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

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.

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.

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

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.

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…

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…

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. 

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.

The Art-Science Connection: Students Create Art Inspired by Extracurricular Lab Investigations

Science.gov (United States)

Hegedus, Tess; Segarra, Verónica A.; Allen, Tawannah G.; Wilson, Hillary; Garr, Casey; Budzinski, Christina

2016-01-01

The authors developed an integrated science-and-art program to engage science students from a performing arts high school in hands-on, inquiry based lab experiences. The students participated in eight biology-focused investigations at a local university with undergraduate mentors. After the laboratory phase of the project, the high school students…

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...

STORMVEX: The Storm Peak Lab Cloud Property Validation Experiment Science and Operations Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mace, J; Matrosov, S; Shupe, M; Lawson, P; Hallar, G; McCubbin, I; Marchand, R; Orr, B; Coulter, R; Sedlacek, A; Avallone, L; Long, C

2010-09-29

During the Storm Peak Lab Cloud Property Validation Experiment (STORMVEX), a substantial correlative data set of remote sensing observations and direct in situ measurements from fixed and airborne platforms will be created in a winter season, mountainous environment. This will be accomplished by combining mountaintop observations at Storm Peak Laboratory and the airborne National Science Foundation-supported Colorado Airborne Multi-Phase Cloud Study campaign with collocated measurements from the second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2). We describe in this document the operational plans and motivating science for this experiment, which includes deployment of AMF2 to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The intensive STORMVEX field phase will begin nominally on 1 November 2010 and extend to approximately early April 2011.

The efficiency of metacognitive development embedded within a motivating lab regarding pre-service science teachers’ learning outcomes

OpenAIRE

Deniz Sarıbaş; Hale Bayram

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to improve pre-service science teachers’ science process skills and attitude towards chemistry by developing their metacognitive skills embedded within a motivating chemistry laboratory. The sample of the study was 54 pre-service science teachers who took the first year chemistry lab course at Marmara University. Both the control (n=27) and the experimental group (n=27) carried out 11 experiments, each of which was performed over a lab course. The students comp...

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.

GeneLab: Open Science For Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Galazka, Jonathan

2018-01-01

The NASA GeneLab project capitalizes on multi-omic technologies to maximize the return on spaceflight experiments. The GeneLab project houses spaceflight and spaceflight-relevant multi-omics data in a publicly accessible data commons, and collaborates with NASA-funded principal investigators to maximize the omics data from spaceflight and spaceflight-relevant experiments. I will discuss the current status of GeneLab and give specific examples of how the GeneLab data system has been used to gain insight into how biology responds to spaceflight conditions.

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

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

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

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.

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.…

Do Policies that Encourage Better Attendance in Lab Change Students' Academic Behaviors and Performances in Introductory Science Courses?

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Randy; Jensen, Philip A.

2008-01-01

Science courses with hands-on investigative labs are a typical part of the general education requirements at virtually all colleges and universities. In these courses, labs that satisfy a curricular requirement for "lab experience" are important because they provide the essence of the scientific experience--that is, they give students…

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...

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,…

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

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.

Virtual Reality Lab Assistant

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Hrishikesh; Palmer, Timothy A.

1996-01-01

Virtual Reality Lab Assistant (VRLA) demonstration model is aligned for engineering and material science experiments to be performed by undergraduate and graduate students in the course as a pre-lab simulation experience. This will help students to get a preview of how to use the lab equipment and run experiments without using the lab hardware/software equipment. The quality of the time available for laboratory experiments can be significantly improved through the use of virtual reality technology.

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.

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

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

EarthLabs, an exemplary series of lab-based climate science learning modules, is a model for high school Earth Science lab courses. Each module includes a variety of learning activities that allow students to explore the Earth's complex and dynamic climate history. The most recent module, Climate Detectives, uses data from IODP Expedition 341, which traveled to the Gulf of Alaska during the summer of 2013 to study past climate, sedimentation, and tectonics along the continental margin. At the onset of Climate Detectives, students are presented with a challenge engaging them to investigate how the Earth's climate has changed since the Miocene in southern Alaska. To complete this challenge, students join Exp. 341 to collect and examine sediments collected from beneath the seafloor. The two-week module consists of six labs that provide students with the content and skills needed to solve this climate mystery. Students discover how an international team collaborates to examine a scientific problem with the IODP, compete in an engineering design challenge to learn about scientific ocean drilling, and learn about how different types of proxy data are used to detect changes in Earth's climate. The NGSS Science and Engineering Practices are woven into the culminating activity, giving students the opportunity to think and act like scientists as they investigate the following questions: 1) How have environmental conditions in in the Gulf of Alaska changed during the time when the sediments in core U1417 were deposited? (2) What does the occurrence of different types of diatoms and their abundance reveal about the timing of the cycles of glacial advance and retreat? (3) What timeline is represented by the section of core? (4) How do results from the Gulf of Alaska compare with the global record of glaciations during this period based on oxygen isotopes proxies? Developed by educators in collaboration with Expedition 341 scientists, Climate Detectives is a strong example of

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.

Non-Stop Lab Week: A Real Laboratory Experience for Life Sciences Postgraduate Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Freitas, Maria João; Silva, Joana Vieira; Korrodi-Gregório, Luís; Fardilha, Margarida

2016-01-01

At the Portuguese universities, practical classes of life sciences are usually professor-centered 2-hour classes. This approach results in students underprepared for a real work environment in a research/clinical laboratory. To provide students with a real-life laboratory environment, the Non-Stop Lab Week (NSLW) was created in the Molecular…

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

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

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…

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.   

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...

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.

KNMI DataLab experiences in serving data-driven innovations

Science.gov (United States)

Noteboom, Jan Willem; Sluiter, Raymond

2016-04-01

Climate change research and innovations in weather forecasting rely more and more on (Big) data. Besides increasing data from traditional sources (such as observation networks, radars and satellites), the use of open data, crowd sourced data and the Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging. To deploy these sources of data optimally in our services and products, KNMI has established a DataLab to serve data-driven innovations in collaboration with public and private sector partners. Big data management, data integration, data analytics including machine learning and data visualization techniques are playing an important role in the DataLab. Cross-domain data-driven innovations that arise from public-private collaborative projects and research programmes can be explored, experimented and/or piloted by the KNMI DataLab. Furthermore, advice can be requested on (Big) data techniques and data sources. In support of collaborative (Big) data science activities, scalable environments are offered with facilities for data integration, data analysis and visualization. In addition, Data Science expertise is provided directly or from a pool of internal and external experts. At the EGU conference, gained experiences and best practices are presented in operating the KNMI DataLab to serve data-driven innovations for weather and climate applications optimally.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.…

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

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.

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

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,…

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…

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....

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

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.

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.

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/)

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…

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.

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

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.

An Update on ConSys Including a New LabVIEW FPGA Based LLRF System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Worm, Torben; Nielsen, Jørgen S.

. This system use a National Instruments NI-PCIe7852R DAQ card, which includes an on-board FPGA and are hosted in a standard PC. The fast (50 kHz) amplitude loop has been implemented on the FPGA, whereas the slower tuning and phase loops are implemented in the real-time system. An operator interface including......ConSys, the Windows based control system for ASTRID and ASTRID2, is now a mature system, having been in operation for more than 15 years. All the standard programs (Console, plots, data logging, control setting store/restore etc.) are fully general and are configured through a database or file. Con......Sys is a standard publisher/subscriber system, where all nodes can act both as client and server. One very strong feature is the easy ability to make virtual devices (devices which do not depend on hardware directly, but combine hardware parameters.) For ASTRID2 a new LabVIEW based Low-Level RF system has been made...

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.

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…

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

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.

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

The Viability of Distance Education Science Laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Forinash, Kyle; Wisman, Raymond

2001-01-01

Discusses the effectiveness of offering science laboratories via distance education. Explains current delivery technologies, including computer simulations, videos, and laboratory kits sent to students; pros and cons of distance labs; the use of spreadsheets; and possibilities for new science education models. (LRW)

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.

GitLab repository management

CERN Document Server

Hethey, Jonathan

2013-01-01

A simple, easy to understand tutorial guide on how to build teams and efficiently use version control, using GitLab.If you are a system administrator in a company that writes software or are in charge of an infrastructure, this book will show you the most important features of GitLab, including how to speed up the overall process

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

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

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.

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.

What Is Heat? Inquiry regarding the Science of Heat

Science.gov (United States)

Rascoe, Barbara

2010-01-01

This lab activity uses inquiry to help students define heat. It is generic in that it can be used to introduce a plethora of science content across middle and high school grade levels and across science disciplines that include biology, Earth and space science, and physical science. Even though heat is a universal science phenomenon that is…

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...

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.

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...

Infusion of Climate Change and Geospatial Science Concepts into Environmental and Biological Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Balaji Bhaskar, M. S.; Rosenzweig, J.; Shishodia, S.

2017-12-01

The objective of our activity is to improve the students understanding and interpretation of geospatial science and climate change concepts and its applications in the field of Environmental and Biological Sciences in the College of Science Engineering and Technology (COEST) at Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, TX. The courses of GIS for Environment, Ecology and Microbiology were selected for the curriculum infusion. A total of ten GIS hands-on lab modules, along with two NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) lab modules on climate change were implemented in the "GIS for Environment" course. GIS and Google Earth Labs along with climate change lectures were infused into Microbiology and Ecology courses. Critical thinking and empirical skills of the students were assessed in all the courses. The student learning outcomes of these courses includes the ability of students to interpret the geospatial maps and the student demonstration of knowledge of the basic principles and concepts of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and climate change. At the end of the courses, students developed a comprehensive understanding of the geospatial data, its applications in understanding climate change and its interpretation at the local and regional scales during multiple years.

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…

How Big Science Came to Long Island: the Birth of Brookhaven Lab (429th Brookhaven Lecture)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crease, Robert P.

2007-01-01

Robert P. Crease, historian for the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Stony Brook University, will give two talks on the Laboratory's history on October 31 and December 12. Crease's October 31 talk, titled 'How Big Science Came to Long Island: The Birth of Brookhaven Lab,' will cover the founding of the Laboratory soon after World War II as a peacetime facility to construct and maintain basic research facilities, such as nuclear reactors and particle accelerators, that were too large for single institutions to build and operate. He will discuss the key figures involved in starting the Laboratory, including Nobel laureates I.I. Rabi and Norman Ramsey, as well as Donald Dexter Van Slyke, one of the most renowned medical researchers in American history. Crease also will focus on the many problems that had to be overcome in creating the Laboratory and designing its first big machines, as well as the evolving relations of the Laboratory with the surrounding Long Island community and news media. Throughout his talk, Crease will tell fascinating stories about Brookhaven's scientists and their research.

Future{at}Labs.Prosperity Game{trademark}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beck, D.F.; Boyack, K.W.; Berman, M. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Innovative Alliances Dept.

1996-10-01

Prosperity Games{trademark} are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games, Prosperity Games{trademark} are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education, and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions specific industries. All Prosperity Games{trademark} are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents the Future{at}Labs.Prosperity Game{trademark} conducted under the sponsorship of the Industry Advisory Boards of the national labs, the national labs, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and the University of California. Players were drawn from all stakeholders involved including government, industry, labs, and academia. The primary objectives of this game were to: (1) explore ways to optimize the role of the multidisciplinary labs in serving national missions and needs; (2) explore ways to increase collaboration and partnerships among government, laboratories, universities, and industry; and (3) create a network of partnership champions to promote findings and policy options. The deliberations and recommendations of these players provided valuable insights as to the views of this diverse group of decision makers concerning the future of the labs.

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

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

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)

Clinton administration budget includes mixed bag for science

Science.gov (United States)

Showstack, Randy

The $1,766 trillion federal budget proposal that the Clinton Administration rolled out on February 1—which promises to protect Social Security and Medicare and work within mandated budget caps—generally provides favorable news for federally funded science research and development.Within the 17% ($592 billion) of the federal budget earmarked for discretionary spending, the Administration's budget proposal increases funding for nondefense research and development for the seventh year in a row. This includes increased funding for a number of science accounts and money for a series of new science initiatives.

