (Excel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzanne Lunsford

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Pre-service teachers (K-12 developed and taught lesson plans that met the state and national science and technology standards by integrating Excel and PowerPoint into their lesson. A sample of 74 pre-service teachers in our science education program were required to integrate technology (Excel as they developed science and math lesson plans with graphing as a requirement. These students took pre-test and post-test (n=74 to determine their understanding of Excel in relation to the need of current technology for todays' science classroom. The test results showed that students obtained content gains in Excel graphing in all the inquiry-based lab experiments. They also gained experience in developing math skills, inquiry-based science lesson plans, and communication and presentation skills.

CSI Web Adventures: A Forensics Virtual Apprenticeship for Teaching Science and Inspiring STEM Careers

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Leslie; Chang, Ching-I; Hoyt, Daniel

2010-01-01

CSI: The Experience, a traveling museum exhibit and a companion web adventure, was created through a grant from the National Science Foundation as a potential model for informal learning. The website was designed to enrich and complement the exhibit by modeling the forensic process. Substantive science, real-world lab techniques, and higher-level…

Lab notebooks as scientific communication: Investigating development from undergraduate courses to graduate research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacob T. Stanley

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In experimental physics, lab notebooks play an essential role in the research process. For all of the ubiquity of lab notebooks, little formal attention has been paid to addressing what is considered “best practice” for scientific documentation and how researchers come to learn these practices in experimental physics. Using interviews with practicing researchers, namely, physics graduate students, we explore the different experiences researchers had in learning how to effectively use a notebook for scientific documentation. We find that very few of those interviewed thought that their undergraduate lab classes successfully taught them the benefit of maintaining a lab notebook. Most described training in lab notebook use as either ineffective or outright missing from their undergraduate lab course experience. Furthermore, a large majority of those interviewed explained that they did not receive any formal training in maintaining a lab notebook during their graduate school experience and received little to no feedback from their advisors on these records. Many of the interviewees describe learning the purpose of, and how to maintain, these kinds of lab records only after having a period of trial and error, having already started doing research in their graduate program. Despite the central role of scientific documentation in the research enterprise, these physics graduate students did not gain skills in documentation through formal instruction, but rather through informal hands-on practice.

Germany plans 60m euro physics and medicine lab

Science.gov (United States)

Stafford, Ned

2017-09-01

A new €60m medical-physics research lab is to be built in Erlangen, Germany, by the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) together with the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and the University Hospital Erlangen.

Science stand-up at CERN

CERN Multimedia

Stephanie McClellan

2013-01-01

Supported by host Helen Keen from BBC4’s "It is Rocket Science", six amateur performers from CERN (Sam Gregson, Alex Brown, Benjamin Frisch, Claire Lee, Hugo Day and Clara Nellist) were joined on stage by geek-pop sensation Jonny Berliner and comedians Pierre Novellie and Lieven Scheire for a night of science stand-up comedy.   Host Helen Keen starts off the comedy event. (Image: Piotr Traczyk). Like the genesis of most great things, the LHComedy event began as an idea. Sam Gregson, a PhD student at CERN, had been a regular at the Cambridge Bright Club. This public engagement event promotes scientists’ research through stand-up comedy. Sam thought, “If people came to watch Bright Club at Cambridge and enjoyed the research, why can’t we do it at the biggest scientific experiment in the world?” Sam’s idea gained momentum after being introduced to FameLab participants at CERN. Similar to Bright Club, FameLab is a com...

Pre-college Science Experiences; Timing and Causes of Gender Influence Science Interest Levels

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplita, E.; Reed, D. E.; McKenzie, D. A.; Jones, R.; May, L. W.

2015-12-01

It is known that female students tend to turn away from science during their pre-college years. Experiences during this time are not limited to the classroom, as cultural influences extend beyond K-12 science education and lead to the widely studied reduction in females in STEM fields. This has a large impact on climate science because currently relatively little effort is put into K-12 climate education, yet this is when college attitudes towards science are formed. To help quantify these changes, 400 surveys were collected from 4 different colleges in Oklahoma. Student responses were compared by gender against student experiences (positive and negative), and interest in science. Results of our work show that females tend to have their first positive experience with science at a younger age with friends, family and in the classroom, and have more of an interest in science when they are younger. Males in general like experiencing science more on their own, and surpass the interest levels of females late in high school and during college. While in college, males are more comfortable with science content than females, and males enjoy math and statistics more while those aspects of science were the largest areas of dislike in females. Understanding how to keep students (particularly female) interested in science as they enter their teen years is extremely important in preventing climate misconceptions in the adult population. Potential small changes such as hosting K-12 climate outreach events and including parents, as opposed to just inviting students, could greatly improve student experiences with science and hence, their understanding of climate science. Importantly, a greater focus on female students is warranted.

Virtual Simulations as Preparation for Lab Exercises: Assessing Learning of Key Laboratory Skills in Microbiology and Improvement of Essential Non-Cognitive Skills.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guido Makransky

Full Text Available To investigate if a virtual laboratory simulation (vLAB could be used to replace a face to face tutorial (demonstration to prepare students for a laboratory exercise in microbiology.A total of 189 students who were participating in an undergraduate biology course were randomly selected into a vLAB or demonstration condition. In the vLAB condition students could use a vLAB at home to 'practice' streaking out bacteria on agar plates in a virtual environment. In the demonstration condition students were given a live demonstration from a lab tutor showing them how to streak out bacteria on agar plates. All students were blindly assessed on their ability to perform the streaking technique in the physical lab, and were administered a pre and post-test to determine their knowledge of microbiology, intrinsic motivation to study microbiology, and self-efficacy in the field of microbiology prior to, and after the experiment.The results showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups on their lab scores, and both groups had similar increases in knowledge of microbiology, intrinsic motivation to study microbiology, as well as self-efficacy in the field of microbiology.Our data show that vLABs function just as well as face to face tutorials in preparing students for a physical lab activity in microbiology. The results imply that vLABs could be used instead of face to face tutorials, and a combination of virtual and physical lab exercises could be the future of science education.

Increasing Students’ Interest by Encouraging them to Create Original Lab Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petre Lucian Ogrutan

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Sometimes traditional lab projects based on standard kits and modules fail to stimulate students’ interest and creativity. This paper presents a novel laboratory concept which allows students to develop their own lab projects using open-source resources. The lab experiment includes competition aspects allowing every student to come up with ideas of which the best are selected. The lab projects include both hard and software components using Arduino-compatible systems and interfaces. Before starting the practical activities as well as after the completion of the lab session, the students were asked to fill in an anonymous questionnaire.

Ocean Filmmaking Camp @ Duke Marine Lab: Building Community with Ocean Science for a Better World

Science.gov (United States)

De Oca, M.; Noll, S.

2016-02-01

A democratic society requires that its citizens are informed of everyday's global issues. Out of all issues those related to ocean conservation can be hard to grasp for the general public and especially so for disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups. Opportunity-scarce communities generally have more limited access to the ocean and to science literacy programs. The Ocean Filmmaking Camp @ Duke Marine Lab (OFC@DUML) is an effort to address this gap at the level of high school students in a small coastal town. We designed a six-week summer program to nurture the talents of high school students from under-represented communities in North Carolina with training in filmmaking, marine science and conservation. Our science curriculum is especially designed to present the science in a locally and globally-relevant context. Class discussions, field trips and site visits develop the students' cognitive abilities while they learn the value of the natural environment they live in. Through filmmaking students develop their voice and their media literacy, while connecting with their local community, crossing class and racial barriers. By the end of the summer this program succeeds in encouraging students to engage in the democratic process on ocean conservation, climate change and other everyday affairs affecting their local communities. This presentation will cover the guiding principles followed in the design of the program, and how this high impact-low cost program is implemented. In its first year the program was co-directed by a graduate student and a local high school teacher, who managed more than 20 volunteers with a total budget of $1,500. The program's success was featured in the local newspaper and Duke University's Environment Magazine. This program is an example of how ocean science can play a part in building a better world, knitting diverse communities into the fabric of the larger society with engaged and science-literate citizens living rewarding lives.

Behind the scenes at FameLab, the international competition for young scientists

CERN Multimedia

CERN Bulletin

2012-01-01

FameLab is an international science communication competition for young researchers and science teachers aged 18 to 35. At CERN, preparations are under way to recruit participants, advertise the event to the public and organise the regional semi-finals for Suisse Romande, which will take place on Saturday, 4 February 2012 in the Globe of Science and Innovation. The Bulletin looks ahead to the forthcoming event…   As you might have read in the 5 December 2011 issue of the Bulletin, Switzerland is one of the 20 countries participating in the FameLab 2012 competition, and the regional finals for French-speaking Switzerland will take place at CERN in the Globe of Science and Innovation on Saturday, 4 February 2012. “At the moment we’re still recruiting participants through various channels (registration is open till 31 January) and organising the one-day programme of events in the Globe,” says project coordinator Paola Catapano of the CERN Communication ...

Applying living lab methodology to enhance skills in innovation

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Herselman, M

2010-07-01

Full Text Available and which is also inline with the South African medium term strategic framework and the millennium goals of the Department of Science and Technology. Evidence of how the living lab methodology can enhance innovation skills was made clear during various...

The Jefferson Lab Trigger Supervisor System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ed Jastrzembsi; David Abbott; Graham Heyes; R.W. MacLeod; Carl Timmer; Elliott Wolin

2000-01-01

We discuss the design and performance of a Trigger Supervisor System for use in nuclear physics experiments at Jefferson Lab. We also discuss the enhanced features of a new Trigger Supervisor Module now under construction

Putting Science FIRST: Memories of Family Science Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Science and Children, 1996

1996-01-01

Presents anecdotes from prominent citizens including Bill Clinton, Alan Alda, Carl Sagan, Gerald Wheeler, JoAnne Vasquez, and Lynn Margulis in which they reminisce about interesting science experiences with their families. (JRH)

Interesting Guided-Inquiry Labs for a Large-Enrollment, Active Learning Physics II Course

Science.gov (United States)

Wagoner, Kasey; Hynes, K. Mairin; Flanagan, Daniel

2018-04-01

Introductory physics labs often focus on a series of common experiments intending to teach the student the measurement side of physics. While these experiments have the potential to be quite instructive, we observed that our students often consider them to be boring and monotonous, which often leads to them being uninstructive. To combat this, we have designed a series of labs with two major goals: the experiments should be relevant to the students' world, and the labs should gently guide the students to develop the experimental process on their own. Meeting these goals is difficult, particularly in a course with large enrollment where labs are instructed by graduate students. We have had success meeting these goals in our classroom, where over the last decade our introductory physics course has transformed from a traditional, lecture-learning class to a flipped class based on the textbook Six Ideas that Shaped Physics. Here we describe the structure of the new labs we have designed to capitalize on our classroom success while overcoming the aforementioned difficulties. These new labs are more engaging and instructive for our introductory physics students.

Advanced teaching labs in physics - celebrating progress; challenges ahead

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Richard

A few examples of optical physics experiments may help us first reflect on significant progress on how advanced lab initiatives may now be more effectively developed, discussed, and disseminated - as opposed to only 10 or 15 years back. Many cooperative developments of the last decade are having profound impacts on advanced lab workers and students. Central to these changes are the programs of the Advanced Laboratory Physics Association (ALPhA) (Immersions, BFY conferences), AAPT (advlab-l server, ComPADRE, apparatus competitions, summer workshops/sessions), APS (Reichert Award, FEd activities and sessions), and the Jonathan F. Reichert Foundation (ALPhA support and institution matched equipment grants for Immersion participants). Broad NSF support has helped undergird several of these initiatives. Two of the most significant challenges before this new advanced lab community are (a) to somehow enhance funding opportunities for teaching equipment and apparatus in an era of minimal NSF equipment support, and (b) to help develop a more complementary relationship between research-based advanced lab pedagogies and the development of fresh physics experiments that help enable the mentoring and experimental challenge of our students.

The Jefferson Lab Trigger Supervisor System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jastrzembski, E.; Abbott, D.J.; Heyes, W.G.; MacLeod, R.W.; Timmer, C.; Wolin, E.

1999-01-01

The authors discuss the design and performance of a Trigger Supervisor System for use in nuclear physics experiments at Jefferson Lab. They also discuss the enhanced features of a new Trigger Supervisor Module now under construction

Creating Authentic Research Centers In Secondary Classrooms And Retaining The Best Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, D.; McHenry, R. M.

2006-12-01

My name is David Rodriguez. I am a middle school science teacher with 18 years of teaching experience both in Leon County, Florida and in Guinea West Africa, and South Africa. I am a National Board Certified Teacher. Richard McHenry is a high school Chemistry Advance Placement teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience, also in Leon County, Florida. Rich is a National Board Certified Teacher as well. We participated in a Research Experience For Teachers (RET) program at the National High Magnetic Field Lab in Tallahassee, Florida in 2001 and 2002. This experience has had a profound impact on our teaching, and on our student's learning. During our experience, it became clear to us that there is great importance in how scientists approach their research. We discussed this approach with teams of scientists, and asked them how they thought it could be modeled in classrooms. As teachers, we have been convinced of the value of cooperative learning for years, but to assign roles in cooperative groups similar to the roles that are created in a research science setting has improved student learning. Each team of students is assigned a project manager, data analyst, engineer, and principal investigator. The role of each scientist is specific. As a result of our RET experience, Rich also created a new program in his high school class in which students write scientific papers at the end of each grading period that outline the achievements and lab experiences completed during that period. The importance of publishing research and communicating with the greater scientific community are highlighted through this unique experience. These papers go through a peer review process within the school, and are then sent to the National High Magnetic Field Lab for further review provided by scientists and educators. I was also involved in an atmospheric research project during my RET program that utilized teachers and students throughout the state in the collection of data

eComLab: remote laboratory platform

Science.gov (United States)

Pontual, Murillo; Melkonyan, Arsen; Gampe, Andreas; Huang, Grant; Akopian, David

2011-06-01

Hands-on experiments with electronic devices have been recognized as an important element in the field of engineering to help students get familiar with theoretical concepts and practical tasks. The continuing increase the student number, costly laboratory equipment, and laboratory maintenance slow down the physical lab efficiency. As information technology continues to evolve, the Internet has become a common media in modern education. Internetbased remote laboratory can solve a lot of restrictions, providing hands-on training as they can be flexible in time and the same equipment can be shared between different students. This article describes an on-going remote hands-on experimental radio modulation, network and mobile applications lab project "eComLab". Its main component is a remote laboratory infrastructure and server management system featuring various online media familiar with modern students, such as chat rooms and video streaming.

Collaborative Learning in the Remote Laboratory NetLab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Machotka

2008-06-01

Full Text Available At the University of South Australia (UniSA the practical component of engineering education is considered to be a vital factor in developing university graduate qualities [1]. Practical experiments performed in laboratory facilitate students' abilities to apply their knowledge, work collaboratively, control equipment and analyse the measured data. The remote laboratory NetLab has been developed within the School of Electrical and Information Engineering (EIE. A fully functional system has been used by up to 200 onshore and offshore students to conduct remote experiments every year since 2003. This paper describes the remote laboratory and discusses how collaborative team oriented tasks can be conducted in the online environment. The functionality of NetLab is demonstrated by an example of a remote experiment.

Application of LabVIEW on Ionization Chamber to Measurement Radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerdchockchai, P.; Soodprasert, T.; Hoonnivathana, E.; Naemchnthara, P.; Limsuwan, P.; Naemchanthara, K.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research was to apply LabVIEW program to control an ionization chamber. LabVIEW was used to compose a block diagram and front panel. The block diagram was programmed to be controlled by the front panel. Radiation dose of Cs -137 at 1.00, 1.50, 2.00, 2.50, 3.00 and 4.00 meter were compared from LabViEW and manual system. The results show that the different percentages of Pb filter of thickness 0, 20 and 39 mm are 0.68, 0.68 and 0.48, respectively. This experiment results indicated that the LabVIEW can be used in assisting radiation measurement. Furthermore, by controlling the ionization chamber by LabVIEW, the radiation dose received by operator is reduced.

Using FlowLab, an educational computational fluid dynamics tool, to perform a comparative study of turbulence models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parihar, A.; Kulkarni, A.; Stern, F.; Xing, T.; Moeykens, S.

2005-01-01

Flow over an Ahmed body is a key benchmark case for validating the complex turbulent flow field around vehicles. In spite of the simple geometry, the flow field around an Ahmed body retains critical features of real, external vehicular flow. The present study is an attempt to implement such a real life example into the course curriculum for undergraduate engineers. FlowLab, which is a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool developed by Fluent Inc. for use in engineering education, allows students to conduct interactive application studies. This paper presents a synopsis of FlowLab, a description of one FlowLab exercise, and an overview of the educational experience gained by students through using FlowLab, which is understood through student surveys and examinations. FlowLab-based CFD exercises were implemented into 57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes and 58:160 Intermediate Mechanics of Fluids courses at the University of Iowa in the fall of 2004, although this report focuses only on experiences with the Ahmed body exercise, which was used only in the intermediate-level fluids class, 58:160. This exercise was developed under National Science Foundation funding by the authors of this paper. The focus of this study does not include validating the various turbulence models used for the Ahmed body simulation, because a two-dimensional simplification was applied. With the two-dimensional simplification, students may setup, run, and post process this model in a 50 minute class period using a single-CPU PC, as required for the 58:160 class at the University of Iowa. It is educational for students to understand the implication of a two- dimensional approximation for essentially a three-dimensional flow field, along with the consequent variation in both qualitative and quantitative results. Additionally, through this exercise, students may realize that the choice of the respective turbulence model will affect simulation prediction. (author)

Advanced HVAC modeling with FemLab/Simulink/MatLab

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.