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…

Environment monitoring using LabVIEW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawtree, J.

1995-01-01

A system has been developed for electronically recording and monitoring temperature, humidity, and other environmental variables at the Silicon Detector Facility located in Lab D. The data is collected by LabVIEW software, which runs in the background on an Apple Macintosh. The software is completely portable between Macintosh, MS Windows, and Sun platforms. The hardware includes a Macintosh with 8 MB of RAM; an external ADC-1 analog-to-digital converter that uses a serial port; LabVIEW software; temperature sensors; humidity sensors; and other voltage/current sensing devices. ADC values are converted to ASCII strings and entered into files which are read over Ethernet. Advantages include automatic logging, automatic recovery after power interruptions, and the availability of stand-alone applications for other locations with inexpensive software and hardware

Virtual labs in Leonardo da Vinci

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanislaw Nagy

2006-10-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the problem of virtual lab capabilities in the e-learning. Using combination of web conferencing and "virtual labs" capabilities, a new quality distance learning teaching is now in preparation and will be included in the course teaching to produce interactive, online simulations for the natural gas engineering studies. The activities are designed to enhance the existing curriculum and to include online assessments. A special care is devoted to the security problem between a server and a client computer. Several examples of the virtual labs related to the PVT thermodynamics, fluid flow, the natural gas well-testing, and thev gas network flow are prepared and tested. A major challenge for the 'CELGAS' system is in managing the delicate balance between the student collaboration and the isolation. Students may be encouraged to collaborate and work with each other, simulating their exploration of the lab material.

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...

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…

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...

Open-science projects get kickstarted at CERN

CERN Multimedia

Achintya Rao

2015-01-01

CERN is one of the host sites for the Mozilla Science Lab Global Sprint to be held on 4 and 5 June, which will see participants around the world work on projects to further open science and educational tools.   IdeaSquare will be hosting the event at CERN. The Mozilla Science Lab Global Sprint was first held in 2014 to bring together open-science practitioners and enthusiasts to collaborate on projects designed to advance science on the open web. The sprint is a loosely federated event, and CERN is participating in the 2015 edition, hosting sprinters in the hacker-friendly IdeaSquare. Five projects have been formally proposed and CERN users and staff are invited to participate in a variety of ways. A special training session will also be held to introduce the CERN community to existing open-science and collaborative tools, including ones that have been deployed at CERN. 1. GitHub Science Badges: Sprinters will work on developing a badge-style visual representation of how open a software pro...

Open web system of Virtual labs for nuclear and applied physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saldikov, I S; Afanasyev, V V; Petrov, V I; Ternovykh, M Yu

2017-01-01

An example of virtual lab work on unique experimental equipment is presented. The virtual lab work is software based on a model of real equipment. Virtual labs can be used for educational process in nuclear safety and analysis field. As an example it includes the virtual lab called “Experimental determination of the material parameter depending on the pitch of a uranium-water lattice”. This paper included general description of this lab. A description of a database on the support of laboratory work on unique experimental equipment which is included this work, its concept development are also presented. (paper)

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.

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

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.

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.

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...

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.

Clothing Systems Design Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Clothing Systems Design Lab houses facilities for the design and rapid prototyping of military protective apparel.Other focuses include: creation of patterns and...

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...

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

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.

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

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…

Cassandra - WP400 - final report of living lab 2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engler, M.; Klievink, A.J.

2014-01-01

This CASSANDRA LL2 final deliverable contains all information regarding the CASSANDRA Living Lab Europe – USA via Bremerhaven including information from two intermediate reports (CASSANDRA D4.21 and D4.22) about the very same Living Lab handed in during runtime of the Living Lab. CASSANDRA Living

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…

Effects of gender and role selection in cooperative learning groups on science inquiry achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Affhalter, Maria Geralyn

An action research project using science inquiry labs and cooperative learning groups examined the effects of same-gender and co-educational classrooms on science achievement and teacher-assigned or self-selected group roles on students' role preferences. Fifty-nine seventh grade students from a small rural school district participated in two inquiry labs in co-educational classrooms or in an all-female classroom, as determined by parents at the beginning of the academic year. Students were assigned to the same cooperative groups for the duration of the study. Pretests and posttests were administered for each inquiry-based science lab. Posttest assessments included questions for student reflection on role assignment and role preference. Instruction did not vary and a female science teacher taught all class sections. The same-gender classroom and co-ed classrooms produced similar science achievement scores on posttests. Students' cooperative group roles, whether teacher-assigned or self-selected, produced similar science achievement scores on posttests. Male and female students shared equally in favorable and unfavorable reactions to their group roles during the science inquiry labs. Reflections on the selection of the leader role revealed a need for females in co-ed groups to be "in charge". When reflecting on her favorite role of leader, one female student in a co-ed group stated, "I like to have people actually listen to me".

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.

Petroleum Science and Technology Institute with the TeXas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, H. C.; Olson, J. E.; Bryant, S. L.; Lake, L. W.; Bommer, P.; Torres-Verdin, C.; Jablonowski, C.; Willis, M.

2009-12-01

The TeXas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution, a professional development program for 8th- thru 12th-grade Earth Science teachers, presented a one-week Petroleum Science and Technology Institute at The University of Texas at Austin campus. The summer program was a joint effort between the Jackson School of Geosciences and the Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering. The goal of the institute was to focus on the STEM components involved in the petroleum industry and to introduce teachers to the larger energy resources theme. The institute kicked off with a welcoming event and tour of a green, energy-efficient home (LEED Platinum certified) owned by one of the petroleum engineering faculty. Tours of the home included an introduction to rainwater harvesting, solar energy, sustainable building materials and other topics on energy efficiency. Classroom topics included drilling technology (including a simulator lab and an overview of the history of the technology), energy use and petroleum geology, well-logging technology and interpretation, reservoir engineering and volumetrics (including numerous labs combining chemistry and physics), risk assessment and economics, carbon capture and storage (CO2 sequestration technology) and hydraulic fracturing. A mid-week field trip included visiting the Ocean Star offshore platform in Galveston, the Weiss Energy Hall at the Houston Museum of Science and Schlumberger (to view 3-D visualization technology) in Houston. Teachers remarked that they really appreciated the focused nature of the institute and especially found the increased use of mathematics both a tool for professional growth, as well as a challenge for them to use more math in their science classes. STEM integration was an important feature of the summer institute, and teachers found the integration of science (earth sciences, geophysics), technology, engineering (petroleum, chemical and reservoir) and mathematics particularly valuable. Pre

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.

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...

Building Surface Science Capacity to Serve the Automobile Industry in Southeastern Michigan, final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Weidian

2013-09-27

This project, “Building Surface Science Capacity to Serve the Automobile Industry in Southeastern Michigan” was carried out in two phases: (1) the 2009 – 2012 renovation of space in the new EMU Science Complex, which included the Surface Science Laboratory (SSL), a very vigorous research lab at EMU that carries on a variety of research projects to serve the auto and other industries in Michigan; and (2) the 2013 purchase of several pieces of equipment to further enhance the research capability of the SSL. The funding granted by the DoE was proposed to “renovate the space in the Science Complex to include SSL and purchase equipment for tribological and electrochemical impedance measurements in the lab, thus SSL will serve the auto and other industries in Michigan better.” We believe we have fully accomplished the mission.

Virtual Labs (Science Gateways) as platforms for Free and Open Source Science

Science.gov (United States)

Lescinsky, David; Car, Nicholas; Fraser, Ryan; Friedrich, Carsten; Kemp, Carina; Squire, Geoffrey

2016-04-01

The Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) movement promotes community engagement in software development, as well as provides access to a range of sophisticated technologies that would be prohibitively expensive if obtained commercially. However, as geoinformatics and eResearch tools and services become more dispersed, it becomes more complicated to identify and interface between the many required components. Virtual Laboratories (VLs, also known as Science Gateways) simplify the management and coordination of these components by providing a platform linking many, if not all, of the steps in particular scientific processes. These enable scientists to focus on their science, rather than the underlying supporting technologies. We describe a modular, open source, VL infrastructure that can be reconfigured to create VLs for a wide range of disciplines. Development of this infrastructure has been led by CSIRO in collaboration with Geoscience Australia and the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) with support from the National eResearch Collaboration Tools and Resources (NeCTAR) and the Australian National Data Service (ANDS). Initially, the infrastructure was developed to support the Virtual Geophysical Laboratory (VGL), and has subsequently been repurposed to create the Virtual Hazards Impact and Risk Laboratory (VHIRL) and the reconfigured Australian National Virtual Geophysics Laboratory (ANVGL). During each step of development, new capabilities and services have been added and/or enhanced. We plan on continuing to follow this model using a shared, community code base. The VL platform facilitates transparent and reproducible science by providing access to both the data and methodologies used during scientific investigations. This is further enhanced by the ability to set up and run investigations using computational resources accessed through the VL. Data is accessed using registries pointing to catalogues within public data repositories (notably including the

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 ...

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

CERN Technical Training: LABVIEW courses include RADE

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2009-01-01

The contents of the "LabView Basic I" and "LabView Intermediate II" courses have recently been changed to include, respectively, an introduction to and expert training in the Rapid Application Development Environment (RADE). RADE is a LabView-based application developed at CERN to integrate LabView in the accelerator and experiment control infrastructure. It is a suitable solution to developing expert tools, machine development analysis and independent test facilities. The course names have also been changed to "LabVIEW Basics I with RADE Introduction" and "LabVIEW Intermediate II with Advanced RADE Application". " LabVIEW Basics I with RADE Introduction" is designed for: Users preparing to develop applications using LabVIEW, or NI Developer Suite; users and technical managers evaluating LabVIEW or NI Developer Suite in purchasing decisions; users pursuing the Certified LabVIEW Developer certification. The course pr...

CERN Technical Training: LABVIEW courses include RADE

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2009-01-01

The contents of "LabView Basic I" and "LabView Intermediate II" trainings have been recently changed to include, respectively, an introduction and an expert training on the Rapid Application Development Environment (RADE). RADE is a LabView-based application developed at CERN to integrate LabView in the accelerator and experiment control infrastructure. It is a suitable solution to develop expert tools, machine development analysis and independent test facilities. The course names have also been changed to "LabVIEW Basics I with RADE Introduction" and "LabVIEW Intermediate II with Advanced RADE Application". " LabVIEW Basics I with RADE Introduction" is designed for: Users preparing to develop applications using LabVIEW, or NI Developer Suite; users and technical managers evaluating LabVIEW or NI Developer Suite in purchasing decisions; users pursuing the Certified LabVIEW Developer certification. The course prepare...

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

Successes and Challenges in Transitioning to Large Enrollment NEXUS/Physics IPLS Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Kimberly

2017-01-01

UMd-PERG's NEXUS/Physics for Life Sciences laboratory curriculum, piloted in 2012-2013 in small test classes, has been implemented in large-enrollment environments at UMD from 2013-present. These labs address physical issues at biological scales using microscopy, image and video analysis, electrophoresis, and spectroscopy in an open, non-protocol-driven environment. We have collected a wealth of data (surveys, video analysis, etc.) that enables us to get a sense of the students' responses to this curriculum in a large-enrollment environment and with teaching assistants both `new to' and `experienced in' the labs. In this talk, we will provide a brief overview of what we have learned, including the challenges of transitioning to large N, student perception then and now, and comparisons of our large-enrollment results to the results from our pilot study. We will close with a discussion of the acculturation of teaching assistants to this novel environment and suggestions for sustainability.

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.