2003-01-01

The combined MatLab toolboxes FemLab and Simulink are evaluated as solvers for HVAC problems based on partial differential equations (PDEs). The FemLab software is designed to simulate systems of coupled PDEs, 1-D, 2-D or 3-D, nonlinear and time dependent. In order to show how the program works, a

Automatic creation of LabVIEW network shared variables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kluge, T.; Schroeder, H.

2012-01-01

We are in the process of preparing the LabVIEW controlled system components of our Solid State Direct Drive experiments for the integration into a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) or distributed control system. The predetermined route to this is the generation of LabVIEW network shared variables that can easily be exported by LabVIEW to the SCADA system using OLE for Process Control (OPC) or other means. Many repetitive tasks are associated with the creation of the shared variables and the required code. We are introducing an efficient and inexpensive procedure that automatically creates shared variable libraries and sets default values for the shared variables. Furthermore, LabVIEW controls are created that are used for managing the connection to the shared variable inside the LabVIEW code operating on the shared variables. The procedure takes as input an XML spread-sheet defining the required input. The procedure utilizes XSLT and LabVIEW scripting. In a later state of the project the code generation can be expanded to also create code and configuration files that will become necessary in order to access the shared variables from the SCADA system of choice. (authors)

Liability of Science Educators for Laboratory Safety. NSTA Position Statement

Science.gov (United States)

National Science Teachers Association (NJ1), 2007

2007-01-01

Laboratory investigations are essential for the effective teaching and learning of science. A school laboratory investigation ("lab") is an experience in the laboratory, classroom, or the field that provides students with opportunities to interact directly with natural phenomena or with data collected by others using tools, materials, data…

Beam position reconstruction for the g2p experiment in Hall A at Jefferson lab

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Pengjia; Allada, Kalyan; Allison, Trent; Badman, Toby; Camsonne, Alexandre; Chen, Jian-ping; Cummings, Melissa; Gu, Chao; Huang, Min; Liu, Jie; Musson, John; Slifer, Karl; Sulkosky, Vincent; Ye, Yunxiu; Zhang, Jixie; Zielinski, Ryan

2016-02-01

Beam-line equipment was upgraded for experiment E08-027 (g2p) in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. Two beam position monitors (BPMs) were necessary to measure the beam position and angle at the target. A new BPM receiver was designed and built to handle the low beam currents (50-100 nA) used for this experiment. Two new super-harps were installed for calibrating the BPMs. In addition to the existing fast raster system, a slow raster system was installed. Before and during the experiment, these new devices were tested and debugged, and their performance was also evaluated. In order to achieve the required accuracy (1-2 mm in position and 1-2 mrad in angle at the target location), the data of the BPMs and harps were carefully analyzed, as well as reconstructing the beam position and angle event by event at the target location. The calculated beam position will be used in the data analysis to accurately determine the kinematics for each event.

A Festival of Contemporary Science for Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Tim; Berry, Bryan; Shallcross, Dudley

2010-01-01

In this article, the authors describe the first Festival of Contemporary Science for Science Teachers which was held in January 2010. Focusing on a number of leading-edge science topics, this new festival was organised by Bristol ChemLabS, in collaboration with the Science Learning Centre South West, and involved academics from several departments…

Teaching and Learning Science for Transformative, Aesthetic Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Girod, Mark; Twyman, Todd; Wojcikiewicz, Steve

2010-11-01

Drawing from the Deweyan theory of experience (1934, 1938), the goal of teaching and learning for transformative, aesthetic experience is contrasted against teaching and learning from a cognitive, rational framework. A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate teaching and learning of fifth grade science from each perspective across an entire school year including three major units of instruction. Detailed comparisons of teaching are given and pre and post measures of interest in learning science, science identity affiliation, and efficacy beliefs are investigated. Tests of conceptual understanding before, after, and one month after instruction reveal teaching for transformative, aesthetic experience fosters more, and more enduring, learning of science concepts. Investigations of transfer also suggest students learning for transformative, aesthetic experiences learn to see the world differently and find more interest and excitement in the world outside of school.

Turning a Common Lab Exercise into a Challenging Lab Experiment: Revisiting the Cart on an Inclined Track

Science.gov (United States)

Amato, Joseph C.; Williams, Roger E.

2010-01-01

A common lab exercise in the introductory college physics course employs a low-friction cart and associated track to study the validity of Newton's second law. Yet for college students, especially those who have already encountered a good high school physics course, the exercise must seem a little pointless. These students have already learned to…

An investigation of the effects of relevant samples and a comparison of verification versus discovery based lab design

Science.gov (United States)

Rieben, James C., Jr.

This study focuses on the effects of relevance and lab design on student learning within the chemistry laboratory environment. A general chemistry conductivity of solutions experiment and an upper level organic chemistry cellulose regeneration experiment were employed. In the conductivity experiment, the two main variables studied were the effect of relevant (or "real world") samples on student learning and a verification-based lab design versus a discovery-based lab design. With the cellulose regeneration experiment, the effect of a discovery-based lab design vs. a verification-based lab design was the sole focus. Evaluation surveys consisting of six questions were used at three different times to assess student knowledge of experimental concepts. In the general chemistry laboratory portion of this study, four experimental variants were employed to investigate the effect of relevance and lab design on student learning. These variants consisted of a traditional (or verification) lab design, a traditional lab design using "real world" samples, a new lab design employing real world samples/situations using unknown samples, and the new lab design using real world samples/situations that were known to the student. Data used in this analysis were collected during the Fall 08, Winter 09, and Fall 09 terms. For the second part of this study a cellulose regeneration experiment was employed to investigate the effects of lab design. A demonstration creating regenerated cellulose "rayon" was modified and converted to an efficient and low-waste experiment. In the first variant students tested their products and verified a list of physical properties. In the second variant, students filled in a blank physical property chart with their own experimental results for the physical properties. Results from the conductivity experiment show significant student learning of the effects of concentration on conductivity and how to use conductivity to differentiate solution types with the

An experience of science theatre: Earth Science for children

Science.gov (United States)

Musacchio, Gemma; Lanza, Tiziana; D'Addezio, Giuliana

2015-04-01

The present paper describes an experience of science theatre addressed to children of primary and secondary school, with the main purpose of explaining the Earth interior while raising awareness about natural hazard. We conducted the experience with the help of a theatrical company specialized in shows for children. Several performances have been reiterated in different context, giving us the opportunity of conducting a preliminary survey with public of different ages, even if the show was conceived for children. Results suggest that science theatre while relying on creativity and emotional learning in transmitting knowledge about the Earth and its hazard has the potential to induce in children a positive attitude towards the risks

Plasma science and technology for emerging economies an AAAPT experience

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

This book highlights plasma science and technology-related research and development work at institutes and universities networked through Asian African Association for Plasma Training (AAAPT) which was established in 1988. The AAAPT, with 52 member institutes in 24 countries, promotes the initiation and intensification of plasma research and development through cooperation and technology sharing.   With 13 chapters on fusion-relevant, laboratory and industrial plasmas for wide range of applications and basic research and a chapter on AAAPT network, it demonstrates how, with collaborations, high-quality, industrially relevant academic and scientific research on fusion, industrial and laboratory plasmas and plasma diagnostics can be successfully pursued in small research labs.   These plasma sciences and technologies include pioneering breakthroughs and applications in (i) fusion relevant research in the quest for long-term, clean energy source development using high-temperature, high- density plasmas and (ii...

From big data analysis in the cloud to robotic pot drumming: tales from the Met Office Informatics Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Niall; Tomlinson, Jacob; Prudden, Rachel; Hilson, Alex; Arribas, Alberto

2017-04-01

The Met Office Informatics Lab is a small multidisciplinary team which sits between science, technology and design. Our mission is simply "to make Met Office data useful" - a deliberately broad objective. Our prototypes often trial cutting edge technologies, and so far have included projects such as virtual reality data visualisation in the web browser, bots and natural language interfaces, and artificially intelligent weather warnings. In this talk we focus on our latest project, Jade, a big data analysis platform in the cloud. It is a powerful, flexible and simple to use implementation which makes extensive use of technologies such as Jupyter, Dask, containerisation, Infrastructure as Code, and auto-scaling. Crucially, Jade is flexible enough to be used for a diverse set of applications: it can present weather forecast information to meteorologists and allow climate scientists to analyse big data sets, but it is also effective for analysing non-geospatial data. As well as making data useful, the Informatics Lab also trials new working practises. In this presentation, we will talk about our experience of making a group like the Lab successful.

Artificial intelligence programming with LabVIEW: genetic algorithms for instrumentation control and optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, J H

1995-06-01

A genetic algorithm for instrumentation control and optimization was developed using the LabVIEW graphical programming environment. The usefulness of this methodology for the optimization of a closed loop control instrument is demonstrated with minimal complexity and the programming is presented in detail to facilitate its adaptation to other LabVIEW applications. Closed loop control instruments have variety of applications in the biomedical sciences including the regulation of physiological processes such as blood pressure. The program presented here should provide a useful starting point for those wishing to incorporate genetic algorithm approaches to LabVIEW mediated optimization of closed loop control instruments.

Timing properties and pulse shape discrimination of LAB-based liquid scintillator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiaobo; Xiao Hualin; Cao Jun; Li Jin; Heng Yuekun; Ruan Xichao

2011-01-01

Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) is a promising liquid scintillator solvent in neutrino experiments because it has many appealing properties. The timing properties of LAB-based liquid scintillator have been studied through ultraviolet and ionization excitation in this study. The decay time of LAB, PPO and bis-MSB is found to be 48.6 ns, 1.55 ns and 1.5 ns, respectively. A model can describe the absorption and re-emission process between PPO and bis-MSB perfectly. The energy transfer time between LAB and PPO with different concentrations can be obtained via another model. We also show that the LAB-based liquid scintillator has good (n, γ) and (α, γ) discrimination power. (authors)

U.S./Russian lab-to-lab materials protection, control and accounting program efforts at the Institute of Inorganic Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruhter, W.D.; Kositsyn, V.; Rudenko, V.; Siskind, B.; Bieber, A.; Hoida, H.; Augustson; Ehinger, M.; Smith, B.W.

1996-01-01

The All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Inorganic Materials (VNIINM) performs research in nuclear power reactor fuel,m spent fuel reprocessing and waste management, materials science of fissionable and reactor structural materials, metallurgy, superconducting materials, and analytical sciences. VNIINM supports the Ministry of Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation (MINATOM) in technologies for fabrication and processing of nuclear fuel. As a participant in the U. S./Russian Lab-to-Lab nuclear materials protection, control and accounting (MPC ampersand A) program, VNIINM is providing evaluation, certification, and implementation of measurement methods for such materials. In 1966, VNIINM will be working with Brookhaven staff in developing and documenting material control and accounting requirements for nuclear materials in bulk form, Livermore and Los Alamos staff in testing and evaluating gamma-ray spectrometry methods for bulk materials, Los Alamos staff in test and evaluation of neutron-coincidence counting techniques, Oak Ridge staff in accounting of bulk materials with process instrumentation, and Pacific Northwest staff on automating VNIINM's coulometric titration system. In addition, VNIINM will develop a computerized accounting system for nuclear material within VNIINM and heir storage facility. This paper describes the status of this work and anticipated progress in 1996

The 4th Generation Light Source at Jefferson Lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephen Benson; George Biallas; James Boyce; Donald Bullard; James Coleman; David Douglas; H. Dylla; Richard Evans; Pavel Evtushenko; Albert Grippo; Christopher Gould; Joseph Gubeli; David Hardy; Carlos Hernandez-Garcia; Kevin Jordan; John Klopf; Steven Moore; George Neil; Thomas Powers; Joseph Preble; Daniel Sexton; Michelle Shinn; Christopher Tennant; Richard Walker; Shukui Zhang; Gwyn Williams

2007-01-01

A number of 'Grand Challenges' in Science have recently been identified in reports from The National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. Dept. of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences. Many of these require a new generation of linac-based light source to study dynamical and non-linear phenomena in nanoscale samples. In this paper we present a summary of the properties of such light sources, comparing them with existing sources, and then describing in more detail a specific source at Jefferson Lab. Importantly, the JLab light source has developed some novel technology which is a critical enabler for other new light sources

ASTRO 101 Labs and the Invasion of the Cognitive Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Slater, Stephanie J.

2015-04-01

Since the mid 1800's there has been widespread agreement that we should be about the business of engaging students in the practices of scientific research in order to best teach the methods and practices of science. There has been significantly less agreement on precisely how to teach science by mimicking scientific inquiry in a way that can be empirically supported, even with our ``top students.'' Engaging ``ASTRO 101 students'' in scientific inquiry is a task that has left our astronomy education research community more than a little stymied, to the extent that it is difficult to find non-major science students practicing anything other than confirmation exercises in college labs. Researchers at the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education Research have struggled with this problem as well, until in our frustration we had to ask: ``Can research tell us anything about how to get students to do research?'' This talk presents an overview of the cognitive science that we've brought to bear in the ASTRO 101 laboratory setting for non-science majoring undergraduates and future teachers, along with the results of early studies that suggest that a ``backwards faded scaffolding'' approach to instruction in Intro Labs can successfully support large numbers of students in enhancing their understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry. Supported by NSF DUE 1312562.

Indiana secondary students' evolution learning experiences and demarcations of science from non-science

Science.gov (United States)

Donnelly, Lisa A.

2007-12-01

Previous research has documented students' conceptual difficulties learning evolution and how student learning may be related to students' views of evolution and science. This mixed methods study addressed how 74 high school biology students from six Indiana high schools viewed their evolution learning experiences, the demarcations of science from non-science, and evolution understanding and acceptance. Data collection entailed qualitative and quantitative methods including interviews, classroom observations, surveys, and assessments to address students' views of science and non-science, evolution learning experiences, and understanding and acceptance of evolution. Qualitative coding generated several demarcation and evolution learning experience codes that were subsequently used in quantitative comparisons of evolution understanding and acceptance. The majority of students viewed science as empirical, tentative but ultimately leading to certain truth, compatible with religion, the product of experimental work, and the product of human creativity. None of the students offered the consensus NOS view that scientific theories are substantiated explanations of phenomena while scientific laws state relationships or patterns between phenomena. About half the students indicated that scientific knowledge was subjectively and socio-culturally influenced. The majority of students also indicated that they had positive evolution learning experiences and thought evolution should be taught in secondary school. The quantitative comparisons revealed how students who viewed scientific knowledge as subjectively and socio-culturally influenced had higher understanding than their peers. Furthermore, students who maintained that science and religion were compatible did not differ with respect to understanding but had higher acceptance than their peers who viewed science and religion as conflicting. Furthermore, students who maintained that science must be consistent with their

Vision Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Vision Lab personnel perform research, development, testing and evaluation of eye protection and vision performance. The lab maintains and continues to develop...

Lab-on-a-chip devices and micro-total analysis systems a practical guide

CERN Document Server

Svendsen, Winnie

2015-01-01

This book covers all the steps in order to fabricate a lab-on-a-chip device starting from the idea, the design, simulation, fabrication and final evaluation. Additionally, it includes basic theory on microfluidics essential to understand how fluids behave at such reduced scale. Examples of successful histories of lab-on-a-chip systems that made an impact in fields like biomedicine and life sciences are also provided.

Experiences in supporting the structured collection of cancer nanotechnology data using caNanoLab

Science.gov (United States)

Gaheen, Sharon; Lijowski, Michal; Heiskanen, Mervi; Klemm, Juli

2015-01-01

Summary The cancer Nanotechnology Laboratory (caNanoLab) data portal is an online nanomaterial database that allows users to submit and retrieve information on well-characterized nanomaterials, including composition, in vitro and in vivo experimental characterizations, experimental protocols, and related publications. Initiated in 2006, caNanoLab serves as an established resource with an infrastructure supporting the structured collection of nanotechnology data to address the needs of the cancer biomedical and nanotechnology communities. The portal contains over 1,000 curated nanomaterial data records that are publicly accessible for review, comparison, and re-use, with the ultimate goal of accelerating the translation of nanotechnology-based cancer therapeutics, diagnostics, and imaging agents to the clinic. In this paper, we will discuss challenges associated with developing a nanomaterial database and recognized needs for nanotechnology data curation and sharing in the biomedical research community. We will also describe the latest version of caNanoLab, caNanoLab 2.0, which includes enhancements and new features to improve usability such as personalized views of data and enhanced search and navigation. PMID:26425409

Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Transparent conducting amorphous p-type CuFeO 2 (CFO) thin film was ... Key Lab of Novel Thin Film Solar Cells, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China ...

Social Media and Student Engagement in a Microgravity Planetary Science Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Lane, S. S.; Lai, K.; Hoover, B.; Whitaker, A.; Tiller, C.; Benjamin, S.; Dove, A.; Colwell, J. E.

2014-12-01

The Collisional Accretion Experiment (CATE) is a planetary science experiment funded by NASA's Undergraduate Instrumentation Program (USIP). CATE is a microgravity experiment to study low-velocity collisions between cm-sized particles and 0.1-1.0 mm-sized particles in vacuum to better understand the conditions for accretion in the protoplanetary disk as well as collisions in planetary ring systems. CATE flew on three parabolic airplane flights in July, 2014, using NASA's "Weightless Wonder VI" aircraft. A significant part of the project was documenting the experience of designing, building, testing, and flying spaceflight hardware from the perspective of the undergraduates working on the experiment. The outreach effort was aimed at providing high schools students interested in STEM careers with a first-person view of hands-on student research at the university level. We also targeted undergraduates at the University of Central Florida to make them aware of space research on campus. The CATE team pursued multiple outlets, from social media to presentations at local schools, to connect with the public and with younger students. We created a website which hosted a blog, links to media publications that ran our story, videos, and galleries of images from work in the lab throughout the year. In addition the project had Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. These social media outlets had much more traffic than the website except during the flight week when photos posted on the blog generated significant traffic. The most effective means of communicating the project to the target audience, however, was through face-to-face presentations in classrooms. We saw a large increase in followers on Twitter and Instagram as the flight campaign got closer and while we were there. The main source of followers came after we presented to local high school students. These presentations were made by the undergraduate student team and the faculty mentors (Colwell and Dove).

GeneLab Phase 2: Integrated Search Data Federation of Space Biology Experimental Data

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, P. B.; Berrios, D. C.; Gurram, M. M.; Hashim, J. C. M.; Raghunandan, S.; Lin, S. Y.; Le, T. Q.; Heher, D. M.; Thai, H. T.; Welch, J. D.;

Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

Science.gov (United States)

conjugation using genetically encoded aldehyde tags. Nature Protocols 7, 1052 (2012). abstract » J. Y. Shu, R . Onoe, R. A. Mathies and M. B. Francis. Direct Attachment of Microbial Organisms to Material Surfaces -modified proteins to their binding partners. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109, 4834

Research Labs | College of Engineering & Applied Science

Science.gov (United States)

Engineering Multimedia Software Laboratory Computer Science Nanotechnology for Sustainable Energy and Engineering Concentration on Ergonomics M.S. Program in Computer Science Interdisciplinary Concentration on Energy Doctoral Programs in Engineering Non-Degree Candidate Departments Biomedical Engineering

Off to the (Earthworm) Races: A Quick and Flexible Lab Experiment for Introductory Zoology Courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Switzer, Paul V.; Fritz, Ann H.

2001-01-01

Presents a hands-on, investigative lab activity for use in an introductory zoology course. Tests the behavioral hypothesis that substrate texture affects earthworm locomotor ability. Provides background information on earthworm locomotion followed by details of the lab exercise. (NB)

The Effect of Group Attachment and Social Position on Prosocial Behavior. Evidence from Lab-in-the-Field Experiments

OpenAIRE

Baldassarri, Delia; Grossman, Guy

2013-01-01

Social life is regulated by norms of fairness that constrain selfish behavior. While a substantial body of scholarship on prosocial behavior has provided evidence of such norms, large inter- and intra-personal variation in prosocial behavior still needs to be explained. The article identifies two social-structural dimensions along which people's generosity varies systematically: group attachment and social position. We conducted lab-in-the-field experiments involving 2,597 members of producer...

Effects of Implementing a Hybrid Wet Lab and Online Module Lab Curriculum into a General Chemistry Course: Impacts on Student Performance and Engagement with the Chemistry Triplet

Science.gov (United States)

Irby, Stefan M.; Borda, Emily J.; Haupt, Justin

2018-01-01

Here, we describe the implementation a hybrid general chemistry teaching laboratory curriculum that replaces a portion of a course's traditional "wet lab" experiences with online virtual lab modules. These modules intentionally utilize representations on all three levels of the chemistry triplet-macroscopic, submicroscopic, and symbolic.…

Exploratory study of the acceptance of two individual practical classes with remote labs

Science.gov (United States)

Tirado-Morueta, Ramón; Sánchez-Herrera, Reyes; Márquez-Sánchez, Marco A.; Mejías-Borrero, Andrés; Andujar-Márquez, José Manuel

2018-03-01

Remote lab experiences are proliferating in higher education, although there are still few studies that manage to build a theoretical framework for educational assessment and design of this technology. In order to explore to what extent the use of facilitators of proximity to the laboratory and the autonomy of the experiment makes remote laboratories a technology accepted by students, two remote labs different yet similar educational conditions in laboratories are used. A sample of 98 undergraduate students from a degree course in Energy Engineering was used for this study; 57 of these students ran experiments in a laboratory of electrical machines and 41 in a photovoltaic systems laboratory. The data suggest using conditions that facilitate the proximity of the laboratory and the autonomy in the realisation of the experiment; in both laboratories the experience was positively valued by the students. Also, data suggest that the types of laboratory and experiment have influences on usability - autonomy and lab proximity - perceived by students.

From e-manufacturing to Internet Product Process Development (IPPD) through remote – labs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nieto, Ernesto Córdoba; Parra, Paulo Andres Cifuentes; Díaz, Juan Camilo Parra

2014-01-01

This paper presents the research developed at Universidad Nacional de Colombia about the e-Manufacturing platform that is being developed and implemented at LabFabEx (acronym in Spanish as L aboratorio Fabrica Experimental ) . This platform besides has an approach to virtual-remote labs that have been tested by several students and engineers of different industrial fields. At this paper it is shown the physical and communication experimental platform, the general scope and characteristics of this e-Manufacturing platform and the virtual lab approach. This research project is funded by COLCIENCIAS (Administrative Department of science, technology and innovation in Colombia) and the enterprise IMOCOM S.A

Mapping the entangled ontology of science teachers’ lived experience

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daugbjerg, Peer Schrøder; de Freitas, E.; Valero, Paola

2015-01-01

, the following questions are pursued: (1) In what ways do primary science teachers refer to the lived and living body in teaching and learning? (2) In what ways do primary science teachers tap into past experiences in which the body figured prominently in order to teach students about living organisms? We draw...... the entanglement of lived experience and embodied teaching using these three proposed dimensions of experience. Analysing interviews and observations of three Danish primary science teachers—Erik, Jane and Tina—, we look for how their self-reported lived experiences become entangled with their content knowledge......In this paper we investigate how the bodily activity of teaching, along with the embodied aspect of lived experience, relates to science teachers’ ways of dealing with bodies as living organisms which are both the subject matter as well as the site or vehicle of learning. More precisely...

Dark Matter Search in a Beam-Dump eXperiment (BDX) at Jefferson Lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Battaglieri, M.

2016-01-01

MeV-GeV dark matter (DM) is theoretically well motivated but remarkably unexplored. This proposal presents the MeV-GeV DM discovery potential for a ∼ 1 m$^3$ segmented CsI(Tl) scintillator detector placed downstream of the Hall A beam-dump at Jefferson Lab, receiving up to 10 22 electrons-on-target (EOT) in 285 days. This experiment (Beam-Dump eXperiment or BDX) would be sensitive to elastic DM-electron and to inelastic DM scattering at the level of 10 counts per year, reaching the limit of the neutrino irreducible background. The distinct signature of a DM interaction will be an electromagnetic shower of few hundreds of MeV, together with a reduced activity in the surrounding active veto counters. A detailed description of the DM particle χ production in the dump and subsequent interaction in the detector has been performed by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Different approaches have been used to evaluate the expected backgrounds: the cosmogenic background has been extrapolated from the results obtained with a prototype detector running at INFN-LNS (Italy), while the beam-related background has been evaluated by GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations. The proposed experiment will be sensitive to large regions of DM parameter space, exceeding the discovery potential of existing and planned experiments in the MeV-GeV DM mass range by up to two orders of magnitude.

Dark Matter Search in a Beam-Dump eXperiment (BDX) at Jefferson Lab

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Battaglieri, M. [Univ. of Genova (Italy). National Institute for Nuclear Physics. et al

2016-07-05

MeV-GeV dark matter (DM) is theoretically well motivated but remarkably unexplored. This proposal presents the MeV-GeV DM discovery potential for a $\\sim$1 m$^3$ segmented CsI(Tl) scintillator detector placed downstream of the Hall A beam-dump at Jefferson Lab, receiving up to 10$^{22}$ electrons-on-target (EOT) in 285 days. This experiment (Beam-Dump eXperiment or BDX) would be sensitive to elastic DM-electron and to inelastic DM scattering at the level of 10 counts per year, reaching the limit of the neutrino irreducible background. The distinct signature of a DM interaction will be an electromagnetic shower of few hundreds of MeV, together with a reduced activity in the surrounding active veto counters. A detailed description of the DM particle $\\chi$ production in the dump and subsequent interaction in the detector has been performed by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Different approaches have been used to evaluate the expected backgrounds: the cosmogenic background has been extrapolated from the results obtained with a prototype detector running at INFN-LNS (Italy), while the beam-related background has been evaluated by GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations. The proposed experiment will be sensitive to large regions of DM parameter space, exceeding the discovery potential of existing and planned experiments in the MeV-GeV DM mass range by up to two orders of magnitude.

Beam position reconstruction for the g2p experiment in Hall A at Jefferson lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Pengjia; Allada, Kalyan; Allison, Trent; Badman, Toby; Camsonne, Alexandre; Chen, Jian-ping; Cummings, Melissa; Gu, Chao; Huang, Min; Liu, Jie; Musson, John; Slifer, Karl; Sulkosky, Vincent; Ye, Yunxiu; Zhang, Jixie; Zielinski, Ryan

2016-01-01

Beam-line equipment was upgraded for experiment E08-027 (g2p) in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. Two beam position monitors (BPMs) were necessary to measure the beam position and angle at the target. A new BPM receiver was designed and built to handle the low beam currents (50–100 nA) used for this experiment. Two new super-harps were installed for calibrating the BPMs. In addition to the existing fast raster system, a slow raster system was installed. Before and during the experiment, these new devices were tested and debugged, and their performance was also evaluated. In order to achieve the required accuracy (1–2 mm in position and 1–2 mrad in angle at the target location), the data of the BPMs and harps were carefully analyzed, as well as reconstructing the beam position and angle event by event at the target location. The calculated beam position will be used in the data analysis to accurately determine the kinematics for each event.

Beam position reconstruction for the g2p experiment in Hall A at Jefferson lab

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Pengjia, E-mail: pzhu@jlab.org [University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Allada, Kalyan [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA 02139 (United States); Allison, Trent [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); Badman, Toby [University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States); Camsonne, Alexandre; Chen, Jian-ping [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); Cummings, Melissa [College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187 (United States); Gu, Chao [University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Huang, Min [Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 (United States); Liu, Jie [University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Musson, John [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); Slifer, Karl [University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States); Sulkosky, Vincent [University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA 02139 (United States); Ye, Yunxiu [University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Zhang, Jixie [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Zielinski, Ryan [University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States)

2016-02-01

Beam-line equipment was upgraded for experiment E08-027 (g2p) in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. Two beam position monitors (BPMs) were necessary to measure the beam position and angle at the target. A new BPM receiver was designed and built to handle the low beam currents (50–100 nA) used for this experiment. Two new super-harps were installed for calibrating the BPMs. In addition to the existing fast raster system, a slow raster system was installed. Before and during the experiment, these new devices were tested and debugged, and their performance was also evaluated. In order to achieve the required accuracy (1–2 mm in position and 1–2 mrad in angle at the target location), the data of the BPMs and harps were carefully analyzed, as well as reconstructing the beam position and angle event by event at the target location. The calculated beam position will be used in the data analysis to accurately determine the kinematics for each event.

Interactive Lecture Experiments in Large Introductory Physics Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Milner-Bolotin, Marina M.; Kotlicki, A.; Rieger, G.; Bates, F.; Moll, R.; McPhee, K.; Nashon, S.

2006-12-01

We describe Interactive Lecture Experiments (ILE), which build on Interactive Lecture Demonstrations proposed by Sokoloff and Thornton (2004) and extends it by providing students with the opportunity to analyze experiments demonstrated in the lecture outside of the classroom. Real time experimental data is collected, using Logger Pro combined with the digital video technology. This data is uploaded to the Internet and made available to the students for further analysis. Student learning is assessed in the following lecture using conceptual questions (clickers). The goal of this project is to use ILE to make large lectures more interactive and promote student interest in science, critical thinking and data analysis skills. We report on the systematic study conducted using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey, Force Concept Inventory, open-ended physics problems and focus group interviews to determine the impact of ILE on student academic achievement, motivation and attitudes towards physics. Three sections of students (750 students) experienced four ILE experiments. The surveys were administered twice and academic results for students who experienced the ILE for a particular topic were compared to the students, from a different section, who did not complete the ILE for that topic. Additional qualitative data on students’ attitudes was collected using open ended survey questions and interviews. We will present preliminary conclusions about the role of ILEs as an effective pedagogy in large introductory physics courses. Sokoloff, D.R. and R.K. Thornton (2004). Interactive Lecture Demonstrations: Active Learning in Introductory Physics, J.Wiley & Sons, INC. Interactive Lecture Experiments: http://www.physics.ubc.ca/ year1lab/p100/LectureLabs/lectureLabs.html

Science and Innovation at Los Alamos

Science.gov (United States)

Alamos National Laboratory Delivering science and technology to protect our nation and promote world stability Science & Innovation Collaboration Careers Community Environment Science & Innovation Facilities Science Pillars Research Library Science Briefs Science News Science Highlights Lab Organizations

Guidelines for Urban Labs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scholl, Christian; Agger Eriksen, Mette; Baerten, Nik

2017-01-01

These guidelines are intended for team members and managers of urban labs and, more generally, for civil servants and facilitators in cities working with experimental processes to tackle complex challenges. They aim to support the everyday practice of collaboratively experimenting and learning ho...... the result is inspiring and instructive for all those who want to wrap their minds around experimental co-creative approaches to urban governance and city development....

Science from the inside

Science.gov (United States)

Toumey, Chris

2009-09-01

Most scientists think of science as completely objective, but lab studies by social scientists - including several carried out in nanotechnology labs - suggest that it is more subjective than many scientists realize. Chris Toumey looks at the results of these studies.

A Remote and Virtual Lab with Experiments for Secondary Education, Engineering and Lifelong Learning Courses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Cardoso

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The Information and Communication Technology tools are nowadays invaluable to support e-learning and b-learning programs. The Remote and Virtual Laboratory in development at the Department of Informatics Engineering of the University of Coimbra (Portugal, RVL@DEI-UC, is a web-based platform that allows users to perform a large set of experiments in different areas and contexts, such as in education or training. This paper aims to describe the inherent potential of this platform in secondary education, engineering and lifelong learning courses. The conceptualization, architecture and implementation of the web platform for real and virtual experiments, which is remotely accessed using the Internet, are presented and the relevance of the lab’s integration in an intelligent tutoring system is also highlighted, mainly in what regards the requirements of adaptation and customization to different users’ profile in different learning contexts.

Baseball Physics: A New Mechanics Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Wagoner, Kasey; Flanagan, Daniel

2018-01-01

The game of baseball provides an interesting laboratory for experimenting with mechanical phenomena (there are many good examples in "The Physics Teacher," available on Professor Alan Nathan's website, and discussed in "Physics of Baseball & Softball"). We have developed a lab, for an introductory-level physics course, that…

Guidelines for Affective Signal Processing (ASP): From lab to life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Broek, Egon; Janssen, Joris H.; Westerink, Joyce H.D.M.; Cohn, J.; Nijholt, Antinus; Pantic, Maja

2009-01-01

This article presents the rationale behind ACII2009’s special session: Guidelines for Affective Signal Processing (ASP): From lab to life. Although affect is embraced by both science and engineering, its recognition has not reached a satisfying level. Through a concise overview of ASP and the

The community FabLab platform: applications and implications in biomedical engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, Makeda K; Dow, Douglas E

2014-01-01

Skill development in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education present one of the most formidable challenges of modern society. The Community FabLab platform presents a viable solution. Each FabLab contains a suite of modern computer numerical control (CNC) equipment, electronics and computing hardware and design, programming, computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided machining (CAM) software. FabLabs are community and educational resources and open to the public. Development of STEM based workforce skills such as digital fabrication and advanced manufacturing can be enhanced using this platform. Particularly notable is the potential of the FabLab platform in STEM education. The active learning environment engages and supports a diversity of learners, while the iterative learning that is supported by the FabLab rapid prototyping platform facilitates depth of understanding, creativity, innovation and mastery. The product and project based learning that occurs in FabLabs develops in the student a personal sense of accomplishment, self-awareness, command of the material and technology. This helps build the interest and confidence necessary to excel in STEM and throughout life. Finally the introduction and use of relevant technologies at every stage of the education process ensures technical familiarity and a broad knowledge base needed for work in STEM based fields. Biomedical engineering education strives to cultivate broad technical adeptness, creativity, interdisciplinary thought, and an ability to form deep conceptual understanding of complex systems. The FabLab platform is well designed to enhance biomedical engineering education.

ChiMS: Open-source instrument control software platform on LabVIEW for imaging/depth profiling mass spectrometers.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Yang; Hanley, Luke

2015-06-01

ChiMS is an open-source data acquisition and control software program written within LabVIEW for high speed imaging and depth profiling mass spectrometers. ChiMS can also transfer large datasets from a digitizer to computer memory at high repetition rate, save data to hard disk at high throughput, and perform high speed data processing. The data acquisition mode generally simulates a digital oscilloscope, but with peripheral devices integrated for control as well as advanced data sorting and processing capabilities. Customized user-designed experiments can be easily written based on several included templates. ChiMS is additionally well suited to non-laser based mass spectrometers imaging and various other experiments in laser physics, physical chemistry, and surface science.