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

CERN Technical Training: LABVIEW courses include RADE

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2009-01-01

The contents of the "LabView Basic I" and "LabView Intermediate II" courses have recently been changed to include, respectively, an introduction to and expert training in the Rapid Application Development Environment (RADE). RADE is a LabView-based application developed at CERN to integrate LabView in the accelerator and experiment control infrastructure. It is a suitable solution to developing expert tools, machine development analysis and independent test facilities. The course names have also been changed to "LabVIEW Basics I with RADE Introduction" and "LabVIEW Intermediate II with Advanced RADE Application". " LabVIEW Basics I with RADE Introduction" is designed for: Users preparing to develop applications using LabVIEW, or NI Developer Suite; users and technical managers evaluating LabVIEW or NI Developer Suite in purchasing decisions; users pursuing the Certified LabVIEW Developer certification. The course prepares participants to develop test and measurement, da...

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

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

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

Promoting Metacognition in Introductory Calculus-based Physics Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Grennell, Drew; Boudreaux, Andrew

2010-10-01

In the Western Washington University physics department, a project is underway to develop research-based laboratory curriculum for the introductory calculus-based course. Instructional goals not only include supporting students' conceptual understanding and reasoning ability, but also providing students with opportunities to engage in metacognition. For the latter, our approach has been to scaffold reflective thinking with guided questions. Specific instructional strategies include analysis of alternate reasoning presented in fictitious dialogues and comparison of students' initial ideas with their lab group's final, consensus understanding. Assessment of student metacognition includes pre- and post- course data from selected questions on the CLASS survey, analysis of written lab worksheets, and student opinion surveys. CLASS results are similar to a traditional physics course and analysis of lab sheets show that students struggle to engage in a metacognitive process. Future directions include video studies, as well as use of additional written assessments adapted from educational psychology.

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.

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.

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…

Reference-based pricing: an evidence-based solution for lab services shopping.

Science.gov (United States)

Melton, L Doug; Bradley, Kent; Fu, Patricia Lin; Armata, Raegan; Parr, James B

2014-01-01

To determine the effect of reference-based pricing (RBP) on the percentage of lab services utilized by members that were at or below the reference price. Retrospective, quasi-experimental, matched, case-control pilot evaluation of an RBP benefit for lab services. The study group included employees of a multinational grocery chain covered by a national health insurance carrier and subject to RBP for lab services; it had access to an online lab shopping tool and was informed about the RBP benefit through employer communications. The reference group was covered by the same insurance carrier but not subject to RBP. The primary end point was lab compliance, defined as the percentage of lab claims with total charges at or below the reference price. Difference-in-difference regression estimation evaluated changes in lab compliance between the 2 groups. Higher compliance per lab claim was evident for the study group compared with the reference group (69% vs 57%; Ponline shopping tool was used by 7% of the matched-adjusted study group prior to obtaining lab services. Lab compliance was 76% for study group members using the online tool compared with 68% among nonusers who were subject to RBP (P<.01). RBP can promote cost-conscious selection of lab services. Access to facilities that offer services below the reference price and education about RBP improve compliance. Evaluation of the effect of RBP on higher-cost medical services, including radiology, outpatient specialty, and elective inpatient procedures, is needed.

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.

Student Motivation in Science Subjects in Tanzania, Including Students' Voices

Science.gov (United States)

Mkimbili, Selina Thomas; Ødegaard, Marianne

2017-12-01

Fostering and maintaining students' interest in science is an important aspect of improving science learning. The focus of this paper is to listen to and reflect on students' voices regarding the sources of motivation for science subjects among students in community secondary schools with contextual challenges in Tanzania. We conducted a group-interview study of 46 Form 3 and Form 4 Tanzanian secondary school students. The study findings reveal that the major contextual challenges to student motivation for science in the studied schools are limited resources and students' insufficient competence in the language of instruction. Our results also reveal ways to enhance student motivation for science in schools with contextual challenges; these techniques include the use of questioning techniques and discourse, students' investigations and practical work using locally available materials, study tours, more integration of classroom science into students' daily lives and the use of real-life examples in science teaching. Also we noted that students' contemporary life, culture and familiar language can be utilised as a useful resource in facilitating meaningful learning in science in the school. Students suggested that, to make science interesting to a majority of students in a Tanzanian context, science education needs to be inclusive of students' experiences, culture and contemporary daily lives. Also, science teaching and learning in the classroom need to involve learners' voices.

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…

Overview of the Fire Lab at Missoula Experiments (FLAME)

Science.gov (United States)

S. M. Kreidenweis; J. L. Collett; H. Moosmuller; W. P. Arnott; WeiMin Hao; W. C. Malm

2010-01-01

The Fire Lab at Missoula Experiments (FLAME) used a series of open biomass burns, conducted in 2006 and 2007 at the Forest Service Fire Science Laboratory in Missoula, MT, to characterize the physical, chemical and optical properties of biomass combustion emissions. Fuels were selected primarily based on their projected importance for emissions from prescribed and wild...

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.

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.

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"...

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.

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)

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

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

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

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.

ExoGeoLab Pilot Project for Landers, Rovers and Instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Foing, Bernard

2010-05-01

We have developed a pilot facility with a Robotic Test Bench (ExoGeoLab) and a Mobile Lab Habitat (ExoHab). They can be used to validate concepts and external instruments from partner institutes. The ExoGeoLab research incubator project, has started in the frame of a collaboration between ILEWG (International Lunar Exploration working Group http://sci.esa.int/ilewg), ESTEC, NASA and academic partners, supported by a design and control desk in the European Space Incubator (ESI), as well as infrastructure. ExoGeoLab includes a sequence of technology and research pilot project activities: - Data analysis and interpretation of remote sensing and in-situ data, and merging of multi-scale data sets - Procurement and integration of geophysical, geo-chemical and astrobiological breadboard instruments on a surface station and rovers - Integration of cameras, environment and solar sensors, Visible and near IR spectrometer, Raman spectrometer, sample handling, cooperative rovers - Delivery of a generic small planetary lander demonstrator (ExoGeoLab lander, Sept 2009) as a platform for multi-instruments tests - Research operations and exploitation of ExoGeoLab test bench for various conceptual configurations, and support for definition and design of science surface packages (Moon, Mars, NEOs, outer moons) - Field tests of lander, rovers and instruments in analogue sites (Utah MDRS 2009 & 2010, Eifel volcanic park in Sept 2009, and future campaigns). Co-authors, ILEWG ExoGeoLab & ExoHab Team: B.H. Foing(1,11)*#, C. Stoker(2,11)*, P. Ehrenfreund(10,11), L. Boche-Sauvan(1,11)*, L. Wendt(8)*, C. Gross(8, 11)*, C. Thiel(9)*, S. Peters(1,6)*, A. Borst(1,6)*, J. Zavaleta(2)*, P. Sarrazin(2)*, D. Blake(2), J. Page(1,4,11), V. Pletser(5,11)*, E. Monaghan(1)*, P. Mahapatra(1)#, A. Noroozi(3), P. Giannopoulos(1,11) , A. Calzada(1,6,11), R. Walker(7), T. Zegers(1, 15) #, G. Groemer(12)# , W. Stumptner(12)#, B. Foing(2,5), J. K. Blom(3)#, A. Perrin(14)#, M. Mikolajczak(14)#, S. Chevrier(14

Arduino-Based embedded systems interfacing, simulation, and LabVIEW GUI

CERN Document Server

Singh, Rajesh; Singh, Bhupendra; Choudhury, Sushabhan

2018-01-01

Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software while LabVIEW is a graphical programming telling how to connect functions and work with a variety of datatypes when constructing applications.This book will help beginners to get started with Arduino-based embedded systems including essential know-how of the programming and interfacing of the devices. Book includes programming and simulation of Arduino-based projects and interfacing with LabVIEW, based on practical case studies. The book comprises of total twenty five chapters with description, working model of LabVIEW and programming with Arduino IDE.

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.;

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

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,…

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.

Nanophotonic lab-on-a-chip platforms including novel bimodal interferometers, microfluidics and grating couplers.

Science.gov (United States)

Duval, Daphné; González-Guerrero, Ana Belén; Dante, Stefania; Osmond, Johann; Monge, Rosa; Fernández, Luis J; Zinoviev, Kirill E; Domínguez, Carlos; Lechuga, Laura M

2012-05-08

One of the main limitations for achieving truly lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices for point-of-care diagnosis is the incorporation of the "on-chip" detection. Indeed, most of the state-of-the-art LOC devices usually require complex read-out instrumentation, losing the main advantages of portability and simplicity. In this context, we present our last advances towards the achievement of a portable and label-free LOC platform with highly sensitive "on-chip" detection by using nanophotonic biosensors. Bimodal waveguide interferometers fabricated by standard silicon processes have been integrated with sub-micronic grating couplers for efficient light in-coupling, showing a phase resolution of 6.6 × 10(-4)× 2π rad and a limit of detection of 3.3 × 10(-7) refractive index unit (RIU) in bulk. A 3D network of SU-8 polymer microfluidics monolithically assembled at the wafer-level was included, ensuring perfect sealing and compact packaging. To overcome some of the drawbacks inherent to interferometric read-outs, a novel all-optical wavelength modulation system has been implemented, providing a linear response and a direct read-out of the phase variation. Sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of the wavelength modulated BiMW sensor has been demonstrated through the label-free immunodetection of the human hormone hTSH at picomolar level using a reliable biofunctionalization process.

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…

National Labs Host Classroom Ready Energy Educational Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, C. D.

2009-12-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has a clear goal of joining all climate and energy agencies in the task of taking climate and energy research and development to communities across the nation and throughout the world. Only as information on climate and energy education is shared with the nation and world do research labs begin to understand the massive outreach work yet to be accomplished. The work at hand is to encourage and ensure the climate and energy literacy of our society. The national labs have defined the K-20 population as a major outreach focus, with the intent of helping them see their future through the global energy usage crisis and ensure them that they have choices and a chance to redirect their future. Students embrace climate and energy knowledge and do see an opportunity to change our energy future in a positive way. Students are so engaged that energy clubs are springing up in highschools across the nation. Because of such global clubs university campuses are being connected throughout the world (Energy Crossroads www.energycrossroads.org) etc. There is a need and an interest, but what do teachers need in order to faciliate this learning? It is simple, they need financial support for classroom resources; standards based classroom ready lessons and materials; and, training. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a Department of Energy Lab, provides standards based education materials to schools across the nation. With a focus on renewable energy and energy efficiency education, NREL helps educators to prompt students to analyze and then question their energy choices and evaluate their carbon footprint. Classrooms can then discover the effects of those choices on greenhouse gas emmissions and climate change. The DOE Office of Science has found a way to contribute to teachers professional development through the Department of Energy Academics Creating Teacher Scientists (DOE ACTS) Program. This program affords teachers an opportunity to

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

Midwest Science Festival: Exploring Students' and Parents' Participation in and Attitudes Toward Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Dippel, Elizabeth A; Mechels, Keegan B; Griese, Emily R; Laufmann, Rachel N; Weimer, Jill M

2016-08-01

Compared to national numbers, South Dakota has a higher proportion of students interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Interest in science can be influenced by exposure to science through formal and informal learning. Informal science activities (including exposures and participation) have been found to elicit higher levels of interest in science, likely impacting one's attitude towards science overall. The current study goal is to better understand the levels and relationships of attitude, exposure, and participation in science that were present among students and parents attending a free science festival. The project collected survey data from 65 students and 79 parents attending a science festival ranging from age 6 to 65. Informal science participation is significantly related to science attitudes in students and informal science exposure is not. No relationship was found for parents between science attitudes and participation. Students who indicated high levels of informal science participation (i.e., reading science-themed books) were positively related to their attitudes regarding science. However, informal science exposures, such as attending the zoo or independently visiting a science lab, was not significantly associated with positive attitudes towards science.

Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar (ALFS) Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The ALFS lab is dedicated to support acoustic data analysis and processing software support to the AN/AQS-22 dipping sonar system. It includes stand-alone Software...

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.

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.