DOE EiR at Oakridge National Lab 2008/09

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauer, Michael

2012-11-30

This project placed an experienced technology entrepreneur at Oak Ridge National Lab, one of DOE's premier laboratories undertaking cutting edge research in a variety of fields, including energy technologies. With the goal of accelerating the commercialization of advanced energy technologies, the task was to review available technologies at the lab and identify those that qualify for licensing and commercialization by a private startup company, backed by private venture capital. During the project, more than 1,500 inventions filed at the lab were reviewed over a 1 year period; a successively smaller number was selected for more detailed review, ultimately resulting in five, and then 1 technology, being reviewed for immediate commercialization. The chosen technology, consisting in computational chemistry based approached to optimization of enzymes, was tested in lab experiments, paid for by funds raised by ORNL for the purpose of proving out the effectiveness of the technology and readiness for commercialization. The experiments proved out that the technology worked however it's performance proved not yet mature enough to qualify for private venture capital funded commercialization in a high tech startup. As a consequence, the project did not result in a new startup company being formed, as originally intended.

Energy conservation attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors in science laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplowitz, Michael D.; Thorp, Laurie; Coleman, Kayla; Kwame Yeboah, Felix

2012-01-01

Energy use per square foot from science research labs is disproportionately higher than that of other rooms in buildings on campuses across the nation. This is partly due to labs’ use of energy intensive equipment. However, laboratory management and personnel behavior may be significant contributing factors to energy consumption. Despite an apparent increasing need for energy conservation in science labs, a systematic investigation of avenues promoting energy conservation behavior in such labs appears absent in scholarly literature. This paper reports the findings of a recent study into the energy conservation knowledge, attitude and behavior of principle investigators, laboratory managers, and student lab workers at a tier 1 research university. The study investigates potential barriers as well as promising avenues to reducing energy consumption in science laboratories. The findings revealed: (1) an apparent lack of information about options for energy conservation in science labs, (2) existing operational barriers, (3) economic issues as barriers/motivators of energy conservation and (4) a widespread notion that cutting edge science may be compromised by energy conservation initiatives. - Highlights: ► Effective energy conservation and efficiency depend on social systems and human behaviors. ► Science laboratories use more energy per square foot than any other academic and research spaces. ► Time, money, quality control, and convenience overshadow personnel’s desire to save energy. ► Ignorance of conservation practices is a barrier to energy conservation in labs.

A short introduction to digital simulations in electrochemistry: simulating the Cottrell experiment in NI LabVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soma Vesztergom

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A brief introduction to the use of digital simulations in electrochemistry is given by a detailed description of the simulation of Cottrell’s experiment in the LabVIEW programming language. A step-by-step approach is followed and different simulation techniques (explicit and implicit Euler, Runge–Kutta and Crank–Nicolson methods are applied. The applied techniques are introduced and discussed on the basis of Padé approximants. The paper might be found useful by undergraduate and graduate students familiarizing themselves with the digital simulation of electrochemical problems, as well as by university lecturers involved with the teaching of theoretical electrochemistry.

Heat transfer virtual lab for students and engineers theory and guide for setting up

CERN Document Server

Fridman, Ella

2014-01-01

Laboratory experiments are a vital part of engineering education,which historically were considered impractical for distance learning.This book presents a guide for the practical employment of a heattransfer virtual lab for students and engineers.Inside, the authors have detailed this virtual lab which is designedand can implement a real-time, robust, and scalable software systemthat provides easy access to lab equipment anytime and anywhereover the Internet. They introduce and explain LabVIEW ineasy-to-understand language. LabVIEW is a proprietary softwaretool by National Instruments, and can

NanoJapan: international research experience for undergraduates program: fostering U.S.-Japan research collaborations in terahertz science and technology of nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Sarah R.; Matherly, Cheryl A.; Kono, Junichiro

2014-09-01

The international nature of science and engineering research demands that students have the skillsets necessary to collaborate internationally. However, limited options exist for science and engineering undergraduates who want to pursue research abroad. The NanoJapan International Research Experience for Undergraduates Program is an innovative response to this need. Developed to foster research and international engagement among young undergraduate students, it is funded by a National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) grant. Each summer, NanoJapan sends 12 U.S. students to Japan to conduct research internships with world leaders in terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, nanophotonics, and ultrafast optics. The students participate in cutting-edge research projects managed within the framework of the U.S-Japan NSF-PIRE collaboration. One of our focus topics is THz science and technology of nanosystems (or `TeraNano'), which investigates the physics and applications of THz dynamics of carriers and phonons in nanostructures and nanomaterials. In this article, we will introduce the program model, with specific emphasis on designing high-quality international student research experiences. We will specifically address the program curriculum that introduces students to THz research, Japanese language, and intercultural communications, in preparation for work in their labs. Ultimately, the program aims to increase the number of U.S. students who choose to pursue graduate study in this field, while cultivating a generation of globally aware engineers and scientists who are prepared for international research collaboration.

California State University, Bakersfield Fab Lab: "Making" a Difference in Middle School Students' STEM Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Andrea Lee

2017-01-01

The digital fabrication lab, or Fab Lab, at California State University, Bakersfield provided a 1-week, half-day summer program for local area middle school students. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect this summer program had on their attitudes towards math and science. The theoretical framework used for this study was based on…

On-line interactive virtual experiments on nanoscience

Science.gov (United States)

Kadar, Manuella; Ileana, Ioan; Hutanu, Constantin

2009-01-01

This paper is an overview on the next generation web which allows students to experience virtual experiments on nano science, physics devices, processes and processing equipment. Virtual reality is used to support a real university lab in which a student can experiment real lab sessions. The web material is presented in an intuitive and highly visual 3D form that is accessible to a diverse group of students. Such type of laboratory provides opportunities for professional and practical education for a wide range of users. The expensive equipment and apparatuses that build the experimental stage in a particular standard laboratory is used to create virtual educational research laboratories. Students learn how to prepare the apparatuses and facilities for the experiment. The online experiments metadata schema is the format for describing online experiments, much like the schema behind a library catalogue used to describe the books in a library. As an online experiment is a special kind of learning object, one specifies its schema as an extension to an established metadata schema for learning objects. The content of the courses, metainformation as well as readings and user data are saved on the server in a database as XML objects.

Science Experiences among Female Athletes: Race Makes a Difference

Science.gov (United States)

Kraus, Rebecca S.; Hanson, Sandra L.

Sport participation is increasingly seen as a resource with considerable physical, social, and academic benefits. As a new millennium begins with girls more visible in sport, an important question is whether all girls reap these benefits. Although general academic benefits of sport have been shown, the authors' earlier work showed that experience in the male sport domain benefits young women in the elite (often male) science curriculum. Competition, self-esteem, and other individual resources gained through sport are potential sources of success in the similarly competitive male realm of science. In this research, the authors used critical feminist theory to guide their examination of racial and ethnic variations in the relation between sport participation and science experiences for young women. Data from the nationally representative National Education Longitudinal Study were used to explore the impact of sport participation in the 8th and 10th grades on 10th grade science achievement (measured by science grades and standardized test scores) and course taking for African American, Hispanic, and White women. The findings revealed that sport participation has some positive consequences for the science experiences of each of the groups of women. It also has some negative consequences, although the positive consequences outnumber the negative consequences for Hispanic and White, but not African American, women. Sport in 10th grade, especially competitive varsity sport, is most likely to have positive consequences. The findings revealed that each of the groups experiences different routes to success in science, and sport participation is present at some level in each of these routes. A consideration of multiple areas of science experience is important for understanding the connections between race and ethnicity, sport, and science for young women. Unique sociocultural contexts are used to attempt to understand these findings, and implications are discussed.

Causes of The occurrence of Obstacles in The Implementation of “Normal Labor Attendance” Skills Lab for Midwifery Students at Institute of Health Science "Surya Mitra Husada Kediri"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Retno Palupi Yonni Siwi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to analyze the factors that influence the occurrence of obstacles in the skills lab about Normal Labor Attendance for the students in midwifery school of Institute of Health Sciences "Surya Mitra Husada" Kediri, with cross sectional design. The subjects were 37 students of Semester IV, selected using total sampling technique. Factors studied were mentor roles, interest in learning, and tool limitations. Data were collected through questionnaires and observation sheets, then analyzed using ordinal regression test. The p-value of the ordinal regression test was 0.000; so it was concluded that the mentor roles, interest in learning and tool limitations affected the occurrence of obstacles in the skills lab.

Faraday's Principle and Air Travel in the Introductory Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Abdul-Razzaq, Wathiq; Thakur, Saikat Chakraborty

2017-01-01

We all know that we must improve the quality of teaching in science at all levels. Not only physicists but also many students from other areas of study take the introductory physics courses in college. Physics introductory laboratories (labs) can be one of the best tools to help these students understand applications of scientific principles that…

Institutional profile: the national Swedish academic drug discovery & development platform at SciLifeLab.

Science.gov (United States)

Arvidsson, Per I; Sandberg, Kristian; Sakariassen, Kjell S

2017-06-01

The Science for Life Laboratory Drug Discovery and Development Platform (SciLifeLab DDD) was established in Stockholm and Uppsala, Sweden, in 2014. It is one of ten platforms of the Swedish national SciLifeLab which support projects run by Swedish academic researchers with large-scale technologies for molecular biosciences with a focus on health and environment. SciLifeLab was created by the coordinated effort of four universities in Stockholm and Uppsala: Stockholm University, Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Uppsala University, and has recently expanded to other Swedish university locations. The primary goal of the SciLifeLab DDD is to support selected academic discovery and development research projects with tools and resources to discover novel lead therapeutics, either molecules or human antibodies. Intellectual property developed with the help of SciLifeLab DDD is wholly owned by the academic research group. The bulk of SciLifeLab DDD's research and service activities are funded from the Swedish state, with only consumables paid by the academic research group through individual grants.

Virtual Lab Demonstrations Improve Students’ Mastery of Basic Biology Laboratory Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace A. Maldarelli

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Biology laboratory classes are designed to teach concepts and techniques through experiential learning. Students who have never performed a technique must be guided through the process, which is often difficult to standardize across multiple lab sections. Visual demonstration of laboratory procedures is a key element in teaching pedagogy. The main goals of the study were to create videos explaining and demonstrating a variety of lab techniques that would serve as teaching tools for undergraduate and graduate lab courses and to assess the impact of these videos on student learning. Demonstrations of individual laboratory procedures were videotaped and then edited with iMovie. Narration for the videos was edited with Audacity. Undergraduate students were surveyed anonymously prior to and following screening to assess the impact of the videos on student lab performance by completion of two Participant Perception Indicator surveys. A total of 203 and 171 students completed the pre- and posttesting surveys, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed to compare student perceptions of knowledge of, confidence in, and experience with the lab techniques before and after viewing the videos. Eleven demonstrations were recorded. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant increase in the number of students reporting increased knowledge of, confidence in, and experience with the lab techniques after viewing the videos. Incorporation of instructional videos as prelaboratory exercises has the potential to standardize techniques and to promote successful experimental outcomes.

Lab, Field, Gallery and Beyond

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Binder, Thomas; Koskinen, Ilpo; Redström, Johan

2009-01-01

Over the last ten years we have seen a growing number of researchers integrating design experiments in their research inquiries. Initially, this work borrowed heavily from neighboring fields, employing a dual strategy in which design experiments and their evaluation were largely treated as separate...... processes that were often carried out by different people. More recently, design researchers have developed several approaches that integrate design-specific work methods to research. This paper takes a methodological look at three such established approaches that we call Lab, Field, and Gallery. We...

PD Lab

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bilow, Marcel; Entrop, Alexis Gerardus; Lichtenberg, Jos; Stoutjesdijk, Pieter

2015-01-01

PD Lab explores the applications of building sector related product development. PD lab investigates and tests digital production technologies like CNC milled wood connections. It will also act as a platform in its wider meaning to investigate the effects and influences of file to factory

Lab-on-a-Robot Platform for in-situ Planetary Compositional Analysis, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — HJ Science & Technology, Inc. and the University of Texas at San Antonio propose a joint venture to demonstrate the feasibility of a mobile "lab-on-a-robot"...

Learning by Viewing - Nobel Labs 360

Science.gov (United States)

Mather, John C.

2013-01-01

First of all, my thanks to the Nobel Lindau Foundation for their inspiration and leadership in sharing the excitement of scientific discovery with the public and with future scientists! I have had the pleasure of participating twice in the Lindau meetings, and recently worked with the Nobel Labs 360 project to show how we are building the world's greatest telescope yet, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). For the future, I see the greatest challenges for all the sciences in continued public outreach and inspiration. Outreach, so the public knows why we are doing what we are doing, and what difference it makes for them today and in the long-term future. Who knows what our destiny may be? It could be glorious, or not, depending on how we all behave. Inspiration, so that the most creative and inquisitive minds can pursue the scientific and engineering discoveries that are at the heart of so much of human prosperity, health, and progress. And, of course, national and local security depend on those discoveries too; scientists have been working with "the government" throughout recorded history. For the Lindau Nobel experiment, we have a truly abundant supply of knowledge and excitement, through the interactions of young scientists with the Nobelists, and through the lectures and the video recordings we can now share with the whole world across the Internet. But the challenge is always to draw attention! With 7 billion inhabitants on Earth, trying to earn a living and have some fun, there are plenty of competing opportunities and demands on us all. So what will draw attention to our efforts at Lindau? These days, word of mouth has become word of (computer) mouse, and ideas propagate as viruses ( or memes) across the Internet according to the interests of the participants. So our challenge is to find and match those interests, so that the efforts of our scientists, photographers, moviemakers, and writers are rewarded by our public. The world changes every day, so there

Teacher experiences in the use of the "Zoology Zone" multimedia resource in elementary science

Science.gov (United States)

Paradis, Lynne Darlene

This interpretive research study explored the experiences of teachers with the use of the Zoology Zone multimedia resource in teaching grade three science. Four generalist teachers used the multimedia resource in the teaching of the Animal Life Cycle topic from the Alberta grade three science program. The experiences of the teachers were examined through individual interviews, classroom visits and group interviews. Three dimensions of the study, as they related to elementary science teaching using the Zoology Zone multimedia resource were examined: (a) technology as a teaching resource, (b) science education and constructivist theory, and (c) teacher learning. In the area of planning for instruction, the teachers found that using the multimedia resource demanded more time and effort than using non-computer resources because of the dependence teachers had on others for ensuring access to computer labs and setting up the multimedia resource to run on school computers. The teachers felt there was value in giving students the opportunity to independently explore the multimedia resource because it captured their attention, included appropriate content, and was designed so that students could navigate through the teaming activities easily and make choices about how to proceed with their own learning. Despite the opportunities for student directed learning, the teachers found that it was also necessary to include some teacher directed learning to ensure that students were learning the mandated curriculum. As the study progressed, it became evident that the teachers valued the social dimensions of learning by making it a priority to include lessons that encouraged student to student interaction, student to teacher interaction, small group and whole class discussion, and peer teaching. When students were engaged with the multimedia resource, the teacher facilitated learning by circulating to each student and discussing student findings. Teachers focussed primarily on the

Relating triggering processes in lab experiments with earthquakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Baro Urbea, J.; Davidsen, J.; Kwiatek, G.; Charalampidou, E. M.; Goebel, T.; Stanchits, S. A.; Vives, E.; Dresen, G.

2016-12-01

Statistical relations such as Gutenberg-Richter's, Omori-Utsu's and the productivity of aftershocks were first observed in seismology, but are also common to other physical phenomena exhibiting avalanche dynamics such as solar flares, rock fracture, structural phase transitions and even stock market transactions. All these examples exhibit spatio-temporal correlations that can be explained as triggering processes: Instead of being activated as a response to external driving or fluctuations, some events are consequence of previous activity. Although different plausible explanations have been suggested in each system, the ubiquity of such statistical laws remains unknown. However, the case of rock fracture may exhibit a physical connection with seismology. It has been suggested that some features of seismology have a microscopic origin and are reproducible over a vast range of scales. This hypothesis has motivated mechanical experiments to generate artificial catalogues of earthquakes at a laboratory scale -so called labquakes- and under controlled conditions. Microscopic fractures in lab tests release elastic waves that are recorded as ultrasonic (kHz-MHz) acoustic emission (AE) events by means of piezoelectric transducers. Here, we analyse the statistics of labquakes recorded during the failure of small samples of natural rocks and artificial porous materials under different controlled compression regimes. Temporal and spatio-temporal correlations are identified in certain cases. Specifically, we distinguish between the background and triggered events, revealing some differences in the statistical properties. We fit the data to statistical models of seismicity. As a particular case, we explore the branching process approach simplified in the Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS) model. We evaluate the empirical spatio-temporal kernel of the model and investigate the physical origins of triggering. Our analysis of the focal mechanisms implies that the occurrence

Kinematic Labs with Mobile Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Kinser, Jason M.

2015-07-01

This book provides 13 labs spanning the common topics in the first semester of university-level physics. Each lab is designed to use only the student's smartphone, laptop and items easily found in big-box stores or a hobby shop. Each lab contains theory, set-up instructions and basic analysis techniques. All of these labs can be performed outside of the traditional university lab setting and initial costs averaging less than 8 per student, per lab.

Science and Cooking: Motivating the Study of Freshman Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Weitz, David

2011-03-01

This talk will describe a course offered to Harvard undergraduates as a general education science course, meant to intrduce freshman-level science for non-science majors. The course was a collaboration between world-class chefs and science professors. The chefs introduced concepts of cooking and the professors used these to motivate scientific concepts. The lectures were designed to provide a coherent introduction to freshman physics, primarily through soft matter science. The lectures were supplemented by a lab experiments, designed by a team of very talented graduate students and post docs, that supplemented the science taught in lecture. The course was very successful in motivating non-science students to learn, and even enjoy, basic science concepts. This course depended on contributions from Michael Brenner, Otger Campas, Amy Rowat and a team of talented graduate student teaching fellows.

Two web-based laboratories of the FisLabs network: Hooke's and Snell's laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De la Torre, L; Sanchez, J; Dormido, S; Sanchez, J P; Yuste, M; Carreras, C

2011-01-01

FisLabs is a network of remote and virtual laboratories for physics university education via the Internet that offers students the possibility of performing hands-on experiments in different fields of physics in two ways: simulation and real remote operation. This paper gives a detailed account of a novel way in physics in which distance learning students can gain practical experience autonomously. FisLabs uses the same structure as AutomatLabs, a network of virtual and remote laboratories for learning/teaching of control engineering, which has been in operation for four years. Students can experiment with the laboratories offered using an Internet connection and a Java-compatible web browser. This paper, specially intended for university educators but easily comprehensible even for undergraduate students, explains how the portal works and the hardware and software tools used to create it. In addition, it also describes two physics experiments already available: spring elasticity and the laws of reflection and refraction.

What makes a good experiment ? reasons and roles in science

CERN Document Server

Franklin, Allan

2016-01-01

What makes a good experiment? Although experimental evidence plays an essential role in science, as Franklin argues, there is no algorithm or simple set of criteria for ranking or evaluating good experiments, and therefore no definitive answer to the question. Experiments can, in fact, be good in any number of ways: conceptually good, methodologically good, technically good, and pedagogically important. And perfection is not a requirement: even experiments with incorrect results can be good, though they must, he argues, be methodologically good, providing good reasons for belief in their results. Franklin revisits the same important question he posed in his 1981 article in the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, when it was generally believed that the only significant role of experiment in science was to test theories. But experiments can actually play a lot of different roles in science—they can, for example, investigate a subject for which a theory does not exist, help to articulate an existing ...

Perspectives on Industrial Innovation from Agilent, HP, and Bell Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Hollenhorst, James

2014-03-01

Innovation is the life blood of technology companies. I will give perspectives gleaned from a career in research and development at Bell Labs, HP Labs, and Agilent Labs, from the point of view of an individual contributor and a manager. Physicists bring a unique set of skills to the corporate environment, including a desire to understand the fundamentals, a solid foundation in physical principles, expertise in applied mathematics, and most importantly, an attitude: namely, that hard problems can be solved by breaking them into manageable pieces. In my experience, hiring managers in industry seldom explicitly search for physicists, but they want people with those skills.

Single cells as experimentation units in lab-on-a-chip devices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

le Gac, Severine; van den Berg, Albert

'Lab-on-a-chip' technology (LOC) has now reached a mature state and is employed commonly in research in the life sciences. LOC devices make novel experimentation possible while providing a sophisticated environment for cellular investigation. As a next step, we introduce here the concept of a

E-Labs - Learning with Authentic Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bardeen, Marjorie G. [Fermilab; Wayne, Mitchell [Notre Dame U.

2016-01-01

the success teachers have had providing an opportunity for students to: • Organize and conduct authentic research. • Experience the environment of scientific collaborations. • Possibly make real contributions to a burgeoning scientific field. We've created projects that are problem-based, student driven and technology dependent. Students reach beyond classroom walls to explore data with other students and experts and share results, publishing original work to a worldwide audience. Students can discover and extend the research of other students, modeling the processes of modern, large-scale research projects. From start to finish e-Labs are student-led, teacher-guided projects. Students need only a Web browser to access computing techniques employed by professional researchers. A Project Map with milestones allows students to set the research plan rather than follow a step-by-step process common in other online projects. Most importantly, e-Labs build the learning experience around the students' own questions and let them use the very tools that scientists use. Students contribute to and access shared data, most derived from professional research databases. They use common analysis tools, store their work and use metadata to discover, replicate and confirm the research of others. This is where real scientific collaboration begins. Using online tools, students correspond with other research groups, post comments and questions, prepare summary reports, and in general participate in the part of scientific research that is often left out of classroom experiments. Teaching tools such as student and teacher logbooks, pre- and post-tests and an assessment rubric aligned with learner outcomes help teachers guide student work. Constraints on interface designs and administrative tools such as registration databases give teachers the "one-stop-shopping" they seek for multiple e-Labs. Teaching and administrative tools also allow us to track usage and assess the

Constructing Artificial Rock Outcrops as Tools for Fostering Earth and Environmental Science Thinking

Science.gov (United States)

Totten, I. M.; Hall, F.; Buxton, C.

2004-12-01

The Earth and Environmental Science Education Group at the University of New Orleans has created an innovative visualization teaching tool. Through funding made available by the National Science Foundation a 12'x10'x5' artificial rock outcrop was fabricated at the University of New Orleans. An accompanying curriculum, which includes a series of artificial rock outcrop labs, was also created for the outcrop. The labs incorporated fundamental concepts from the geosciences and the field of science education. The overarching philosophy behind the unity of the content knowledge and the pedagogy was to develop a more inclusive and deliberate teaching approach that utilized strategies known to enhance student learning in the sciences. The artificial outcrop lab series emphasized the following geoscience topics: relative dating, rock movement, and depositional environments. The series also integrated pedagogical ideas such as inquiry-based learning, conceptual mapping, constructivist teaching, pattern recognition, and contextualized knowledge development. Each component of the curriculum was purposefully designed to address what the body of research in science education reveals as critical to science teaching and learning. After developing the artificial rock outcrop curriculum a pilot study was done with 40 pre-service elementary education undergraduates. In the pilot study students completed the following assessments: three outcrop labs, journal reflections for each lab, pre/post attitude surveys, group video-recordings, and preconception and final interviews. Data from these assessments were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The following conclusions were revealed from the data: student's attitudes towards learning earth science increased after working with the artificial rock outcrop, students conceptual understanding of the concepts were clearer after working with the outcrop, students were able to answer multifaceted, higher order questions

Science Olympiad students' nature of science understandings

Science.gov (United States)

Philpot, Cindy J.

2007-12-01

Science Olympiad did not translate into informed understandings of NOS. There were implications that labs with a set procedure and given data tables did not contribute to informed NOS understandings, while explicit instruction may have contributed to more informed understandings. Exploring these high achieving, Science Olympiad students' understandings of NOS was a crucial step to understanding what experiences formed these students' understandings so that teachers may better their practices and help more students succeed in becoming scientifically literate citizens.

SciLab Based Remote Control of Thermo-Optical Plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Jano

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the web-based implementation of the control system of a thermo-optical plant. The control of the plant is based on the SciLab software which originally is not designed for web-based applications. The paper shows a possible way to circumvent this limitation. The ultimate goal is to enable remote controlled experiment using SciLab. The paper also describes possible tools for communication and control of the real plant and visualization of results.

Alternative careers in science leaving the ivory tower

CERN Document Server

2006-01-01

Many science students find themselves in the midst of graduate school or sitting at a lab bench, and realize that they hate lab work! Even worse is realizing that they may love science, but science (at least academic science) is not providing many job opportunities these days. What's a poor researcher to do !? This book gives first-hand descriptions of the evolution of a band of hardy scientists out of the lab and into just about every career you can imagine. Researchers from every branch of science found their way into finance, public relations, consulting, business development, journalism, and more - and thrived there! Each author tells their personal story, including descriptions of their career path, a typical day, where to find information on their job, opportunities to career growth, and more. This is a must-read for every science major, and everyone who is looking for a way to break out of their career rut.

Assessing the impact of vicarious experiences on preservice elementary science teacher efficacy and preservice elementary teacher efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Wagler, Ronald Robert

Scope and method of study. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of vicarious experiences (preservice teacher field experiences) on perceived preservice science teacher efficacy and perceived preservice teacher efficacy. The participants for the study were 46 preservice elementary education students who were enrolled in CIED 3430 (Early Lab and Clinical Experience in Elementary Education II) at a large Midwestern state university and 20 classroom inservice teachers. A pretest was administered early in the spring 2007 semester, before the preservice teachers did their field experience and consisted of demographic questions and the STEBI-B. A posttest was administered at the end of the spring 2007 semester, after the preservice teachers had completed their field experiences, and consisted of demographic questions, a rating of the teachers they observed during their educational field experience, the STEBI-B and the TES. The field experience classroom inservice teachers provided personal, professional, and classroom data in the middle of the spring 2007 semester. All data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings and conclusions. Factors of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and preservice teacher program placement were found to be significant predictors of preservice teachers' efficacy scores. Even though, in some cases, these factors negatively impacted preservice teacher efficacy, preservice teachers should be placed in these environments when support is most available. The Teacher Efficacy Scale (Gibson & Dembo, 1984) is invalid. Even the construct of a general teacher efficacy is questionable.

Family Experiences, the Motivation for Science Learning and Science Achievement of Different Learner Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Schulze, Salomé; Lemmer, Eleanor

2017-01-01

Science education is particularly important for both developed and developing countries to promote technological development, global economic competition and economic growth. This study explored the relationship between family experiences, the motivation for science learning, and the science achievement of a group of Grade Nine learners in South…

The Dimensions and Impact of Informal Science Learning Experiences on Middle Schoolers' Attitudes and Abilities in Science

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Pei-Yi; Schunn, Christian D.

2016-01-01

Learners encounter science in a wide variety of contexts beyond the science classroom which collectively could be quite influential on student attitudes and abilities. But relatively little is known about the relative influence of different forms of informal science experiences, especially for the kinds of experiences that students typically…

Remote and Virtual Labs @ exp.at’11

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Teresa Restivo

2012-03-01

Full Text Available exp.at’11, the first event of Experiment@, a new International Conference series devoted to online experimentation, had as scope to contribute to the world capabilities in online experimentation and in particular in remote and virtual labs, fostering the collaborative work in emergent technologies.

FOREWORD: Jefferson Lab: A Long Decade of Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, Hugh

2011-04-01

scientists, associate directors, physicists, engineers, technicians and administrators who made it all possible. In sum, we should celebrate the science that Jefferson Lab has realized in this, its first long decade of physics. Hugh Montgomery, Director Hugh Montgomery signature

Improving "lab-on-a-chip" techniques using biomedical nanotechnology: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorjikhah, Fatemeh; Davaran, Soodabeh; Salehi, Roya; Bakhtiari, Mohsen; Hasanzadeh, Arash; Panahi, Yunes; Emamverdy, Masumeh; Akbarzadeh, Abolfazl

2016-11-01

Nanotechnology and its applications in biomedical sciences principally in molecular nanodiagnostics are known as nanomolecular diagnostics, which provides new options for clinical nanodiagnostic techniques. Molecular nanodiagnostics are a critical role in the development of personalized medicine, which features point-of care performance of diagnostic procedure. This can to check patients at point-of-care facilities or in remote or resource-poor locations, therefore reducing checking time from days to minutes. In this review, applications of nanotechnology suited to biomedicine are discussed in two main class: biomedical applications for use inside (such as drugs, diagnostic techniques, prostheses, and implants) and outside the body (such as "lab-on-a-chip" techniques). A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) is a tool that incorporates numerous laboratory tasks onto a small device, usually only millimeters or centimeters in size. Finally, are discussed the applications of biomedical nanotechnology in improving "lab-on-a-chip" techniques.

Personalised learning spaces and federated online labs for STEM Education at School

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gillet, Dennis; de Jong, Anthonius J.M.; Sotirou, Sofoklis; Salzmann, Christophe

2013-01-01

The European Commission is funding a large-scale research project on federated online laboratories (Labs) for education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) at School. The main educational focus is on inquiry learning and the main technological one is on personalized learning

Architecting Learning Continuities for Families Across Informal Science Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Perin, Suzanne Marie

By first recognizing the valuable social and scientific practices taking place within families as they learn science together across multiple, everyday settings, this dissertation addresses questions of how to design and scaffold activities that build and expand on those practices to foster a deep understanding of science, and how the aesthetic experience of learning science builds connections across educational settings. Families were invited to visit a natural history museum, an aquarium, and a place or activity of the family's choice that they associated with science learning. Some families were asked to use a set of activities during their study visits based on the practices of science (National Research Council, 2012), which were delivered via smartphone app or on paper cards. I use design-based research, video data analysis and interaction analysis to examine how families build connections between informal science learning settings. Chapter 2 outlines the research-based design process of creating activities for families that fostered connections across multiple learning settings, regardless of the topical content of those settings. Implications of this study point to means for linking everyday family social practices such as questioning, observing, and disagreeing to the practices of science through activities that are not site-specific. The next paper delves into aesthetic experience of science learning, and I use video interaction analysis and linguistic analysis to show how notions of beauty and pleasure (and their opposites) are perfused throughout learning activity. Designing for aesthetic experience overtly -- building on the sensations of enjoyment and pleasure in the learning experience -- can motivate those who might feel alienated by the common conception of science as merely a dispassionate assembly of facts, discrete procedures or inaccessible theory. The third paper, a case study of a family who learns about salmon in each of the sites they visit

Jefferson Lab: A Long Decade of Physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montgomery, Hugh

2011-01-01

, associate directors, physicists, engineers, technicians and administrators who made it all possible. In sum, we should celebrate the science that Jefferson Lab has realized in this, its first long decade of physics.

Helping Students to Think Like Scientists in Socratic Dialogue-Inducing Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Hake, Richard

2012-01-01

Socratic dialogue-inducing (SDI) labs are based on Arnold Arons' half-century of ethnographic research, listening carefully to students' responses to probing Socratic questions on physics, science, and ways of thinking, and culminating in his landmark "Teaching Introductory Physics." They utilize "interactive engagement" methods and are designed,…

Efektivitas virtual lab berbasis STEM dalam meningkatkan literasi sains siswa dengan perbedaan gender

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail Ismail

2016-10-01

This study aimed to know theeffectiveness of STEM-based virtual lab in improving the scientific literacy of students by gender differences.The design of this research one group pretest-posttest consisting of class 7B by the number of students 29 women and 7D class by the number of students 30 men.The data Ade collected through questionnaires, observations, and tests. The effectiveness of STEM-based virtual lab was analyzed through Independent-samples t test then calculated the value of effect size. the results showed that there are differences the resulting increase inscientific literacy class students women (7B of 0.46 and a class of men (7D of 0.29 with both of them in the medium category.The value of effect size using STEM-based virtual lab on the science content domain and competencies of 0.39 with the moderate category and attitude domain of 0.75 to a high category. Keywords: virtual lab, STEM, Scientific literacy, gender

Implementation of a Research-Based Lab Module in a High School Chemistry Curriculum: A Study of Classroom Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Pilarz, Matthew

2013-01-01

For this study, a research-based lab module was implemented in two high school chemistry classes for the purpose of examining classroom dynamics throughout the process of students completing the module. A research-based lab module developed for use in undergraduate laboratories by the Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education (CASPiE) was…

The target vacuum storage facility at iThemba LABS

Science.gov (United States)

Neveling, R.; Kheswa, N. Y.; Papka, P.

2018-05-01

A number of nuclear physics experiments at iThemba LABS require target foils that consist of specific isotopes of elements which are reactive in air. Not only is it important to prepare these targets in a suitable environment to prevent oxidation, but consideration should also be given to the long term storage and handling facilities of such targets. The target vacuum storage facility at iThemba LABS, as well as additional hardware necessary to transport and install the target foils in the experimental chamber, will be discussed.

U.S./Russian lab-to-lab materials protection, control and accounting program efforts at the Institute of Inorganic Materials. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruhter, W.D.; Kositsyn, V.; Rudenko, V.; Siskind, B.; Bieber, A.; Hoida, Hiroshi; Augustson, R.; Ehinger, M.; Smith, B.W.