Microgrid central controller development and hierarchical control implemetation in the intelligent microgrid lab of Aalborg University

OpenAIRE

Meng, Lexuan; Savaghebi, Mehdi; Andrade, Fabio; Vasquez Quintero, Juan Carlos; Guerrero, Josep M.; Graells Sobré, Moisès

2015-01-01

This paper presents the development of a microgrid central controller in an inverter-based intelligent microgrid (iMG) lab in Aalborg University, Denmark. The iMG lab aims to provide a flexible experimental platform for comprehensive studies of microgrids. The complete control system applied in this lab is based on the hierarchical control scheme for microgrids and includes primary, secondary and tertiary control. The structure of the lab, including the lab facilities, configurations and comm...

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.

ATC-lab(Advanced): an air traffic control simulator with realism and control.

Science.gov (United States)

Fothergill, Selina; Loft, Shayne; Neal, Andrew

2009-02-01

ATC-lab(Advanced) is a new, publicly available air traffic control (ATC) simulation package that provides both realism and experimental control. ATC-lab(Advanced) simulations are realistic to the extent that the display features (including aircraft performance) and the manner in which participants interact with the system are similar to those used in an operational environment. Experimental control allows researchers to standardize air traffic scenarios, control levels of realism, and isolate specific ATC tasks. Importantly, ATC-lab(Advanced) also provides the programming control required to cost effectively adapt simulations to serve different research purposes without the need for technical support. In addition, ATC-lab(Advanced) includes a package for training participants and mathematical spreadsheets for designing air traffic events. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that ATC-lab(Advanced) is a flexible tool for applied and basic research.

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

Learning in the Science Lab: a New Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie Dunne

2013-04-01

Full Text Available This project aimed to improve the laboratory learning experience for undergraduate science students, focusing initially on first and third year cohorts, through specific objectives. Firstly, to incorporate novel teaching and assessment methods, including student led laboratories, in-house produced instructional videos, „Clickers‟ audience response devices, and pre-practical on-line MCQ assessments. Secondly, to develop timely feedback mechanisms, including peer review, tutor face to face and audio feedback, online automatic feedback, and report checklists. Finally, to imbed transferable skills into the laboratory including group work, communication skills (written and oral, organisation & project planning, health & safety, and preparedness for laboratories, final year projects & placement. Pedagogical evaluation was through anonymous multiple choice questionnaires and independent academic facilitated discussion forums. The main benefits are students who are better prepared, both for basic undergraduate laboratories and for independent research-based final year projects; continuity in the development of transferable skills; improved assessment quality though constructive alignment and appropriate feedback; and improved student satisfaction through engagement and feedback. The key recommendations arising from this study are; to encourage preparedness for practical sessions, harnessing technology to engage students through interesting pre-practical activities; to encourage an improved culture of feedback, including mechanisms such as podcasts, which also "feed-forward‟; and to encourage a culture where value is added to modules by actively incorporating transferable skills into all student activities and assessments, rather than a "bolt on" approach

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

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 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…

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;

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.

`INCLUDING' Partnerships to Build Authentic Research Into K-12 Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Turrin, M.; Lev, E.; Newton, R.; Xu, C.

2017-12-01

Opportunities for authentic research experiences have been shown effective for recruiting and retaining students in STEM fields. Meaningful research experiences entail significant time in project design, modeling ethical practice, providing training, instruction, and ongoing guidance. We propose that in order to be sustainable, a new instructional paradigm is needed, one that shifts from being top-weighted in instruction to a distributed weight model. This model relies on partnerships where everyone has buy-in and reaps rewards, establishing broadened networks for support, and adjusting the mentoring model. We use our successful Secondary School Field Research Program as a model for this new paradigm. For over a decade this program has provided authentic geoscience field research for an expanding group of predominantly inner city high school youth from communities underrepresented in the sciences. The program has shifted the balance with returning participants now serving as undergraduate mentors for the high school student `researchers', providing much of the ongoing training, instruction, guidance and feedback needed. But in order to be sustainable and impactful we need to broaden our base. A recent NSF-INCLUDES pilot project has allowed us to expand this model, linking schools, informal education non-profits, other academic institutions, community partners and private funding agencies into geographically organized `clusters'. Starting with a tiered mentoring model with scientists as consultants, teachers as team members, undergraduates as team leaders and high school students as researchers, each cluster will customize its program to reflect the needs and strengths of the team. To be successful each organization must identify how the program fits their organizational goals, the resources they can contribute and what they need back. Widening the partnership base spreads institutional commitments for research scientists, research locations and lab space

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

Lab-on-a-Chip Pathogen Sensors for Food Safety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bumsang Kim

2012-08-01

Full Text Available There have been a number of cases of foodborne illness among humans that are caused by pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, etc. The current practices to detect such pathogenic agents are cell culturing, immunoassays, or polymerase chain reactions (PCRs. These methods are essentially laboratory-based methods that are not at all real-time and thus unavailable for early-monitoring of such pathogens. They are also very difficult to implement in the field. Lab-on-a-chip biosensors, however, have a strong potential to be used in the field since they can be miniaturized and automated; they are also potentially fast and very sensitive. These lab-on-a-chip biosensors can detect pathogens in farms, packaging/processing facilities, delivery/distribution systems, and at the consumer level. There are still several issues to be resolved before applying these lab-on-a-chip sensors to field applications, including the pre-treatment of a sample, proper storage of reagents, full integration into a battery-powered system, and demonstration of very high sensitivity, which are addressed in this review article. Several different types of lab-on-a-chip biosensors, including immunoassay- and PCR-based, have been developed and tested for detecting foodborne pathogens. Their assay performance, including detection limit and assay time, are also summarized. Finally, the use of optical fibers or optical waveguide is discussed as a means to improve the portability and sensitivity of lab-on-a-chip pathogen sensors.

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.

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.

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…

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…

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.

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.

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.

The Influence of Tablet PCs on Students' Use of Multiple Representations in Lab Reports

Science.gov (United States)

Guelman, Clarisa Bercovich; De Leone, Charles; Price, Edward

2009-11-01

This study examined how different tools influenced students' use of representations in the Physics laboratory. In one section of a lab course, every student had a Tablet PC that served as a digital-ink based lab notebook. Students could seamlessly create hand-drawn graphics and equations, and write lab reports on the same computer used for data acquisition, simulation, and analysis. In another lab section, students used traditional printed lab guides, kept paper notebooks, and then wrote lab reports on regular laptops. Analysis of the lab reports showed differences between the sections' use of multiple representations, including an increased use of diagrams and equations by the Tablet users.

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

Lab Aliens, Legendary Fossils, and Deadly Science Potions: Views of Science and Scientists from Fifth Graders in a Free-Choice Creative Writing Program

Science.gov (United States)

Hellman, Leslie G.

This qualitative study uses children's writing to explore the divide between a conception of Science as a humanistic discipline reliant on creativity, ingenuity and out of the box thinking and a persistent public perception of science and scientists as rigid and methodical. Artifacts reviewed were 506 scripts written during 2014 and 2016 by 5th graders participating in an out-of classroom, mentor supported, free-choice 10-week arts and literacy initiative. 47% (237) of these scripts were found to contain content relating to Science, Scientists, Science Education and the Nature of Science. These 237 scripts were coded for themes; characteristics of named scientist characters were tracked and analyzed. Findings included NOS understandings being expressed by representation of Science and Engineering Practices; Ingenuity being primarily linked to Engineering tasks; common portrayals of science as magical or scientists as villains; and a persistence in negative stereotypes of scientists, including a lack of gender equity amongst the named scientist characters. Findings suggest that representations of scientists in popular culture highly influence the portrayals of scientists constructed by the students. Recommendations to teachers include encouraging explicit consideration of big-picture NOS concepts such as ethics during elementary school and encouraging the replacement of documentary or educational shows with more engaging fictional media.

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

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.

A Virtual PV Systems Lab for Engineering Undergraduate Curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emre Ozkop

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Design and utilization of a Virtual Photovoltaic Systems Laboratory for undergraduate curriculum are introduced in this paper. The laboratory introduced in this study is developed to teach students the basics and design steps of photovoltaic solar energy systems in a virtual environment before entering the field. The users of the proposed virtual lab will be able to determine the sizing by selecting related parameters of the photovoltaic system to meet DC and AC loading conditions. Besides, the user will be able to analyze the effect of changing solar irradiation and temperature levels on the operating characteristics of the photovoltaic systems. Common DC bus concept and AC loading conditions are also included in the system by utilizing a permanent magnet DC motor and an RLC load as DC and AC loading examples, respectively. The proposed Virtual Photovoltaic Systems Laboratory is developed in Matlab/Simulink GUI environment. The proposed virtual lab has been used in Power Systems Lab in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Karadeniz Technical University as a part of undergraduate curriculum. A survey on the students who took the lab has been carried out and responses are included in this paper.

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…

LabVIEW Interface for PCI-SpaceWire Interface Card

Science.gov (United States)

Lux, James; Loya, Frank; Bachmann, Alex

2005-01-01

This software provides a LabView interface to the NT drivers for the PCISpaceWire card, which is a peripheral component interface (PCI) bus interface that conforms to the IEEE-1355/ SpaceWire standard. As SpaceWire grows in popularity, the ability to use SpaceWire links within LabVIEW will be important to electronic ground support equipment vendors. In addition, there is a need for a high-level LabVIEW interface to the low-level device- driver software supplied with the card. The LabVIEW virtual instrument (VI) provides graphical interfaces to support all (1) SpaceWire link functions, including message handling and routing; (2) monitoring as a passive tap using specialized hardware; and (3) low-level access to satellite mission-control subsystem functions. The software is supplied in a zip file that contains LabVIEW VI files, which provide various functions of the PCI-SpaceWire card, as well as higher-link-level functions. The VIs are suitably named according to the matching function names in the driver manual. A number of test programs also are provided to exercise various functions.

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.

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,…

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...

An update on Lab Rover: A hospital material transporter

Science.gov (United States)

Mattaboni, Paul

1994-01-01

The development of a hospital material transporter, 'Lab Rover', is described. Conventional material transport now utilizes people power, push carts, pneumatic tubes and tracked vehicles. Hospitals are faced with enormous pressure to reduce operating costs. Cyberotics, Inc. developed an Autonomous Intelligent Vehicle (AIV). This battery operated service robot was designed specifically for health care institutions. Applications for the AIV include distribution of clinical lab samples, pharmacy drugs, administrative records, x-ray distribution, meal tray delivery, and certain emergency room applications. The first AIV was installed at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass. Lab Rover was beta tested for one year and has been 'on line' for an additional 2 years.

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.

ART-SCIENCE OF THE SPACE AGE: towards a platform for art-science collaborations at ESTEC

Science.gov (United States)

Domnitch, E.; Gelfand, D.

2015-10-01

In 2013, in collaboration with ESTEC scientist Bernard Foing and the ArtScience Interfaculty (Royal Academy of the Arts, The Hague), Synergetica Lab (Amsterdam) developed a course, which was repeated in 2015, for bachelor's and master's students aimed at seeding interactions with ESA researchers. The participants created artworks investigating space travel, radio astronomy, microgravity, ecosynthesis as well as extraterrestrial physics and architecture [1] [2]. After their initial presentation at the Royal Academy, these artworks were shown at ESTEC, TodaysArt Festival (The Hague), and TEC ART (Rotterdam). These presentations prompted diverse future collaborations and outreach opportunities, including the European Planetary Science Congress 2014 (Cascais) and the AxS Festival (Los Angeles).

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/

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

Extreme Science (LBNL Science at the Theater)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ajo-Franklin, Caroline; Klein, Spencer; Minor, Andrew; Torok, Tamas

2012-02-27

On Feb. 27, 2012 at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, four Berkeley Lab scientists presented talks related to extreme science - and what it means to you. Topics include: Neutrino hunting in Antarctica. Learn why Spencer Klein goes to the ends of the Earth to search for these ghostly particles. From Chernobyl to Central Asia, Tamas Torok travels the globe to study microbial diversity in extreme environments. Andrew Minor uses the world's most advanced electron microscopes to explore materials at ultrahigh stresses and in harsh environments. And microbes that talk to computers? Caroline Ajo-Franklin is pioneering cellular-electrical connections that could help transform sunlight into fuel.

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.

Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Author Affiliations. Wang Juan1 Li Yajiang1 Wu Huiqiang1 Ren Jiangwei1. Key Lab of Liquid Structure and Heredity of Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, P.R. China ...

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.

TELECOM LAB

CERN Multimedia

IT-CS-TEL Section

2001-01-01

The Telecom Lab is moving from Building 104 to Building 31 S-026, with its entrance via the ramp on the side facing Restaurant n°2. The help desk will thus be closed to users on Tuesday 8 May. On May 9, the Lab will only be able to deal with problems of a technical nature at the new address and it will not be able to process any new subscription requests throughout the week from 7 to 11 May. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.

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.

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.

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…

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

Department of Energy's Virtual Lab Infrastructure for Integrated Earth System Science Data

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, D. N.; Palanisamy, G.; Shipman, G.; Boden, T.; Voyles, J.

2014-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) Climate and Environmental Sciences Division (CESD) produces a diversity of data, information, software, and model codes across its research and informatics programs and facilities. This information includes raw and reduced observational and instrumentation data, model codes, model-generated results, and integrated data products. Currently, most of this data and information are prepared and shared for program specific activities, corresponding to CESD organization research. A major challenge facing BER CESD is how best to inventory, integrate, and deliver these vast and diverse resources for the purpose of accelerating Earth system science research. This talk provides a concept for a CESD Integrated Data Ecosystem and an initial roadmap for its implementation to address this integration challenge in the "Big Data" domain. Towards this end, a new BER Virtual Laboratory Infrastructure will be presented, which will include services and software connecting the heterogeneous CESD data holdings, and constructed with open source software based on industry standards, protocols, and state-of-the-art technology.

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.

Using collaborative technologies in remote lab delivery systems for topics in automation

Science.gov (United States)

Ashby, Joe E.

Lab exercises are a pedagogically essential component of engineering and technology education. Distance education remote labs are being developed which enable students to access lab facilities via the Internet. Collaboration, students working in teams, enhances learning activity through the development of communication skills, sharing observations and problem solving. Web meeting communication tools are currently used in remote labs. The problem identified for investigation was that no standards of practice or paradigms exist to guide remote lab designers in the selection of collaboration tools that best support learning achievement. The goal of this work was to add to the body of knowledge involving the selection and use of remote lab collaboration tools. Experimental research was conducted where the participants were randomly assigned to three communication treatments and learning achievement was measured via assessments at the completion of each of six remote lab based lessons. Quantitative instruments used for assessing learning achievement were implemented, along with a survey to correlate user preference with collaboration treatments. A total of 53 undergraduate technology students worked in two-person teams, where each team was assigned one of the treatments, namely (a) text messaging chat, (b) voice chat, or (c) webcam video with voice chat. Each had little experience with the subject matter involving automation, but possessed the necessary technical background. Analysis of the assessment score data included mean and standard deviation, confirmation of the homogeneity of variance, a one-way ANOVA test and post hoc comparisons. The quantitative and qualitative data indicated that text messaging chat negatively impacted learning achievement and that text messaging chat was not preferred. The data also suggested that the subjects were equally divided on preference to voice chat verses webcam video with voice chat. To the end of designing collaborative

Lab-scale experiment of a closed thermochemical heat storage system including honeycomb heat exchanger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fopah-Lele, Armand; Rohde, Christian; Neumann, Karsten; Tietjen, Theo; Rönnebeck, Thomas; N'Tsoukpoe, Kokouvi Edem; Osterland, Thomas; Opel, Oliver

2016-01-01

A lab-scale thermochemical heat storage reactor was developed in the European project “thermal battery” to obtain information on the characteristics of a closed heat storage system, based on thermochemical reactions. The present type of storage is capable of re-using waste heat from cogeneration system to produce useful heat for space heating. The storage material used was SrBr 2 ·6H 2 O. Due to agglomeration or gel-like problems, a structural element was introduced to enhance vapour and heat transfer. Honeycomb heat exchanger was designed and tested. 13 dehydration-hydration cycles were studied under low-temperature conditions (material temperatures < 100 °C) for storage. Discharging was realized at water vapour pressure of about 42 mbar. Temperature evolution inside the reactor at different times and positions, chemical conversion, thermal power and overall efficiency were analysed for the selected cycles. Experimental system thermal capacity and efficiency of 65 kWh and 0.77 are respectively obtained with about 1 kg of SrBr 2 ·6H 2 O. Heat transfer fluid recovers heat at a short span of about 43 °C with an average of 22 °C during about 4 h, acceptable temperature for the human comfort (20 °C on day and 16 °C at night). System performances were obtained for a salt bed energy density of 213 kWh·m 3 . The overall heat transfer coefficient of the honeycomb heat exchanger has an average value of 147 W m −2  K −1 . Though promising results have been obtained, ameliorations need to be made, in order to make the closed thermochemical heat storage system competitive for space heating. - Highlights: • Lab-scale thermochemical heat storage is designed, constructed and tested. • The use of honeycomb heat exchanger as a heat and vapour process enhancement. • Closed system (1 kg SrBr 2 ·6H 2 O) able to give back 3/4 of initial thermal waste energy. • System storage capacity and thermal efficiency are respectively 65 kWh and 0.77. �

Payments to the Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Goals Recycling Green Purchasing Pollution Prevention Reusing Water Resources Environmental Management the Lab Make payments for event registrations, sponsorships, insurance, travel, other fees. Contact Treasury Team (505) 667-4090 Email If you need to make a payment to the Lab for an event registration

Microgrid Central Controller Development and Hierarchical Control Implementation in the Intelligent MicroGrid Lab of Aalborg University

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meng, Lexuan; Savaghebi, Mehdi; Andrade, Fabio

2015-01-01

This paper presents the development of a microgrid central controller in an inverter-based intelligent microgrid (iMG) lab in Aalborg University, Denmark. The iMG lab aims to provide a flexible experimental platform for comprehensive studies of microgrids. The complete control system applied...... in this lab is based on the hierarchical control scheme for microgrids and includes primary, secondary and tertiary control. The structure of the lab, including the lab facilities, configurations and communication network, is first introduced. Primary control loops are developed in MATLAB....../Simulink and compiled to dSPACEs for local control purposes. In order to realize system supervision and proper secondary and tertiary management, a LabVIEW-based microgrid central controller is also developed. The software and hardware schemes are described. An example case is introduced and tested in the iMG lab...

PlanetLab Europe as Geographically-Distributed Testbed for Software Development and Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Komosny

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we analyse the use of PlanetLab Europe for development and evaluation of geographically-oriented Internet services. PlanetLab is a global research network with the main purpose to support development of new Internet services and protocols. PlanetLab is divided into several branches; one of them is PlanetLab Europe. PlanetLab Europe consists of about 350 nodes at 150 geographically different sites. The nodes are accessible by remote login, and the users can run their software on the nodes. In the paper, we study the PlanetLab's properties that are significant for its use as a geographically distributed testbed. This includes node position accuracy, services availability and stability. We find a considerable number of location inaccuracies and a number of services that cannot be considered as reliable. Based on the results we propose a simple approach to nodes selection in testbeds for geographically-oriented Internet services development and evaluation.

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.

ScalaLab and GroovyLab: Comparing Scala and Groovy for Scientific Computing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stergios Papadimitriou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available ScalaLab and GroovyLab are both MATLAB-like environments for the Java Virtual Machine. ScalaLab is based on the Scala programming language and GroovyLab is based on the Groovy programming language. They present similar user interfaces and functionality to the user. They also share the same set of Java scientific libraries and of native code libraries. From the programmer's point of view though, they have significant differences. This paper compares some aspects of the two environments and highlights some of the strengths and weaknesses of Scala versus Groovy for scientific computing. The discussion also examines some aspects of the dilemma of using dynamic typing versus static typing for scientific programming. The performance of the Java platform is continuously improved at a fast pace. Today Java can effectively support demanding high-performance computing and scales well on multicore platforms. Thus, both systems can challenge the performance of the traditional C/C++/Fortran scientific code with an easier to use and more productive programming environment.

Hess Deep Interactive Lab: Exploring the Structure and Formation of the Oceanic Crust through Hands-On Models and Online Tools

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtz, N.; Marks, N.; Cooper, S. K.

2014-12-01

Scientific ocean drilling through the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) has contributed extensively to our knowledge of Earth systems science. However, many of its methods and discoveries can seem abstract and complicated for students. Collaborations between scientists and educators/artists to create accurate yet engaging demonstrations and activities have been crucial to increasing understanding and stimulating interest in fascinating geological topics. One such collaboration, which came out of Expedition 345 to the Hess Deep Rift, resulted in an interactive lab to explore sampling rocks from the usually inacessible lower oceanic crust, offering an insight into the geological processes that form the structure of the Earth's crust. This Hess Deep Interactive Lab aims to explain several significant discoveries made by oceanic drilling utilizing images of actual thin sections and core samples recovered from IODP expeditions. . Participants can interact with a physical model to learn about the coring and drilling processes, and gain an understanding of seafloor structures. The collaboration of this lab developed as a need to explain fundamental notions of the ocean crust formed at fast-spreading ridges. A complementary interactive online lab can be accessed at www.joidesresolution.org for students to engage further with these concepts. This project explores the relationship between physical and on-line models to further understanding, including what we can learn from the pros and cons of each.

Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Key Lab for Green Processing and Functionalization of New Textile Materials, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430073, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, P.R. China; Zhuxi ...

Microtechnology in Space: NASA's Lab-on-a-Chip Applications Development Program

Science.gov (United States)

Monaco, Lisa; Spearing, Scott; Jenkins, Andy; Symonds, Wes; Mayer, Derek; Gouldie, Edd; Wainwright, Norm; Fries, Marc; Maule, Jake; Toporski, Jan

2004-01-01

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Lab on a Chip Application Development LOCAD) team has worked with microfluidic technology for the past few years in an effort to support NASA's Mission. In that time, such microfluidic based Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) systems have become common technology in clinical and diagnostic laboratories. The approach is most attractive due to its highly miniaturized platform and ability to perform reagent handling (i-e., dilution, mixing, separation) and diagnostics for multiple reactions in an integrated fashion. LOCAD, along with Caliper Life Sciences has successfully developed the first LOC device for macromolecular crystallization using a workstation acquired specifically for designing custom chips, the Caliper 42. LOCAD uses this, along with a novel MSFC-designed and built workstation for microfluidic development. The team has a cadre of LOC devices that can be used to perform initial feasibility testing to determine the efficacy of the LOC approach for a specific application. Once applicability has been established, the LOCAD team, along with the Army's Aviation and Missile Command microfabrication facility, can then begin to custom design and fabricate a device per the user's specifications. This presentation will highlight the LOCAD team's proven and unique expertise that has been utilized to provide end to end capabilities associated with applying microfluidics for applications that include robotic life detection instrumentation, crew health monitoring and microbial and environmental monitoring for human Exploration.

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)

CDC Lab Values

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

More than fifteen hundred scientists fill the lab benches at CDC, logging more than four million hours each year. CDC’s laboratories play a critical role in the agency’s ability to find, stop, and prevent disease outbreaks. This podcast provides a brief overview of what goes on inside CDC’s labs, and why this work makes a difference in American’s health.

The StratusLab cloud distribution: Use-cases and support for scientific applications

Science.gov (United States)

Floros, E.