1996-01-01

The All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Inorganic Materials (VNIINM) performs research in nuclear power reactor fuel, spent fuel reprocessing and waste management, materials science of fissionable and reactor structural materials, metallurgy, superconducting materials, and analytical sciences. VNIINM supports the Ministry of Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation (MINATOM) in technologies for fabrication and processing of nuclear fuel. As a participant in the US/Russian Lab-to-Lab nuclear materials protection, control and accounting (MPC and A) program, VNIINM is providing support for measurements of nuclear materials in bulk forms by developing specifications, test and evaluation, certification, and implementation of measurement methods for such materials. In 1996, VNIINM will be working with Brookhaven staff in developing and documenting material control and accounting requirements for nuclear materials in bulk form, Livermore and Los Alamos staff in testing and evaluating gamma-ray spectrometry methods for bulk materials, Los Alamos staff in test and evaluation of neutron-coincidence counting techniques, Oak Ridge staff in accounting of bulk materials with process instrumentation, and Pacific Northwest staff on automating VNIINM's coulometric titration system. In addition, VNIINM will develop a computerized accounting system for nuclear material within VNIINM and their storage facility. The paper will describe the status of this work and anticipated progress in 1996

The Mochi LabJet Experiment for Measurements of Canonical Helicity Injection in a Laboratory Astrophysical Jet

Science.gov (United States)

You, Setthivoine; von der Linden, Jens; Sander Lavine, Eric; Carroll, Evan Grant; Card, Alexander; Quinley, Morgan; Azuara-Rosales, Manuel

2018-06-01

The Mochi device is a new pulsed power plasma experiment designed to produce long, collimated, stable, magnetized plasma jets when set up in the LabJet configuration. The LabJet configuration aims to simulate an astrophysical jet in the laboratory by mimicking an accretion disk threaded by a poloidal magnetic field with concentric planar electrodes in front of a solenoidal coil. The unique setup consists of three electrodes, each with azimuthally symmetric gas slits. Two of the electrodes are biased independently with respect to the third electrode to control the radial electric field profile across the poloidal bias magnetic field. This design approximates a shear azimuthal rotation profile in an accretion disk. The azimuthally symmetric gas slits provide a continuously symmetric mass source at the footpoint of the plasma jet, so any azimuthal rotation of the plasma jet is not hindered by a discrete number of gas holes. The initial set of diagnostics consists of current Rogowski coils, voltage probes, magnetic field probe arrays, an interferometer and ion Doppler spectroscopy, supplemented by a fast ion gauge and a retarding grid energy analyzer. The measured parameters of the first plasmas are ∼1022 m‑3, ∼0.4 T, and 5–25 eV, with velocities of ∼20–80 km s‑1. The combination of a controllable electric field profile, a flared poloidal magnetic field, and azimuthally symmetric mass sources in the experiment successfully produces short-lived (∼10 μs, ≳5 Alfvén times) collimated magnetic jets with a ∼10:1 aspect ratio and long-lived (∼100 μs, ≳40 Alfvén times) flow-stabilized, collimated, magnetic jets with a ∼30:1 aspect ratio.

LabKey Server NAb: A tool for analyzing, visualizing and sharing results from neutralizing antibody assays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gao Hongmei

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple types of assays allow sensitive detection of virus-specific neutralizing antibodies. For example, the extent of antibody neutralization of HIV-1, SIV and SHIV can be measured in the TZM-bl cell line through the degree of luciferase reporter gene expression after infection. In the past, neutralization curves and titers for this standard assay have been calculated using an Excel macro. Updating all instances of such a macro with new techniques can be unwieldy and introduce non-uniformity across multi-lab teams. Using Excel also poses challenges in centrally storing, sharing and associating raw data files and results. Results We present LabKey Server's NAb tool for organizing, analyzing and securely sharing data, files and results for neutralizing antibody (NAb assays, including the luciferase-based TZM-bl NAb assay. The customizable tool supports high-throughput experiments and includes a graphical plate template designer, allowing researchers to quickly adapt calculations to new plate layouts. The tool calculates the percent neutralization for each serum dilution based on luminescence measurements, fits a range of neutralization curves to titration results and uses these curves to estimate the neutralizing antibody titers for benchmark dilutions. Results, curve visualizations and raw data files are stored in a database and shared through a secure, web-based interface. NAb results can be integrated with other data sources based on sample identifiers. It is simple to make results public after publication by updating folder security settings. Conclusions Standardized tools for analyzing, archiving and sharing assay results can improve the reproducibility, comparability and reliability of results obtained across many labs. LabKey Server and its NAb tool are freely available as open source software at http://www.labkey.com under the Apache 2.0 license. Many members of the HIV research community can also access the Lab

To touch the science through the experiment!

Science.gov (United States)

Słowik, Grzegorz

2016-04-01

To touch the science through the experiment! Grzegorz P. Slowik, Gymnasium No. 2 in Zielona Gora, Poland Our School - Gymnasium No. 2 in Zielona Gora - where pupils' age is 13 -16, has for many years organized a lot of exciting events popularizing science among Zielona Gora children and young people, in particular experimental physics and astronomy. The best known in our town is the regular event on physics, - called the physical Festival of Zielona Gora, of which I am the main initiator and organizer. The Festival is directed to students of the last classes of Zielona Góra primary schools. During the Festivities their shows have also physicists and astronomers, from cooperating with us in popularization of science Zielona Gora University. At the festival the students from our Experimental School Group "Archimedes". Presented their own prepared themselves physical experience. With considerable help of students of Gymnasium No. 2 interested in astronomy, we organize the cyclical event, named "Cosmic Santa Claus," where I share with the students the knowledge gained through my active annual participation in the Space Workshop organized by the Science Centre in Warsaw. We all have fun and learn in a great way and with a smile, we touch real science that reveals its secrets!

Use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in science education: The views and experiences of three high school teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Barreto-Marrero, Luz N.

This case study presents the experiences of three public school chemistry teachers in the transformation of their teaching processes with the use of ICT. The processes' characteristics are documented, what knowledge and skills were learned, and how it changed their organization, planning and teaching. D. H. Jonassen's (1999) ideas on learning strategies for the integration of ICT, from a constructivism and critical thinking perspective guide this study. MacFarlane and Sakellariou's (2002) ideas on the use of ICT in science teaching are also considered. The relationship between ICT, mind tools, learning strategies and teaching methods is studied. The information was collected by semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. The results were analyzed according to Wolcott's qualitative analysis model (1994), along with the QRS NVivo (2002) computer program. The teachers learned to use several new ICT equipment and materials that facilitated their teaching and evaluation processes. Among these are the use of lab simulators, various software, CBL sensors, graphic calculators, electronic blackboards, and the Internet. They used teaching strategies for active, authentic, collaborative, constructive and reflective learning according to Jonassen. Their science teaching methods corresponds to the three types, according to MacFarlane and Sakellariou, which fosters scientific method skills and scientific reasoning for science literacy. The teachers, as facilitators and mediators, were inquirers of their students needs; investigators of their curricula, strategists as they organize their teaching skills and methods; experimenters with what they had learned; and collaborators as they fostered cooperative learning. Teachers' developed better lessons, lab exercises and assessment tools, such as rubrics, concept maps, comic strips, and others. They also affirmed that their students demonstrated more motivation, participation, collaboration and learning

Science Festivals: Grand Experiments in Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Hari, K.

2015-12-01

Since the Cambridge Science Festival launched in 2007, communities across the United States have experimented with the science festival format, working out what it means to celebrate science and technology. What have we learned, and where might we go from here? The Science Festival Alliance has supported and tracked developments among U.S. festivals, and this presentation will present key findings from three years of independent evaluation. While science festivals have coalesced into a distinct category of outreach activity, the diversity of science festival initiatives reflects the unique character of the regions in which the festivals are organized. This symposium will consider how festivals generate innovative public programming by adapting to local conditions and spur further innovation by sharing insights into such adaptations with other festivals. With over 55 annual large scale science festivals in the US alone, we will discuss the implications of a dramatic increase in future festival activity.

Theme-Based Project Learning: Design and Application of Convergent Science Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Man-Seog; Kang, Kwang Il; Kim, Young H.; Kim, Young Mee

2015-01-01

This case study aims to verify the benefits of theme-based project learning for convergent science experiments. The study explores the possibilities of enhancing creative, integrated and collaborative teaching and learning abilities in science-gifted education. A convergent project-based science experiment program of physics, chemistry and biology…

Reconstructing Iconic Experiments in Electrochemistry: Experiences from a History of Science Course

Science.gov (United States)

Eggen, Per-Odd; Kvittingen, Lise; Lykknes, Annette; Wittje, Roland

2012-01-01

The decomposition of water by electricity, and the voltaic pile as a means of generating electricity, have both held an iconic status in the history of science as well as in the history of science teaching. These experiments featured in chemistry and physics textbooks, as well as in classroom teaching, throughout the nineteenth and twentieth…

Investigating the Role of an Inquiry-Based Biology Lab Course on Student Attitudes and Views toward Science

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffery, Erica; Nomme, Kathy; Deane, Thomas; Pollock, Carol; Birol, Gülnur

2016-01-01

Students' academic experiences can influence their conceptualization of science. In contrast experts hold particular beliefs, perceptions, opinions, and attitudes about science that are often absent in first-year undergraduate students. Shifts toward more expert-like attitudes and views have been linked to improved student engagement,…

5th Annual Pan-European Science and Big Physics Symposium on March 5th, 2012, Zurich, Switzerland

CERN Multimedia

Balle, Ch

2012-01-01

The 5th Annual Pan-European Science and Big Physics Symposium on March 5th is a technical workshop that covers topics in the areas of control, measurement and diagnostics for accelerators, cyclotrons, tokamaks and telescopes. The symposium brings together over 60 scientists and engineers from major research labs around the world such as CERN, PSI, INFN, NPL, ESRF and other research institutions. Attend this event to share ideas and results and to learn from the presentations of your peers from different labs and experiments worldwide.

Public Lab: Community-Based Approaches to Urban and Environmental Health and Justice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rey-Mazón, Pablo; Keysar, Hagit; Dosemagen, Shannon; D'Ignazio, Catherine; Blair, Don

2018-05-03

This paper explores three cases of Do-It-Yourself, open-source technologies developed within the diverse array of topics and themes in the communities around the Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science (Public Lab). These cases focus on aerial mapping, water quality monitoring and civic science practices. The techniques discussed have in common the use of accessible, community-built technologies for acquiring data. They are also concerned with embedding collaborative and open source principles into the objects, tools, social formations and data sharing practices that emerge from these inquiries. The focus is on developing processes of collaborative design and experimentation through material engagement with technology and issues of concern. Problem-solving, here, is a tactic, while the strategy is an ongoing engagement with the problem of participation in its technological, social and political dimensions especially considering the increasing centralization and specialization of scientific and technological expertise. The authors also discuss and reflect on the Public Lab's approach to civic science in light of ideas and practices of citizen/civic veillance, or "sousveillance", by emphasizing people before data, and by investigating the new ways of seeing and doing that this shift in perspective might provide.

Plasma density characterization at SPARC-LAB through Stark broadening of Hydrogen spectral lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Filippi, F., E-mail: francesco.filippi@roma1.infn.it [Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l' Ingegneria (SBAI), ‘Sapienza’ Università di Roma, Via A. Scarpa 14-16, 00161 Roma (Italy); INFN-Roma1, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 2 00161 Roma (Italy); Anania, M.P.; Bellaveglia, M.; Biagioni, A.; Chiadroni, E. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN, Via E. Fermi, Frascati (Italy); Cianchi, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma (Italy); Di Giovenale, D.; Di Pirro, G.; Ferrario, M. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN, Via E. Fermi, Frascati (Italy); Mostacci, A.; Palumbo, L. [Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l' Ingegneria (SBAI), ‘Sapienza’ Università di Roma, Via A. Scarpa 14-16, 00161 Roma (Italy); INFN-Roma1, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 2 00161 Roma (Italy); Pompili, R.; Shpakov, V.; Vaccarezza, C.; Villa, F. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN, Via E. Fermi, Frascati (Italy); Zigler, A. [Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel)

2016-09-01

Plasma-based acceleration techniques are of great interest for future, compact accelerators due to their high accelerating gradient. Both particle-driven and laser-driven Plasma Wakefield Acceleration experiments are foreseen at the SPARC-LAB Test Facility (INFN National Laboratories of Frascati, Italy), with the aim to accelerate high-brightness electron beams. In order to optimize the efficiency of the acceleration in the plasma and preserve the quality of the accelerated beam, the knowledge of the plasma electron density is mandatory. The Stark broadening of the Hydrogen spectral lines is one of the candidates used to characterize plasma density. The implementation of this diagnostic for plasma-based experiments at SPARC-LAB is presented. - Highlights: • Stark broadening of Hydrogen lines has been measured to determine plasma density. • Plasma density diagnostic tool for plasma-based experiments at SPARC-LAB is presented. • Plasma density in tapered laser triggered ablative capillary discharge was measured. • Results of plasma density measurements in ablative capillaries are shown.

Plasma density characterization at SPARC-LAB through Stark broadening of Hydrogen spectral lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippi, F.; Anania, M.P.; Bellaveglia, M.; Biagioni, A.; Chiadroni, E.; Cianchi, A.; Di Giovenale, D.; Di Pirro, G.; Ferrario, M.; Mostacci, A.; Palumbo, L.; Pompili, R.; Shpakov, V.; Vaccarezza, C.; Villa, F.; Zigler, A.

2016-01-01

Plasma-based acceleration techniques are of great interest for future, compact accelerators due to their high accelerating gradient. Both particle-driven and laser-driven Plasma Wakefield Acceleration experiments are foreseen at the SPARC-LAB Test Facility (INFN National Laboratories of Frascati, Italy), with the aim to accelerate high-brightness electron beams. In order to optimize the efficiency of the acceleration in the plasma and preserve the quality of the accelerated beam, the knowledge of the plasma electron density is mandatory. The Stark broadening of the Hydrogen spectral lines is one of the candidates used to characterize plasma density. The implementation of this diagnostic for plasma-based experiments at SPARC-LAB is presented. - Highlights: • Stark broadening of Hydrogen lines has been measured to determine plasma density. • Plasma density diagnostic tool for plasma-based experiments at SPARC-LAB is presented. • Plasma density in tapered laser triggered ablative capillary discharge was measured. • Results of plasma density measurements in ablative capillaries are shown.

Undergraduate Labs for Biological Physics: Brownian Motion and Optical Trapping

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Kelvin; Laughney, A.; Williams, J.

2006-12-01

We describe a set of case-study driven labs for an upper-division biological physics course. These labs are motivated by case-studies and consist of inquiry-driven investigations of Brownian motion and optical-trapping experiments. Each lab incorporates two innovative educational techniques to drive the process and application aspects of scientific learning. Case studies are used to encourage students to think independently and apply the scientific method to a novel lab situation. Student input from this case study is then used to decide how to best do the measurement, guide the project and ultimately evaluate the success of the program. Where appropriate, visualization and simulation using VPython is used. Direct visualization of Brownian motion allows students to directly calculate Avogadro's number or the Boltzmann constant. Following case-study driven discussion, students use video microscopy to measure the motion of latex spheres in different viscosity fluids arrive at a good approximation of NA or kB. Optical trapping (laser tweezer) experiments allow students to investigate the consequences of 100-pN forces on small particles. The case study consists of a discussion of the Boltzmann distribution and equipartition theorem followed by a consideration of the shape of the potential. Students can then use video capture to measure the distribution of bead positions to determine the shape and depth of the trap. This work supported by NSF DUE-0536773.

CaTs Lab (CHAOS and Thermal Sciences Laboratory)

Science.gov (United States)

Teate, Anthony A.

2002-01-01

The CHAOS and Thermal Sciences Laboratory (CaTs) at James Madison University evolved into a noteworthy effort to increase minority representation in the sciences and mathematics. Serving ten students and faculty directly, and nearly 50 students indirectly, CaTs, through recruitment efforts, workshops, mentoring programs, tutorial services and research and computational laboratories, fulfilled its intent to initiate an academically enriched research program aimed at strengthening the academic and self-actualization skills of undergraduate students with potential to pursue doctoral study in the sciences. The stated goal of the program was to increase by 5% the number of enrolled mathematics and science students into the program. Success far exceeded the program goals by producing 100% graduation rate of all supported recipients during its tenure, with 30% of the students subsequently in pursuit of graduate degrees. Student retention in the program exceeded 90% and faculty participation exceeded the three members involved in mentoring and tutoring, gaining multi-disciplinary support. Aggressive marketing of the program resulted in several paid summer internships and commitments from NASA and an ongoing relationship with CHROME, a nationally recognized organization which focuses on developing minority students in the sciences and mathematics. Success of the program was only limited by the limited fiscal resources at NASA which resulted in phasing out of the program.

Experiences of citizen-based reporting of rainfall events using lab-generated videos

Science.gov (United States)

Alfonso, Leonardo; Chacon, Juan

2016-04-01

Hydrologic studies rely on the availability of good-quality precipitation estimates. However, in remote areas of the world and particularly in developing countries, ground-based measurement networks are either sparse or nonexistent. This creates difficulties in the estimation of precipitation, which limits the development of hydrologic forecasting and early warning systems for these regions. The EC-FP7 WeSenseIt project aims at exploring the involvement of citizens in the observation of the water cycle with innovative sensor technologies, including mobile telephony. In particular, the project explores the use of a smartphone applications to facilitate the reporting water-related situations. Apart from the challenge of using such information for scientific purposes, the citizen engagement is one of the most important issues to address. To this end effortless methods for reporting need to be developed in order to involve as many people as possible in these experiments. A potential solution to overcome these drawbacks, consisting on lab-controlled rainfall videos have been produced to help mapping the extent and distribution of rainfall fields with minimum effort [1]. In addition, the quality of the collected rainfall information has also been studied [2] by means of different experiments with students. The present research shows the latest results of the application of this method and evaluates the experiences in some cases. [1] Alfonso, L., J. Chacón, and G. Peña-Castellanos (2015), Allowing Citizens to Effortlessly Become Rainfall Sensors, in 36th IAHR World Congress edited, The Hague, the Netherlands [2] Cortes-Arevalo, J., J. Chacón, L. Alfonso, and T. Bogaard (2015), Evaluating data quality collected by using a video rating scale to estimate and report rainfall intensity, in 36th IAHR World Congress edited, The Hague, the Netherlands

RiskLab - a joint Teaching Lab on Hazard and Risk Management

Science.gov (United States)

Baruffini, Mi.; Baruffini, Mo.; Thuering, M.