2012-04-01

The StratusLab project is integrating an open cloud software distribution that enables organizations to setup and provide their own private or public IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) computing clouds. StratusLab distribution capitalizes on popular infrastructure virtualization solutions like KVM, the OpenNebula virtual machine manager, Claudia service manager and SlipStream deployment platform, which are further enhanced and expanded with additional components developed within the project. The StratusLab distribution covers the core aspects of a cloud IaaS architecture, namely Computing (life-cycle management of virtual machines), Storage, Appliance management and Networking. The resulting software stack provides a packaged turn-key solution for deploying cloud computing services. The cloud computing infrastructures deployed using StratusLab can support a wide range of scientific and business use cases. Grid computing has been the primary use case pursued by the project and for this reason the initial priority has been the support for the deployment and operation of fully virtualized production-level grid sites; a goal that has already been achieved by operating such a site as part of EGI's (European Grid Initiative) pan-european grid infrastructure. In this area the project is currently working to provide non-trivial capabilities like elastic and autonomic management of grid site resources. Although grid computing has been the motivating paradigm, StratusLab's cloud distribution can support a wider range of use cases. Towards this direction, we have developed and currently provide support for setting up general purpose computing solutions like Hadoop, MPI and Torque clusters. For what concerns scientific applications the project is collaborating closely with the Bioinformatics community in order to prepare VM appliances and deploy optimized services for bioinformatics applications. In a similar manner additional scientific disciplines like Earth Science can take

Guidelines for Urban Labs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2017-01-01

urban lab initiatives from five different European cities: Antwerp (B), Graz and Leoben (A), Maastricht (NL) and Malmö (S). We do not pretend that these guidelines touch upon all possible challenges an urban lab may be confronted with, but we have incorporated all those we encountered in our...

Reviews Book: Marie Curie: A Biography Book: Fast Car Physics Book: Beautiful Invisible Equipment: Fun Fly Stick Science Kit Book: Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You Book: Chaos: The Science of Predictable Random Motion Book: Seven Wonders of the Universe Book: Special Relativity Equipment: LabVIEWTM 2009 Education Edition Places to Visit: Edison and Ford Winter Estates Places to Visit: The Computer History Museum Web Watch

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-01

WE RECOMMEND Fun Fly Stick Science Kit Fun fly stick introduces electrostatics to youngsters Special Relativity Text makes a useful addition to the study of relativity as an undergraduate LabVIEWTM 2009 Education Edition LabVIEW sets industry standard for gathering and analysing data, signal processing, instrumentation design and control, and automation and robotics Edison and Ford Winter Estates Thomas Edison's home is open to the public The Computer History Museum Take a walk through technology history at this computer museum WORTH A LOOK Fast Car Physics Book races through physics Beautiful Invisible The main subject of this book is theoretical physics Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You A guide to physics on the large and small scale Chaos: The Science of Predictable Random Motion Book explores the mathematics behind chaotic behaviour Seven Wonders of the Universe A textual trip through the wonderful universe HANDLE WITH CARE Marie Curie: A Biography Book fails to capture Curie's science WEB WATCH Web clips to liven up science lessons

Now You're Cooking! Heat Transfer Labs: From Basic Recipes to Full Inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Hazzard, Edmund

2012-01-01

A recipe is a great way to learn about the procedure and the variables (or "ingredients") involved. Cookbooks are comforting and valuable: They're easy to follow, and people know what they'll get. The problem is that cookbook labs end just when things get interesting. The excitement of science is in understanding the discovery and pursuing the…

Resonance – Journal of Science Education | News

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 22; Issue 11. Science Academies' Refresher Course on Bioprospection of Bioresources: Land to Lab Approach. Information and Announcements Volume 22 Issue 11 November 2017 pp 1101-1101 ...

Kuhn in the Classroom, Lakatos in the Lab: Science Educators Confront the Nature-of-Science Debate.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Steven; Sullenger, Karen

1999-01-01

Examines how science educators and educational researchers have drawn on the fragmented teachings of science studies about the nature of science, and how they have used those teachings as a resource in their own projects. Analyzes some of the deep assumptions about the relationship between science, school science, and children's learning.…

Discovering Science through Art-Based Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Alberts, Rebecca

2010-01-01

Art and science are intrinsically linked; the essence of art and science is discovery. Both artists and scientists work in a systematic but creative way--knowledge and understanding are built up through pieces of art or a series of labs. In the classroom, integrating science and visual art can provide students with the latitude to think, discover,…

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.

Ntal/Lab/Lat2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iwaki, Shoko; Jensen, Bettina M; Gilfillan, Alasdair M

2007-01-01

T cells. As demonstrated in monocytes and B cells, phosphorylated NTAL/LAB/LAT2 recruits signaling molecules such as Grb2, Gab1 and c-Cbl into receptor-signaling complexes. Although gene knock out and knock down studies have indicated that NTAL/LAB/LAT2 may function as both a positive and negative...

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 ...

Altitude Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Altitude Lab evaluates the performance of complete oxygen systems operated in individually controlled hypobaric chambers, which duplicate pressures that would be...

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…

Designing Viable Business Models for Living Labs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernhard R. Katzy

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Over 300 regions have integrated the concept of living labs into their economic development strategy since 2006, when the former Finnish Prime Minister Esko Aho launched the living lab innovation policy initiative during his term of European presidency. Despite motivating initial results, however, success cases of turning research into usable new products and services remain few and uncertainty remains on what living labs actually do and contribute. This practitioner-oriented article presents a business excellence model that shows processes of idea creation and team mobilization, new product development, user involvement, and entrepreneurship through which living labs deliver high-potential investment opportunities. Customers of living labs are identified as investors such as venture capitalists or industrial firms because living labs can generate revenue from them to create their own sustainable business model. The article concludes that living labs provide extensive support “lab” infrastructure and that it remains a formidable challenge to finance it, which calls for a more intensive debate.

Nanotechnology and the Developing World: Lab-on-Chip Technology for Health and Environmental Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Michael D.

2008-01-01

This article argues that advances in nanotechnology in general, and lab-on-chip technology in particular, have the potential to benefit the developing world in its quest to control risks to human health and the environment. Based on the "risk society" thesis of Ulrich Beck, it is argued that the developed world must realign its science and…

Using RSpec in an introductory bright star spectroscopy lab activity

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, James; Sitar, David J.

2018-01-01

After presenting at the North Carolina Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers during the fall 2016 meeting, we were encouraged to turn our poster into a paper. This article describes the strengthening of a bright star spectroscopy lab activity for introductory astronomy lab students (AST1002) at Appalachian State University. Explanations of the tools and methods used in the activity are included, particularly the preparation of additional materials using RSpec and calibrated instrument response curves.

CDC Lab Values

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2015-02-02

More than fifteen hundred scientists fill the lab benches at CDC, logging more than four million hours each year. CDC’s laboratories play a critical role in the agency’s ability to find, stop, and prevent disease outbreaks. This podcast provides a brief overview of what goes on inside CDC’s labs, and why this work makes a difference in American’s health.  Created: 2/2/2015 by Office of the Associate Director for Communication (OADC).   Date Released: 2/2/2015.

In Defense of the National Labs and Big-Budget Science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goodwin, J R

2008-07-29

The purpose of this paper is to present the unofficial and unsanctioned opinions of a Visiting Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on the values of LLNL and the other National Labs. The basic founding value and goal of the National Labs is big-budget scientific research, along with smaller-budget scientific research that cannot easily be done elsewhere. The most important example in the latter category is classified defense-related research. The historical guiding light here is the Manhattan Project. This endeavor was unique in human history, and might remain so. The scientific expertise and wealth of an entire nation was tapped in a project that was huge beyond reckoning, with no advance guarantee of success. It was in many respects a clash of scientific titans, with a large supporting cast, collaborating toward a single well-defined goal. Never had scientists received so much respect, so much money, and so much intellectual freedom to pursue scientific progress. And never was the gap between theory and implementation so rapidly narrowed, with results that changed the world, completely. Enormous resources are spent at the national or international level on large-scale scientific projects. LLNL has the most powerful computer in the world, Blue Gene/L. (Oops, Los Alamos just seized the title with Roadrunner; such titles regularly change hands.) LLNL also has the largest laser in the world, the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) has the most powerful microscope in the world. Not only is it beyond the resources of most large corporations to make such expenditures, but the risk exceeds the possible rewards for those corporations that could. Nor can most small countries afford to finance large scientific projects, and not even the richest can afford largess, especially if Congress is under major budget pressure. Some big-budget research efforts are funded by international consortiums, such as the Large Hadron Collider

FameLab: A Communication Skills-Building Program Disguised as an International Competition

Science.gov (United States)

Scalice, D.

2015-12-01

One of the key pieces of training missing from most graduate studies in science is skills-building in communication. Beyond the responsibility to share their work with the public, good communication skills enhance a scientist's career path, facilitating comprehension of their work by stakeholders and funders, as well as increasing the ability to collaborate interdisciplinarily. FameLab, an American Idol-style communication competition for early career scientists, helps fill this void, and provides an opportunity to pratice communication skills, with the coaching of professionals, in a safe space. The focus is on training and networking with like-minded scientists. NASA's Astrobiology Program has been implementing FameLab in the US since 2011, but over 25 countries take part globally. Come learn about this innovative program, what impact it's had on participants, and how you can get involved.

A new LabVIEW interface for MDSplus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manduchi, G.; De Marchi, E.; Mandelli, A.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Integration object oriented data access layer in LabVIEW. ► A new component of the MDSplus data acquisition package. ► A new approach in the graphical presentation of data acquisition systems. -- Abstract: The paper presents a new interface providing full integration of MDSplus in LabVIEW, based on the recent features of MDSplus, in particular, data streaming, multithreading and Object Oriented interface. Data streaming support fits into the data driven concept of LabVIEW and multithreading is a native concept in LabVIEW. The object oriented interface of MDSplus defines a set of classes which map specific functionality, such as Tree and TreeNode to represent pulse files and data items, respectively, and fits naturally into the LabVIEW Object Oriented programming interface (LVOOP) introduced in version 8.2. MDSplus objects have been mapped onto LabVIEW objects, which act as wrappers to the underlying MDSplus object instance. This approach allows exporting the full MDSplus functionality into LabVIEW retaining the language-independent system view provided by the MDSplus object oriented interface

A new LabVIEW interface for MDSplus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manduchi, G., E-mail: gabriele.manduchi@igi.cnr.it [Consorzio RFX, Euratom-ENEA Association, Padova (Italy); De Marchi, E. [Department of Information Engineering, Padova University (Italy); Mandelli, A. [National Instruments (Italy)

2013-10-15

Highlights: ► Integration object oriented data access layer in LabVIEW. ► A new component of the MDSplus data acquisition package. ► A new approach in the graphical presentation of data acquisition systems. -- Abstract: The paper presents a new interface providing full integration of MDSplus in LabVIEW, based on the recent features of MDSplus, in particular, data streaming, multithreading and Object Oriented interface. Data streaming support fits into the data driven concept of LabVIEW and multithreading is a native concept in LabVIEW. The object oriented interface of MDSplus defines a set of classes which map specific functionality, such as Tree and TreeNode to represent pulse files and data items, respectively, and fits naturally into the LabVIEW Object Oriented programming interface (LVOOP) introduced in version 8.2. MDSplus objects have been mapped onto LabVIEW objects, which act as wrappers to the underlying MDSplus object instance. This approach allows exporting the full MDSplus functionality into LabVIEW retaining the language-independent system view provided by the MDSplus object oriented interface.

A Nuclear Scale System Based on LabVIEW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Shixing; Gu Qindong

2009-01-01

Nuclear mass scales measure the weight of materials which absorb and attenuate the nuclear radiation when the low energy γ-ray through it and is a non-contact continuous measurement device with simple structure and reliable operation. LabVIEW as a graphical programming language is a standard data acquisition and instrument control software. Based on the principle of nuclear mass scale measuring system, monitoring software for nuclear scale system is designed using LabVIEW programming environment. Software architecture mainly composed of three basic modules which include the monitoring software, databases and Web services. It achieves measurement data acquisition, status monitoring, and data management and has networking functions. (authors)

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 �

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…

Students Dig Deep in the Mystery Soil Lab: A Playful, Inquiry-Based Soil Laboratory Project

Science.gov (United States)

Thiet, Rachel K.

2014-01-01

The Mystery Soil Lab, a playful, inquiry-based laboratory project, is designed to develop students' skills of inquiry, soil analysis, and synthesis of foundational concepts in soil science and soil ecology. Student groups are given the charge to explore and identify a "Mystery Soil" collected from a unique landscape within a 10-mile…

Focusing on the Processes of Science Using Inquiry-oriented Astronomy Labs for Learning Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Speck, Angela; Ruzhitskaya, L.; Whittington, A.; Witzig, S.

2010-01-01

The U.S. National Science Education Standards provide guidelines for teaching science through inquiry, where students actively develop their understanding of science by combining scientific knowledge with reasoning and thinking skills. Inquiry activities include reading scientific literature, generating hypotheses, designing and carrying out investigations, interpreting data, and formulating conclusions. Inquiry-based instruction emphasizes questions, evidence, and explanation, the essential features of inquiry. We present two projects designed to develop learning materials for laboratory experiences in an undergraduate astronomy course. First, we engage students in inquiry-based learning by using "mini-journal” articles that follow the format of a scientific journal article, including a title, authors, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion and citations to peer-reviewed literature. The mini-journal provides a scaffold and serves as a springboard for students to develop and carry out their own follow-up investigation. They then present their findings in the form of their own mini-journal. This mini-journal format more directly reflects and encourages scientific practice. We use this technique in both introductory and upper level courses. The second project develops 3D virtual reality environments to help students interact with scientific constructs, and the use of collaborative learning tools to motivate student activity, deepen understanding and support knowledge building.

DOE Lab-to-Lab MPC ampersand A workshop for cooperative tasks with Russian institutes: Focus on critical assemblies and item facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bieber, A.M. Jr.; Fishbone, L.G.; Kato, W.Y.; Lazareth, O.W.; Suda, S.C.; Garcia, D.; Haga, R.

1995-01-01

Seventeen Russian scientists and engineers representing five different institutes participated in a Workshop on material control and accounting as part of the US-Russian Lab-to-Lab Cooperative Program in Nuclear Materials Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC ampersand A). In addition to presentations and discussions, the Workshop included an exercise at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and demonstrations at the Zero Power Physics Reactor (critical-assembly facility) of Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W). The Workshop particularly emphasized procedures for physical inventory-taking at critical assemblies and item facilities, with associated supporting techniques and methods. By learning these topics and applying the methods and experience at their own institutes, the Russian scientists and engineers will be able to determine and verify nuclear material inventories based on sound procedures, including measurements. This will constitute a significant enhancement to MPC ampersand A at the Russian institutes

The Schrödinger Sessions: Science for Science Fiction

Science.gov (United States)

Orzel, Chad; Edwards, Emily; Rolston, Steven

In July 2015, we held a workshop for 17 science fiction writers working in a variety of media at the Joint Quantum Institute at the University of Maryland, College Park. ''The Schrödinger Sessions,'' funded by an outreach grant from APS, provided a three-day ''crash course'' on quantum physics and technology, including lectures from JQI scientists and tours of JQI labs. The goal was to better inform and inspire stories making use of quantum physics, as a means of outreach to inspire a broad audience of future scientists. We will report on the contents of the workshop, reactions from the attendees and presenters, and future plans. Funded by an Outreach Mini-Grant from the APS.

LabVIEW Real-Time

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva; Flockhart, Ronald Bruce; Seppey, P

2003-01-01

With LabVIEW Real-Time, you can choose from a variety of RT Series hardware. Add a real-time data acquisition component into a larger measurement and automation system or create a single stand-alone real-time solution with data acquisition, signal conditioning, motion control, RS-232, GPIB instrumentation, and Ethernet connectivity. With the various hardware options, you can create a system to meet your precise needs today, while the modularity of the system means you can add to the solution as your system requirements grow. If you are interested in Reliable and Deterministic systems for Measurement and Automation, you will profit from this seminar. Agenda: Real-Time Overview LabVIEW RT Hardware Platforms - Linux on PXI Programming with LabVIEW RT Real-Time Operating Systems concepts Timing Applications Data Transfer

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.

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

French environmental labs may get 'big science' funds

CERN Multimedia

2000-01-01

France is considering expanding its network of enviromental laboratories to study the long term impacts of environmental change. It has been suggested that this could be funded using the 'big science' budget usually used for facilities such as particle accelerators (2 para).

mQoL smart lab

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Masi, Alexandre; Ciman, Matteo; Gustarini, Mattia

2016-01-01

serve quality research in all of them. In this paper, we present own "mQoL Smart Lab" for interdisciplinary research efforts on individuals' "Quality of Life" improvement. We present an evolution of our current in-house living lab platform enabling continuous, pervasive data collection from individuals...

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.

Through the Looking Glass: Examining the Practice of Science Classroom Dissection with a Multi-Faceted Lens

Science.gov (United States)

Witte, Melissa Marie

2014-01-01

Dissection of lab specimens is a common procedure in science classrooms, yet there are many unasked and unexamined questions relating to this practice. In addition to ethical considerations, there are personal and environmental health impacts of using conventional dissection, which has historically included animals and animal organs embalmed in…

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.

Physics Myth Busting: A Lab-Centered Course for Non-Science Students

Science.gov (United States)

Madsen, Martin John

2011-01-01

There is ongoing interest in how and what we teach in physics courses for non-science students, so-called "physics for poets" courses. Art Hobson has effectively argued that teaching science literacy should be a key ingredient in these courses. Hobson uses Jon Millers definition of science literacy, which has two components: first, "a basic…

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

Improving Student Success in Calculus I Using a Co-Requisite Calculus I Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Vestal, Sharon Schaffer; Brandenburger, Thomas; Furth, Alfred

2015-01-01

This paper describes how one university mathematics department was able to improve student success in Calculus I by requiring a co-requisite lab for certain groups of students. The groups of students required to take the co-requisite lab were identified by analyzing student data, including Math ACT scores, ACT Compass Trigonometry scores, and…

A Lab of Her Own? Portrayals of Female Characters on Children's Educational Science Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinke, Jocelyn; Long, Marilee

1996-01-01

Describes a study that examined the portrayals of female characters on four educational science television series for children and discusses those portrayals in the light of other research on television and socialization. Topics include children's perceptions of occupational sex roles; theories of sex-role development; and implications for future…

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.

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...

Life of Science

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engelhardt, Robin; Margot Ricard, Lykke

Learning Lab Denmark, København. 2003 Short description: In connection to the conference Changes and Challenges the White Book "Life of Science" was published. Member states of the European Union as well as applying countries were invited to contribute to the book with texts in order to present...... inspiring cases of concrete educational strategies for improving learning, teaching and recruitment in the fields of science and technology. Abstract: The aim of this white book is to present some of the most inspiring examples of Science and Technology Education in Europe. In creating the white book, we...

Energy, information science, and systems science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallace, Terry C [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mercer - Smith, Janet A [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2011-02-01

This presentation will discuss global trends in population, energy consumption, temperature changes, carbon dioxide emissions, and energy security programs at Los Alamos National Laboratory. LANL's capabilities support vital national security missions and plans for the future. LANL science supports the energy security focus areas of impacts of Energy Demand Growth, Sustainable Nuclear Energy, and Concepts and Materials for Clean Energy. The innovation pipeline at LANL spans discovery research through technology maturation and deployment. The Lab's climate science capabilities address major issues. Examples of modeling and simulation for the Coupled Ocean and Sea Ice Model (COSIM) and interactions of turbine wind blades and turbulence will be given.

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.

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

U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon outside the U.S. Lab Destiny in the SSPF.

Science.gov (United States)

1999-01-01

In the Space Station Processing Facility, U.S. Rep Dave Weldon (at left) looks at the U.S. Lab, called Destiny. With him are Thomas R. 'Randy' Galloway, with the Space Station Hardware Integration Office, Dana Gartzke, the congressman's chief of staffm and Boeing workers. Weldon is on the House Science Committee and vice chairman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. Destiny is scheduled to be launched on Space Shuttle Endeavour in early 2000. It will become the centerpiece of scientific research on the ISS, with five equipment racks aboard to provide essential functions for station systems, including high data-rate communications, and to maintain the station's orientation using control gyroscopes launched earlier. Additional equipment and research racks will be installed in the laboratory on subsequent Shuttle flights.

Using the particle beam optics lab. (PBO LABtm) for beamline design and analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillespie, G.H.; Hill, B.W.; Martono, H.; Moore, J.M.; Lampel, M.C.; Brown, N.A.

1999-01-01

The Particle Beam Optics Interactive Computer Laboratory (PBO Lab) represents a new approach to providing software for particle beam optics modeling. The PBO Lab includes four key elements: a graphic user interface shell; a graphic beamline construction kit for users to interactively and visually construct optical beam lines; a knowledge database on the physics and technology of optical elements, and various charged particle optics computational engines. A first-order matrix code, including a space charge model, can be used to produce scaled images of beamlines together with overlays of single trajectories and beam envelopes. The qualitative results of graphically sliding beamline components, or adjusting bend angles, can be explored interactively. Quantitative computational engines currently include the third-order TRANSPORT code and the multi-particle ray tracing program TURTLE. The use of the PBO Lab for designing and analyzing a second order achromatic bend is illustrated with the Windows 95/NT version of the software. (authors)

EMERGE - ESnet/MREN Regional Science Grid Experimental NGI Testbed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mambretti, Joe; DeFanti, Tom; Brown, Maxine

2001-07-31

This document is the final report on the EMERGE Science Grid testbed research project from the perspective of the International Center for Advanced Internet Research (iCAIR) at Northwestern University, which was a subcontractor to this UIC project. This report is a compilation of information gathered from a variety of materials related to this project produced by multiple EMERGE participants, especially those at Electronic Visualization Lab (EVL) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Argonne National Lab and iCAIR. The EMERGE Science Grid project was managed by Tom DeFanti, PI from EVL at UIC.

The Telecom Lab is moving

CERN Multimedia

IT Department

2009-01-01

As of 2nd March 2009, the Telecom Lab will move to Building 58 R-017. The Telecom Lab is the central point for all support questions regarding CERN mobile phone services (provision of SIM cards, requests for modifications of subscriptions, diagnostics for mobile phone problems, etc.). The opening hours as well as the contact details for the Telecom Lab remain unchanged: New location: Building 58 R-017 Opening hours: Every week day, from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Phone number: 72480 Email address: labo.telecom@cern.ch This change has no impact on support requests for mobile services. Users can still submit their requests concerning mobile phone subscriptions using the usual EDH form (https://edh.cern.ch/Document/GSM). The automatic message sent to inform users of their SIM card availability will be updated to indicate the new Telecom Lab location. You can find all information related to CERN mobile phone services at the following link: http://cern.ch/gsm CS Section - IT/CS group

Science Laboratories and Indoor Air Quality in Schools. Technical Bulletin.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Bruce W.

Some of the issues surrounding the indoor air quality (IAQ) problems presented by science labs are discussed. Described are possible contaminants in labs, such as chemicals and biological organisms, and ways to lessen accidents arising from these sources are suggested. Some of the factors contributing to comfort, such as temperature levels, are…

A Living Lab as a Service: Creating Value for Micro-enterprises through Collaboration and Innovation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Ståhlbröst

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The need to innovate is increasingly important for all types and sizes of organizations, but the opportunities for innovation differ substantially between them. For micro-, small,- and medium-sized enterprises, innovation activities are both crucial and demanding because of limited resources, competencies, or vision to innovate their offerings. To support these organizations, the concept of living labs as a service has started to emerge. This concept refers to living labs offering services such as designing the idea-generation processes, planning or carrying out real-world tests of innovations, and pre-market launch assessments. In this article, we will present the findings from a study of micro-enterprises operating in the information technology development sector, including the experienced value of services provided to the companies by a research-based living lab. We share experiences from Botnia, our own living lab in northern Sweden. In this living lab, our aim of creating value for customers is of key importance. Our study shows that using a living lab as a service can generate three different types of value: improved innovations, the role the living lab can play, and the support the living lab offers.