2009-04-01

In the future natural disasters are expected to increase due to climatic changes that strongly affect environmental, social and economical systems. For this reason and because of the limited resources, governments require analytical risk analysis for a better mitigation planning. Risk analysis is a process to determine the nature and extent of risk by estimating potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability that could pose a potential threat or harm to people, property, livelihoods and environment. This process has become a generally accepted approach for the assessment of cost-benefit scenarios; originating from technical risks it is being applied to natural hazards for several years now in Switzerland. Starting from these premises "Risk Lab", a joint collaboration between the Institute of Earth Sciences of the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland and the Institute for Economic Research of the University of Lugano, has been started in 2006, aiming to become a competence centre about Risk Analysis and Evaluation. The main issue studied by the lab concerns the topic "What security at what price?" and the activities follow the philosophy of the integral risk management as proposed by PLANAT, that defines the process as a cycle that contains different and interrelated phases. The final aim is to change the population and technician idea about risk from "defending against danger" to "being aware of risks" through a proper academic course specially addressed to young people. In fact the most important activity of the laboratory consists in a degree course, offered both to Engineering and Architecture students of the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland and Economy Students of the University of Lugano. The course is structured in two main parts: an introductive, theoretical part, composed by class lessons, where the main aspects of natural hazards, risk perception and evaluation and risk management are presented

Undergraduate Student Involvement in International Research - The IRES Program at MAX-lab, Sweden

Science.gov (United States)

Briscoe, William; O'Rielly, Grant; Fissum, Kevin

2014-03-01

Undergraduate students associated with The George Washington University and UMass Dartmouth have had the opportunity to participate in nuclear physics research as a part of the PIONS@MAXLAB Collaboration performing experiments at MAX-lab at Lund University in Sweden. This project has supported thirteen undergraduate students during 2009 - 2011. The student researchers are involved with all aspects of the experiments performed at the laboratory, from set-up to analysis and presentation at national conferences. These experiments investigate the dynamics responsible for the internal structure of the nucleon through the study of pion photoproduction off the nucleon and high-energy Compton scattering. Along with the US and Swedish project leaders, members of the collaboration (from four different countries) have contributed to the training and mentoring of these students. This program provides students with international research experiences that prepare them to operate successfully in a global environment and encourages them to stay in areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) that are crucial for our modern, technology-dependent society. We will present the history, goals and outcomes in both physics results and student success that have come from this program. This work supported by NSF OISE/IRES award 0553467.

Development of Guided Inquiry-Based Student Lab Worksheet on the Making of Pineapple Flavoring

Science.gov (United States)

Dwiyanti, G.; Suryatna, A.; Taibah, I.

2017-02-01

The aim of this research was to develop guided inquiry based student lab worksheet on making pineapple flavour and knowing the quality of worksheet that is being developed. Research methods that is being conducted is research and development that is limited by a preliminary studies (literature studies, field surveys, and preparation of the initial product) and development of the model (within limited testing). The results from analyze the books sources and fields survey showed that the characteristic of esterification lab worksheet that currently available still in the direct instruction form (cookbook). The optimization result of making pineapple flavour experiment that was conducted are the ethanol volume 3 mL, butyric acid volume 2 mL, sulfuric acid 5 drops, saturated NaHCO3 solution volume 9 mL, and temperature of heating was 80 °C. The characteristic of guided inquiry based student lab worksheet that was developed contained phenomenon and instructions that suitable with inquiry stages to guide the students in doing the experiment of making pineapple flavour. The evaluation of designated teachers and lecturers of the developed student worksheet were very good (96,08%). Lab-experiment feasibility achieved by using guided inquiry based student lab worksheets that is being developed based on the inquiry stages that conducted by student were found very good (97,50%) and accomplishment based on students’ answer of the tasks in the worksheet were found very good (83,84%). Students’ responses of the experiments using the developed worksheet are found very good (81,84%).

City Labs as Vehicles for Innovation in Urban Planning Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Scholl

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper assesses the role of urban experiments for local planning processes through a case-based analysis of the city lab of Maastricht. In conjunction with this, the article offers three contributions, as additional elements. Firstly, the paper develops a set of defining characteristics of city labs as an analytical concept which is relevant for discussions about (collaborative planning. Secondly, it refines the literature on collaborative planning by drawing attention to experimentation and innovation. Thirdly, the paper assesses the potential of city labs to contribute to the innovation of urban governance. The work draws from the literature on experimentation and learning as well as the literature on collaborative urban planning. In the conclusions, we discuss the potential of city labs as vehicles for learning about new urban planning approaches and their limitations as spaces for small-scale experimentation. The paper is based on research for the URB@Exp research project funded by JPI Urban Europe.

More Life-Science Experiments For Spacelab

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, P. D., Jr.; Dalton, B.; Hogan, R.; Leon, H.

1991-01-01

Report describes experiments done as part of Spacelab Life Sciences 2 mission (SLS-2). Research planned on cardiovascular, vestibular, metabolic, and thermal responses of animals in weightlessness. Expected to shed light on effects of prolonged weightlessness on humans.

Systemics, Communication and Knowledge: Shifts of Perspective and the Need for Requirements in Second-Order Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas J. Marlowe

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The systemic view of second-order science emphasizes the interaction of observer and observed, but tacitly assumes a single observer, or at least a unity of observer perspective. But experience in multiple domains, including software engineering, decision science, health sciences, co-creation and Living Labs, knowledge management, community development and government policy has emphasized the multiplicity of goals and perspectives across stakeholders. We look at the issues that arise when multiple views are incorporated, and propose a toolkit for addressing those issues.

7 March 2013 -Stanford University Professor N. McKeown FREng, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and B. Leslie, Creative Labs visiting CERN Control Centre and the LHC tunnel with Director for Accelerators and Technology S. Myers.

CERN Multimedia

Anna Pantelia

2013-01-01

7 March 2013 -Stanford University Professor N. McKeown FREng, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and B. Leslie, Creative Labs visiting CERN Control Centre and the LHC tunnel with Director for Accelerators and Technology S. Myers.

Motivation and career outcomes of a precollege life science experience for underrepresented minorities

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega, Robbie Ray

Minorities continue to be underrepresented in professional science careers. In order to make Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers more accessible for underrepresented minorities, informal science programs must be utilized to assist in developing interest in STEM for minority youth. In addition to developing interest in science, informal programs must help develop interpersonal skills and leadership skills of youth, which allow youth to develop discrete social behaviors while creating positive and supportive communities thus making science more practical in their lives. This study was based on the premise that introducing underrepresented youth to the agricultural and life sciences through an integrated precollege experience of leadership development with university faculty, scientist, and staff would help increase youths' interest in science, while also increasing their interest to pursue a STEM-related career. Utilizing a precollege life science experience for underrepresented minorities, known as the Ag Discovery Camp, 33 middle school aged youth were brought to the Purdue University campus to participate in an experience that integrated a leadership development program with an informal science education program in the context of agriculture. The week-long program introduced youth to fields of agriculture in engineering, plant sciences, food sciences, and entomology. The purpose of the study was to describe short-term and intermediate student outcomes in regards to participants' interests in career activities, science self-efficacy, and career intentions. Youth were not interested in agricultural activities immediately following the precollege experience. However, one year after the precollege experience, youth expressed they were more aware of agriculture and would consider agricultural careers if their first career choice did not work out for them. Results also showed that the youth who participated in the precollege experience were

Towards an Online Lab Portal for Inquiry-Based STEM Learning at School

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Govaerts, Sten; Cao, Yiwei; Vozniuk, Andrii; Holzer, Adrian; Zutin, Danilo Garbi; San Cristobal Ruiz, Elio; Bollen, Lars; Manske, Sven; Faltin, Nils; Salzmann, Christophe; Wang, Jhing-Fa; Rynson, Lau

2013-01-01

Nowadays, the knowledge economy is growing rapidly. To sustain future growth, more well educated people in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) are needed. In the Go-Lab project we aim to motivate and orient students from an early age on to study STEM fields in their future

Taking our own medicine: on an experiment in science communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Horst, Maja

2011-12-01

In 2007 a social scientist and a designer created a spatial installation to communicate social science research about the regulation of emerging science and technology. The rationale behind the experiment was to improve scientific knowledge production by making the researcher sensitive to new forms of reactions and objections. Based on an account of the conceptual background to the installation and the way it was designed, the paper discusses the nature of the engagement enacted through the experiment. It is argued that experimentation is a crucial way of making social science about science communication and engagement more robust.

Mystical experience in the lab

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Marc Nicklas; Schjødt, Uffe; Nielbo, Kristoffer Laigaard

2014-01-01

, our data indicate that the experiences reported by the participants had a high degree of authenticity and had lasting effects in terms of memory and attribution. These findings demonstrate that at least some forms of mystical experience can be studied in a controlled environment. Prospects...

Investigating Omani Science Teachers' Attitudes towards Teaching Science: The Role of Gender and Teaching Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Ambusaidi, Abdullah; Al-Farei, Khalid

2017-01-01

A 30-item questionnaire was designed to determine Omani science teachers' attitudes toward teaching science and whether or not these attitudes differ according to gender and teaching experiences of teachers. The questionnaire items were divided into 3 domains: classroom preparation, managing hands-on science, and development appropriateness. The…

Who Wants to Learn More Science? The Role of Elementary School Science Experiences and Science Self-Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Aschbacher, Pamela R.; Ing, Marsha

2017-01-01

Background/Context: Much science education reform has been directed at middle and high school students; however, earlier experiences in elementary school may well have an important impact on young people's future science literacy and preparation for possible STEM careers. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This study explores the…

Adolescent bariatric surgery program characteristics: the Teen Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) study experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Michalsky, Marc P; Inge, Thomas H; Teich, Steven; Eneli, Ihuoma; Miller, Rosemary; Brandt, Mary L; Helmrath, Michael; Harmon, Carroll M; Zeller, Meg H; Jenkins, Todd M; Courcoulas, Anita; Buncher, Ralph C

2014-02-01

The number of adolescents undergoing weight loss surgery (WLS) has increased in response to the increasing prevalence of severe childhood obesity. Adolescents undergoing WLS require unique support, which may differ from adult programs. The aim of this study was to describe institutional and programmatic characteristics of centers participating in Teen Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS), a prospective study investigating safety and efficacy of adolescent WLS. Data were obtained from the Teen-LABS database, and site survey completed by Teen-LABS investigators. The survey queried (1) institutional characteristics, (2) multidisciplinary team composition, (3) clinical program characteristics, and (4) clinical research infrastructure. All centers had extensive multidisciplinary involvement in the assessment, pre-operative education, and post-operative management of adolescents undergoing WLS. Eligibility criteria and pre-operative clinical and diagnostic evaluations were similar between programs. All programs have well-developed clinical research infrastructure, use adolescent-specific educational resources, and maintain specialty equipment, including high weight capacity diagnostic imaging equipment. The composition of clinical team and institutional resources is consistent with current clinical practice guidelines. These characteristics, coupled with dedicated research staff, have facilitated enrollment of 242 participants into Teen-LABS. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.

PD Lab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcel Bilow

2015-08-01

Full Text Available PD Lab explores the applications of building sector related product development.  PD lab investigates and tests digital production technologies like CNC milled wood connections. It will also act as a platform in its wider meaning to investigate the effects and influences of file to factory production, to explore the potential in the field of sustainability, material use, logistics and the interaction of stakeholders within the chain of the building process.

The connection between students' out-of-school experiences and science learning

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Natalie A.

This study sought to understand the connection between students' out-of-school experiences and their learning in science. This study addresses the following questions: (a) What effects does contextualized information have on student achievement and engagement in science? (b) To what extent do students use their out-of-school activities to construct their knowledge and understanding about science? (c) To what extent do science teachers use students' skills and knowledge acquired in out-of-school settings to inform their instructional practices? This study integrates mixed methods using both quantitative and qualitative approaches to answer the research questions. It involves the use of survey questionnaire and science assessment and features two-level hierarchical analyses of student achievement outcomes nested within classrooms. Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) analyses were used to account for the cluster effect of students nested within classrooms. Interviews with students and teachers were also conducted to provide information about how learning opportunities that take place in out-of-school settings can be used to facilitate student learning in science classrooms. The results of the study include the following: (a) Controlling for student and classroom factors, students' ability to transfer science learning across contexts is associated with positive learning outcomes such as achievement, interest, career in science, self-efficacy, perseverance, and effort. Second, teacher practice using students' out-of-school experiences is associated with decrease in student achievement in science. However, as teachers make more connection to students' out-of-school experiences, the relationship between student effort and perseverance in science learning and transfer gets weaker, thus closing the gaps on these outcomes between students who have more ability to establish the transfer of learning across contexts and those who have less ability to do so. Third, science teachers

MatLab Script and Functional Programming

Science.gov (United States)

Shaykhian, Gholam Ali

2007-01-01

MatLab Script and Functional Programming: MatLab is one of the most widely used very high level programming languages for scientific and engineering computations. It is very user-friendly and needs practically no formal programming knowledge. Presented here are MatLab programming aspects and not just the MatLab commands for scientists and engineers who do not have formal programming training and also have no significant time to spare for learning programming to solve their real world problems. Specifically provided are programs for visualization. The MatLab seminar covers the functional and script programming aspect of MatLab language. Specific expectations are: a) Recognize MatLab commands, script and function. b) Create, and run a MatLab function. c) Read, recognize, and describe MatLab syntax. d) Recognize decisions, loops and matrix operators. e) Evaluate scope among multiple files, and multiple functions within a file. f) Declare, define and use scalar variables, vectors and matrices.

Earth at Rest. Aesthetic Experience and Students' Grounding in Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Østergaard, Edvin

2017-07-01

Focus of this article is the current situation characterized by students' de-rootedness and possible measures to improve the situation within the frame of education for sustainable development. My main line of argument is that science teachers can practice teaching in such a way that students are brought in deeper contact to the environment. I discuss efforts to promote aesthetic experience in science class and in science teacher education. Within a wide range of definitions, my main understanding of aesthetic experience is that of pre-conceptual experience, relational to the environment and incorporated in students' embodied knowledge. I ground the idea of Earth at rest in Husserl's phenomenological philosophy and Heidegger's notion of science' deprivation of the world. A critique of the ontological reversal leads to an ontological re-reversal that implies giving lifeworld experience back its value and rooting scientific concepts in students' everyday lives. Six aspects of facilitating grounding in sustainability-oriented science teaching and teacher education are highlighted and discussed: students' everyday knowledge and experience, aesthetic experience and grounding, fostering aesthetic sensibility, cross-curricular integration with art, ontological and epistemological aspects, and belongingness and (re-)connection to Earth. I conclude that both science students and student-teachers need to practice their sense of caring and belonging, as well as refining their sensibility towards the world. With an intension of educating for a sustainable development, there is an urgent need for a critical discussion in science education when it comes to engaging learners for a sustainable future.

Exploring linear algebra labs and projects with Mathematica

CERN Document Server

Arangala, Crista

2014-01-01

Matrix Operations Lab 0: An Introduction to Mathematica Lab 1: Matrix Basics and Operations Lab 2: A Matrix Representation of Linear Systems Lab 3: Powers, Inverses, and Special Matrices Lab 4: Graph Theory and Adjacency Matrices Lab 5: Permutations and Determinants Lab 6: 4 x 4 Determinants and Beyond Project Set 1 Invertibility Lab 7: Singular or Nonsingular? Why Singularity Matters Lab 8: Mod It Out, Matrices with Entries in ZpLab 9: It's a Complex World Lab 10: Declaring Independence: Is It Linear? Project Set 2 Vector Spaces Lab 11: Vector Spaces and SubspacesLab 12: Basing It All on Just a Few Vectors Lab 13: Linear Transformations Lab 14: Eigenvalues and Eigenspaces Lab 15: Markov Chains, An Application of Eigenvalues Project Set 3 Orthogonality Lab 16: Inner Product Spaces Lab 17: The Geometry of Vector and Inner Product SpacesLab 18: Orthogonal Matrices, QR Decomposition, and Least Squares Regression Lab 19: Symmetric Matrices and Quadratic Forms Project Set 4 Matrix Decomposition with Applications L...

Impact of Fab Lab Tulsa on Student Self-Efficacy toward STEM Education

Science.gov (United States)

Dubriwny, Nicholas; Pritchett, Nathan; Hardesty, Michelle; Hellman, Chan M.

2016-01-01

Student self-confidence is important to any attempt to increase interest and achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. This study presents a longitudinal examination of Fab Lab Tulsa's impact on attitude and self-efficacy toward STEM education among middle-school aged students. Paired samples t-test showed a…

Low Cost Implementation of Remote Lab with Large Number of Configurations for a BJT Amplifier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olaf H. Graven

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This paper demonstrate how to construct an advanced yet low cost remote lab for experiments for an module in analogue electronics at an electrical engineering course at second year bachelor level. The remote lab is designed for running experiments on a normal BJT common emitter amplifier circuit, while maintaining the possibility for the students to use a wide range of different setups. The main reasons for using remote lab are the opportunity to give the students the chance to focus on the theory for the laboratory and not setup problems, in addition the availability of the exercise is 24/7 and not dependent on the opening hours of the physical laboratory.

NASA's GeneLab Phase II: Federated Search and Data Discovery

Science.gov (United States)

Berrios, Daniel C.; Costes, Sylvain V.; Tran, Peter B.

2017-01-01

GeneLab is currently being developed by NASA to accelerate 'open science' biomedical research in support of the human exploration of space and the improvement of life on earth. Phase I of the four-phase GeneLab Data Systems (GLDS) project emphasized capabilities for submission, curation, search, and retrieval of genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics ('omics') data from biomedical research of space environments. The focus of development of the GLDS for Phase II has been federated data search for and retrieval of these kinds of data across other open-access systems, so that users are able to conduct biological meta-investigations using data from a variety of sources. Such meta-investigations are key to corroborating findings from many kinds of assays and translating them into systems biology knowledge and, eventually, therapeutics.

NASAs GeneLab Phase II: Federated Search and Data Discovery

Science.gov (United States)

Berrios, Daniel C.; Costes, Sylvain; Tran, Peter

2017-01-01

GeneLab is currently being developed by NASA to accelerate open science biomedical research in support of the human exploration of space and the improvement of life on earth. Phase I of the four-phase GeneLab Data Systems (GLDS) project emphasized capabilities for submission, curation, search, and retrieval of genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics (omics) data from biomedical research of space environments. The focus of development of the GLDS for Phase II has been federated data search for and retrieval of these kinds of data across other open-access systems, so that users are able to conduct biological meta-investigations using data from a variety of sources. Such meta-investigations are key to corroborating findings from many kinds of assays and translating them into systems biology knowledge and, eventually, therapeutics.

The software developing method for multichannel computer-aided system for physical experiments control, realized by resources of national instruments LabVIEW instrumental package

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorskaya, E.A.; Samojlov, V.N.

1999-01-01

This work is describing the method of developing the computer-aided control system in integrated environment of LabVIEW. Using the object-oriented design of complex systems, the hypothetical model for methods of developing the software for computer-aided system for physical experiments control was constructed. Within the framework of that model architecture solutions and implementations of suggested method were described. (author)

Perceptions of Critical Thinking, Task Value, Autonomy and Science Lab Self-Efficacy: A Longitudinal Examination of Students' CASE Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Velez, Jonathan J.; Lambert, Misty D.; Elliott, Kristopher M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to begin examining the impact of the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE). Under development since 2008, the curriculum is intended to integrate core academics and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) into agricultural education programs. This longitudinal descriptive correlational study…

GridSpace Engine of the ViroLab Virtual Laboratory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ciepiela, E.; Kocot, J.; Gubala, T.; Malawski, M.; Kasztelnik, M.; Bubak, M.; Bubak, M.; Turała, M.; Wiatr, K.

2008-01-01

GridSpace Engine is the central operational unit of the ViroLab Virtual Laboratory. This specific runtime environment enables access to computational and data resources by coordinating execution of experiments written in the Ruby programming language extended with virtual laboratory capabilities.

Online Lab Books for Supervision of Project Students

Science.gov (United States)

Badge, J. L.; Badge, R. M.

2009-01-01

In this article, the authors report a case study where Blackboard's wiki function was used to create electronic lab books for the supervision of undergraduate students completing laboratory based research projects. This successful experiment in supervision using electronic notebooks provided a searchable record of student work and a permanent…

Influence of field study on learning and attitudes toward science

Science.gov (United States)

Brackney, David L.

In an effort to improve attitudes toward science and academic achievement among college students who are non-science majors, an informal science educational experience in the form of a natural science field study course was created. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a field study experience on student science attitudes and achievement. Outcomes from the field study groups were compared to students who enrolled in a traditional lecture/lab course. Academic achievement was measured via pre and posttest measures of geologic knowledge. Attitudes toward science were measured with a Science Attitudes Survey that utilized Likert-scale type items in the instrument. To explore student impressions and reactions to participating in the field study experience, interviews were conducted with open-ended questions. Patterns of responses were identified to explore common themes. Field study participants were found to have significantly higher gains from pre to posttest scores compared with the gains made by students who participated in a formal Earth Science course. There was no significant difference found in overall attitudes toward science and technology as measured with this attitudes survey between students who participated in the two formats of courses over the last five years. However, comments shared by participants in the field study through interviews suggest that their attitudes toward science had in fact been affected in positive ways. Other patterns of responses indicate positive impacts made on students on a number of fronts including affective, cognitive, and social interactions. All students interviewed rated the field study experience as valuable educationally or extremely valuable educationally.

Double success for neutrino lab

CERN Multimedia

2010-01-01

"The Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy is celebrating two key developments in the field of neutrino physics. Number one is the first ever detection, by the OPERA experiement, of possible tau neutrino that has switched its identity from a muon neutrino as it travelled form its origins at CERN in Switzerland to the Italian lab. Number two is the successful start-up of the ICARUS detector, which, like OPERA, is designed to study neutrinos that "oscillate" between types" (0.5 pages)

Cloud ecosystem for supporting inquiry learning with online labs : Creation, personalization, and exploitation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gillet, Denis; Rodríguez-Triana, María Jesús; De Jong, Ton; Bollen, Lars; Dikke, Diana

2017-01-01

To effectively and efficiently implement blended science and technology education, teachers should be able to find educational resources that suit their need, fit with their curricula, and that can be easily exploited in their classroom. The European Union has supported the FP7 Go-Lab Integrated

First commissioning results with the Grenoble test electron cyclotron resonance ion source at iThemba LABS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomae, R.; Conradie, J.; Delsink, H.; Du Plessis, H.; Fourie, D.; Klopp, M.; Kohler, I.; Lussi, C.; McAlister, R.; Ntshangase, S.; Sakildien, M. [iThemba LABS, P.O Box 722, Somerset West 7130 (South Africa); Hitz, D. [CEA/DRFMC, 17 Av. Des Martyrs, 38054, Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Kuechler, D. [CERN, BE/ABP/HSL, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland)

2012-02-15

iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Science (iThemba LABS) is a multi-disciplinary accelerator facility. One of its main activities is the operation of a separated-sector cyclotron with a K-value of 200, which provides beams of various ion species. These beams are used for fundamental nuclear physics research in the intermediate energy region, radioisotope production, and medical physics applications. Due to the requirements of nuclear physics for new ion species and higher energies, the decision was made to install a copy of the so-called Grenoble test source (GTS) at iThemba LABS. In this paper, we will report on the experimental setup and the first results obtained with the GTS2 at iThemba LABS.

First commissioning results with the Grenoble test electron cyclotron resonance ion source at iThemba LABS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomae, R.; Conradie, J.; Delsink, H.; Du Plessis, H.; Fourie, D.; Klopp, M.; Kohler, I.; Lussi, C.; McAlister, R.; Ntshangase, S.; Sakildien, M.; Hitz, D.; Kuechler, D.

2012-01-01

iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Science (iThemba LABS) is a multi-disciplinary accelerator facility. One of its main activities is the operation of a separated-sector cyclotron with a K-value of 200, which provides beams of various ion species. These beams are used for fundamental nuclear physics research in the intermediate energy region, radioisotope production, and medical physics applications. Due to the requirements of nuclear physics for new ion species and higher energies, the decision was made to install a copy of the so-called Grenoble test source (GTS) at iThemba LABS. In this paper, we will report on the experimental setup and the first results obtained with the GTS2 at iThemba LABS.

Graduate student training and creating new physics labs for biology students, killing two birds with one stone.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Barbara

2001-03-01

At UCSD biology majors are required to take 3 quarters of a calculus based physics course. This is taught in a standard format large lecture class partly by faculty and partly by freeway flyers. We are working with physics graduate students who are also participating in our PFPF (Preparing Future Physics Faculty) program to write, review, and teach new weekly labs for these biology students. This provides an experience for the grad student that is both rewarding to them and useful to the department. The grad students participate in curriculum development, they observe the students behaviour in the labs, and assess the effectiveness of different lab formats. The labs are intended to provide an interactive, hands on experience with a wide variety of equipment which is mostly both simple and inexpensive. Both students and grads find the labs to be engaging and fun. Based on group discussions the labs are modified to try to try to create the best teaching environment. The biology students benefit from the improvements both in the quality of the labs they do, and from the enthusiasm of the TAs who take an active interest in their learning. The ability to make significant changes to the material taught maintains the interest of the grad students and helps to make the labs a stable and robust environment.

Reforming Cookbook Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Erin

2005-01-01

Deconstructing cookbook labs to require the students to be more thoughtful could break down perceived teacher barriers to inquiry learning. Simple steps that remove or disrupt the direct transfer of step-by-step procedures in cookbook labs make students think more critically about their process. Through trials in the author's middle school…

RemoteLabs Platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nils Crabeel

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on a first step towards the implementation of a framework for remote experimentation of electric machines – the RemoteLabs platform. This project was focused on the development of two main modules: the user Web-based and the electric machines interfaces. The Web application provides the user with a front-end and interacts with the back-end – the user and experiment persistent data. The electric machines interface is implemented as a distributed client server application where the clients, launched by the Web application, interact with the server modules located in platforms physically connected the electric machines drives. Users can register and authenticate, schedule, specify and run experiments and obtain results in the form of CSV, XML and PDF files. These functionalities were successfully tested with real data, but still without including the electric machines. This inclusion is part of another project scheduled to start soon.

The Portuguese Contribution for lab2go - pt.lab2go

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Teresa Restivo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Online experimentation provides innovative and valuable tools for use in academy, in high schools, in industry and in medical areas. It has also become a precious tool for educational and training purposes in any of those areas. Looking at online experimentation as a pure distance learning tool it represents a very efficient way of sharing hands-on capabilities, for example with developing countries. In Portugal a new consortium of online experimentation was created for fostering the national potential, using the Portuguese version of lab2go web platform, pt.lab2go. The authors pretend to demonstrate some of capabilities of the consortium in sharing online labs.

Poster Presentations: Turning a Lab of the Week into a Culminating Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Logan, Jennifer L.; Quin~ones, Rosalynn; Sunderland, Deborah P.

2015-01-01

An assignment incorporating posters into a second-year analytical chemistry lab is described. Students work in groups and are assigned one of the application-themed weekly laboratories as a topic. Course data acquired for these weekly laboratories are compiled into spreadsheets that the poster group then analyzes to present in an on-campus poster…

Using Environmental Science as a Motivational Tool to Teach Physics to Non-Science Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Busch, Hauke C.

2010-01-01

A traditional physical science course was transformed into an environmental physical science course to teach physics to non-science majors. The objective of the new course was to improve the learning of basic physics principles by applying them to current issues of interest. A new curriculum was developed with new labs, homework assignments,…

The investigation of science teachers’ experience in integrating digital technology into science teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Agustin, R. R.; Liliasari; Sinaga, P.; Rochintaniawati, D.

2018-05-01

The use of technology into science learning encounters problems. One of the problem is teachers’ less technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) on the implementation of technology itself. The purpose of this study was to investigate science teachers’ experience in using digital technology into science classroom. Through this study science teachers’ technological knowledge (TK) and technological content knowledge (TCK) can be unpacked. Descriptive method was used to depict science teachers’ TK and TCK through questionnaire that consisted of 20 questions. Subjects of this study were 25 science teachers in Bandung, Indonesia. The study was conducted in the context of teacher professional training. Result shows that science teachers still have less TK, yet they have high TCK. The teachers consider characteristics of concepts as main aspect for implementing technology into science teaching. This finding describes teachers’ high technological content knowledge. Meanwhile, science teachers’ technological knowledge was found to be still low since only few of them who can exemplify digital technology that can be implemented into several science concept. Therefore, training about technology implementation into science teaching and learning is necessary as a means to improve teachers’ technological knowledge.

Size effect of added LaB6 particles on optical properties of LaB6/Polymer composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Yifei; Zhang Lin; Hu Lijie; Wang Wei; Min Guanghui

2011-01-01

Modified LaB 6 particles with sizes ranging from 50 nm to 400 nm were added into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) matrix in order to investigate the effect of added LaB 6 particles on optical properties of LaB 6 /PMMA composites. Method of in-situ polymerization was applied to prepare PMMA from raw material—methyl methacrylate (MMA), a process during which LaB 6 particles were dispersed in MMA. Ultraviolet–visible–near infrared (UV–vis–NIR) absorption spectrum was used to study optical properties of the as-prepared materials. The difference in particle size could apparently affect the composites' absorption of visible light around wavelength of 600 nm. Added LaB 6 particles with size of about 70 nm resulted in the best optical properties among these groups of composites. - Graphical abstract: 70 nm LaB 6 particles resulted in the best performance on absorption of VIS and NIR, which could not be apparently achieved by LaB 6 particles beyond nano-scale. Highlights: ► LaB 6 /PMMA composites were prepared using the method of in-situ polymerization. ► LaB 6 particles added in MMA prolonged the time needed for its pre-polymerization. ► Nanosized LaB 6 particles could obviously absorb much NIR but little VIS.

Measuring Choice to Participate in Optional Science Learning Experiences during Early Adolescence

Science.gov (United States)

Sha, Li; Schunn, Christian; Bathgate, Meghan

2015-01-01

Cumulatively, participation in optional science learning experiences in school, after school, at home, and in the community may have a large impact on student interest in and knowledge of science. Therefore, interventions can have large long-term effects if they change student choice preferences for such optional science learning experiences. To…

How can we make Science Education and Careers more attractive for Young People?

Science.gov (United States)

Knickmeier, K.; Kruse, K.

2016-02-01

The Kiel Science Factory (Kieler Forschungswerkstatt) is a school and teaching laboratory, which breaches the gap between school education and university research. Since opening in October 2012, 3.430 pupils worked at the Kiel Science Factory, and joined the different programs (ocean:lab, nano:lab, geo:lab), the numbers of visitors are increasing. The combination of experts in research and experts in education is very effective to attract young peoplés interest for a scientific career, to communicate science and to increase interest of teachers in current science. The biggest lab is the ocean:lab, it is jointly offered by Kiel University, Cluster of Excellence "Future Ocean" and Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education at Kiel University (IPN). The ocean:lab is addressing to school classes from grade 3 to 13, and it is strongly involved in pre-service teacher education. Appropriate to their respective level of study, pupils and students get fascinating insights into marine sciences and the working methods of real scientists. Furthermore teacher trainings and summer schools are producing an enthusiasm, which affects as well teachers as their students. The visiting pupils are mainly from Northern Germany, but also from e.g. Austria, Poland and Japan. Topics are the ocean as an ecosystem and how it is affected by anthropogenic impacts. The program offers an integrated investigation of the ecosystem "ocean" (from Plankton to marine mammals) with an interdisciplinary focus on biological aspects and abiotic factors of the habitat. In addition to pollution of the ocean through plastic waste and noise, the effects of climate change and eutrophication plays a role in discussions and tasks. New formats (e.g. an international Citizen Science Project and Expeditionary Learning) are carried out. The developed material is part of expedition boxes, which can be borrowed for project work in schools and science centers. http://www.forschungs-werkstatt.de/

NASA's Earth Science Data Systems Standards Process Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Ullman, Richard E.; Enloe, Yonsook

2007-01-01

NASA has impaneled several internal working groups to provide recommendations to NASA management on ways to evolve and improve Earth Science Data Systems. One of these working groups is the Standards Process Group (SPC). The SPG is drawn from NASA-funded Earth Science Data Systems stakeholders, and it directs a process of community review and evaluation of proposed NASA standards. The working group's goal is to promote interoperability and interuse of NASA Earth Science data through broader use of standards that have proven implementation and operational benefit to NASA Earth science by facilitating the NASA management endorsement of proposed standards. The SPC now has two years of experience with this approach to identification of standards. We will discuss real examples of the different types of candidate standards that have been proposed to NASA's Standards Process Group such as OPeNDAP's Data Access Protocol, the Hierarchical Data Format, and Open Geospatial Consortium's Web Map Server. Each of the three types of proposals requires a different sort of criteria for understanding the broad concepts of "proven implementation" and "operational benefit" in the context of NASA Earth Science data systems. We will discuss how our Standards Process has evolved with our experiences with the three candidate standards.

Demise of Texas collider has made Europe's lab a magnet for scientists

CERN Multimedia

Siegfried, Tom

2004-01-01

Had U.S. politics and science meshed more favorably, physicists from around the world would now be flocking to Waxahachie. The defunct Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) should by now have been smashing atoms, but now Europe's top nuclear research lab offers a more picturesque world capital of physics that the prairie south of Dallas

GLOBE Observer and the Association of Science & Technology Centers: Leveraging Citizen Science and Partnerships for an International Science Experiment to Build Climate Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Riebeek Kohl, H.; Chambers, L. H.; Murphy, T.

2016-12-01

For more that 20 years, the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program has sought to increase environment literacy in students by involving them in the process of data collection and scientific research. In 2016, the program expanded to accept observations from citizen scientists of all ages through a relatively simple app. Called GLOBE Observer, the new program aims to help participants feel connected to a global community focused on advancing the scientific understanding of Earth system science while building climate literacy among participants and increasing valuable environmental data points to expand both student and scientific research. In October 2016, GLOBE Observer partnered with the Association of Science & Technology Centers (ASTC) in an international science experiment in which museums and patrons around the world collected cloud observations through GLOBE Observer to create a global cloud map in support of NASA satellite science. The experiment was an element of the International Science Center and Science Museum Day, an event planned in partnership with UNESCO and ASTC. Museums and science centers provided the climate context for the observations, while GLOBE Observer offered a uniform experience and a digital platform to build a connected global community. This talk will introduce GLOBE Observer and will present the results of the experiment, including evaluation feedback on gains in climate literacy through the event.