Associateship | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Period: 1983–1986. Mehra, Prof. N K . Date of birth: 4 November 1949. Specialization: Clinical Immunology Address during Associateship: Officer-in-charge, Histocompati-, bility Lab., Dept. of Anotomy, All India Institute of Medical, Sciences, Ansari ...

Berkeley Lab Pilot on External Regulation of DOE National Laboratories by the U.S. NRC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeman, Gary H.

1999-01-01

The US Department of Energy and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission entered into an agreement in November 1997 to pursue external regulation of radiation safety at DOE national laboratories through a Pilot Program of simulated regulation at 6-10 sites over a 2 year period. The Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), the oldest of the DOE national laboratories, volunteered and was selected as the first Pilot site. Based on the similarities and linkages between Berkeley Lab and nearby university research laboratories, Berkeley Lab seemed a good candidate for external regulation and a good first step in familiarizing NRC with the technical and institutional issues involved in regulating laboratories in the DOE complex. NRC and DOE team members visited Berkeley Lab on four occasions between October 1997 and January 1998 to carry out the Pilot. The first step was to develop a detailed Work Plan, then to carry out both a technical review of the radiation safety program and an examination of policy and regulatory issues. The Pilot included a public meeting held in Oakland, CA in December 1997. The Pilot concluded with NRC's assessment that Berkeley Lab has a radiation protection program adequate to protect workers, the public and the environment, and that it is ready to be licensed by the NRC with minor programmatic exceptions. A draft final report of the Pilot was prepared and circulated for comment as a NUREG document (dated May 7, 1998). The report's recommendations include extending NRC regulatory authority to cover all ionizing radiation sources (including accelerators, x-ray units, NARM) at Berkeley Lab. Questions remaining to be resolved include: who should be the licensee (DOE, the Lab, or both)?; dealing with legacy issues and NRC D and D requirements; minimizing dual oversight; quantifying value added in terms of cost savings, enhanced safety, and improved public perception; extrapolating results to other national laboratories; and

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

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Andrea Lee

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 Papert’s (1980) theory of constructionism and Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory. Papert’s interest in how learners engaged in discussions with the items they made, and how these interactions increased self-guided learning, promoted the development of new knowledge. Self-efficacy, or one’s belief in his or her ability to perform behaviors necessary to produce specific achievements, increases as a result of the self-guided learning. These beliefs are proposed to influence future aspirations and the commitment to them. Results of the paired t-tests show a marked difference between 2016 participants (n= 49) and 2017 participants (n=31). Of the 2016 participants, no overall significance was found on attitudes towards math or science, but male attitudes within the math subset did show significance. The results of the 2017 program do show statistical significance in the area of science for females. It is hypothesized that the difference in results were due to the delivery of the program between the 2 years. Further research is necessary to confirm this hypothesis.

Towards a Manifesto for Living Lab Co-creation

Science.gov (United States)

Følstad, Asbjørn; Brandtzæg, Petter Bae; Gulliksen, Jan; Börjeson, Mikael; Näkki, Pirjo

There is a growing interest in Living Labs for innovation and development in the field of information and communication technology. In particular there seem to be a tendency that current Living Labs aim to involve users for co-creative purposes. However, the current literature on Living Lab co-creation is severely limited. Therefore an Interact workshop is arranged as a first step towards a manifesto for Living Lab co-creation.

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.

The Advanced Labs Website: resources for upper-level laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Isea, Ramon

2012-03-01

The Advanced Labs web resource collection is an effort to create a central, comprehensive information base for college/university faculty who teach upper-level undergraduate laboratories. The website is produced by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). It is a part of ComPADRE, the online collection of resources in physics and astronomy education, which itself is a part of the National Science Foundation-funded National Science Digital Library (NSDL). After a brief review of its history, we will discuss the current status of the website while describing the various types of resources available at the site and presenting examples of each. We will detail a step-by-step procedure for submitting resources to the website. The resource collection is designed to be a community effort and thus welcomes input and contributions from its users. We will also present plans, and will seek audience feedback, for additional website services and features. The constraints, roadblocks, and rewards of this project will also be addressed.

LabVIEW A Developer's Guide to Real World Integration

CERN Document Server

Fairweather, Ian

2011-01-01

LabVIEW(t) has become one of the preeminent platforms for the development of data acquisition and data analysis programs. LabVIEW(t): A Developer's Guide to Real World Integration explains how to integrate LabVIEW into real-life applications. Written by experienced LabVIEW developers and engineers, the book describes how LabVIEW has been pivotal in solving real-world challenges. Each chapter is self-contained and demonstrates the power and simplicity of LabVIEW in various applications, from image processing to solar tracking systems. Many of the chapters explore how exciting new technologies c

Control system reliability at Jefferson Lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, K.S.; Areti, H.; Garza, O.

1997-01-01

At Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), the availability of the control system is crucial to the operation of the accelerator for experimental programs. Jefferson Lab's control system, uses 68040 based microprocessors running VxWorks, Unix workstations, and a variety of VME, CAMAC. GPIB, and serial devices. The software consists of control system toolkit software, commercial packages, and over 200 custom and generic applications, some of which are highly complex. The challenge is to keep this highly diverse and still growing system, with over 162,000 control points, operating reliably, while managing changes and upgrades to both the hardware and software. Downtime attributable to the control system includes the time to troubleshoot and repair problems and the time to restore the machine to operation of the scheduled program. This paper describes the availability of the control system during the last year, the heaviest contributors to downtime and the response to problems. Strategies for improving the robustness of the control system am detailed and include changes in hardware, software, procedures and processes. The improvements range from the routine preventive hardware maintenance, to improving their ability to detect, predict and prevent problems. This paper also describes the software tools used to assist in control system troubleshooting, maintenance and failure recovery processes

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at Berkeley Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Berkeley Lab A-Z Index Directory Search Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at Berkeley Lab Home Diversity & Inclusion Council Women Scientists & Engineers Council Employee Resource Groups -and culture of inclusion are key to attracting and engaging the brightest minds and furthering our

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.

Magnetic Media Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — This lab specializes in tape certification and performance characterization of high density digital tape and isprepared to support the certification of standard size...

Crystallization Formulation Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Crystallization Formulation Lab fills a critical need in the process development and optimization of current and new explosives and energetic formulations. The...

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.

CILogon-HA. Higher Assurance Federated Identities for DOE Science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basney, James [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)

2015-08-01

The CILogon-HA project extended the existing open source CILogon service (initially developed with funding from the National Science Foundation) to provide credentials at multiple levels of assurance to users of DOE facilities for collaborative science. CILogon translates mechanism and policy across higher education and grid trust federations, bridging from the InCommon identity federation (which federates university and DOE lab identities) to the Interoperable Global Trust Federation (which defines standards across the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid, the Open Science Grid, and other cyberinfrastructure). The CILogon-HA project expanded the CILogon service to support over 160 identity providers (including 6 DOE facilities) and 3 internationally accredited certification authorities. To provide continuity of operations upon the end of the CILogon-HA project period, project staff transitioned the CILogon service to operation by XSEDE.

Gender Writ Small: Gender Enactments and Gendered Narratives about Lab Organization and Knowledge Transmission in a Biomedical Engineering Research Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Malone, Kareen Ror; Nersessian, Nancy J.; Newstetter, Wendy

This article presents qualitative data and offers some innovative theoretical approaches to frame the analysis of gender in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) settings. It begins with a theoretical discussion of a discursive approach to gender that captures how gender is lived "on the ground." The authors argue for a less individualistic approach to gender. Data for this research project was gathered from intensive interviews with lab members and ethnographic observations in a biomedical engineering lab. Data analysis relied on a mixed methodology involving qualitative approaches and dialogues with findings from other research traditions. Three themes are highlighted: lab dynamics in relation to issues of critical mass, the division of labor, and knowledge transmission. The data illustrate how gender is created in interactions and is inflected through forms of social organization.

The Udall Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Udall lab is interested in genome evolution and cotton genomics.The cotton genus ( Gossypium) is an extraordinarily diverse group with approximately 50 species...

Laser Research Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Laser Research lab is thecenter for the development of new laser sources, nonlinear optical materials, frequency conversion processes and laser-based sensors for...

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

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.

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.

LAB building a home for scientists

CERN Document Server

Fishman, Mark C

2017-01-01

Laboratories are both monasteries and space stations, redolent of the great ideas of generations past and of technologies to propel the future. Yet standard lab design has changed only little over recent years. Here Mark Fishman describes how to build labs as homes for scientists, to accommodate not just their fancy tools, but also their personalities. This richly illustrated book explores the roles of labs through history, from the alchemists of the Middle Ages to the chemists of the 19th and 20th centuries, and to the geneticists and structural biologists of today, and then turns to the special features of the laboratories Fishman helped to design in Cambridge, Shanghai, and Basel. Anyone who works in, or plans to build a lab, will enjoy this book, which will encourage them to think about how this special environment drives or impedes their important work.

Women in science 50 fearless pioneers who changed the world

CERN Document Server

Ignotofsky, Rachel

2016-01-01

A charmingly illustrated and educational book, New York Times best seller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

CMOS capacitive sensors for lab-on-chip applications a multidisciplinary approach

CERN Document Server

Ghafar-Zadeh, Ebrahim

2010-01-01

The main components of CMOS capacitive biosensors including sensing electrodes, bio-functionalized sensing layer, interface circuitries and microfluidic packaging are verbosely explained in chapters 2-6 after a brief introduction on CMOS based LoCs in Chapter 1. CMOS Capacitive Sensors for Lab-on-Chip Applications is written in a simple pedagogical way. It emphasises practical aspects of fully integrated CMOS biosensors rather than mathematical calculations and theoretical details. By using CMOS Capacitive Sensors for Lab-on-Chip Applications, the reader will have circuit design methodologies,

Microfluidics and nanofluidics handbook chemistry, physics, and life science principles

CERN Document Server

Mitra, Sushanta K

2011-01-01

The Microfluidics and Nanofluidics Handbook: Two-Volume Set comprehensively captures the cross-disciplinary breadth of the fields of micro- and nanofluidics, which encompass the biological sciences, chemistry, physics and engineering applications. To fill the knowledge gap between engineering and the basic sciences, the editors pulled together key individuals, well known in their respective areas, to author chapters that help graduate students, scientists, and practicing engineers understand the overall area of microfluidics and nanofluidics. Topics covered include Cell Lysis Techniques in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology Electrodics in Electrochemical Energy Conversion Systems: Microstructure and Pore-Scale Transport Microscale Gas Flow Dynamics and Molecular Models for Gas Flow and Heat Transfer Microscopic Hemorheology and Hemodynamics Covering physics and transport phenomena along with life sciences and related applications, Volume One: Chemistry, Physics, and Life Science Principles provides readers with the fun...

Evaluation of oral microbiology lab curriculum reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Min; Gao, Zhen Y; Wu, Xin Y; Jiang, Chen X; Du, Jia H

2015-12-07

According to the updated concept of oral microbiology, the School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, has carried out oral microbiology teaching reforms during the last 5 years. There was no lab curriculum before 2009 except for a theory course of oral microbiology. The school has implemented an innovative curriculum with oral medicine characteristics to strengthen understanding of knowledge, cultivate students' scientific interest and develop their potential, to cultivate the comprehensive ability of students. This study was designed to evaluate the oral microbiology lab curriculum by analyzing student performance and perceptions regarding the curriculum from 2009 to 2013. The lab curriculum adopted modalities for cooperative learning. Students collected dental plaque from each other and isolated the cariogenic bacteria with selective medium plates. Then they purified the enrichment culture medium and identified the cariogenic strains by Gram stain and biochemical tests. Both quantitative and qualitative data for 5 years were analysed in this study. Part One of the current study assessed student performance in the lab from 2009 to 2013. Part Two used qualitative means to assess students' perceptions by an open questionnaire. The 271 study students' grades on oral microbiology improved during the lab curriculum: "A" grades rose from 60.5 to 81.2 %, and "C" grades fell from 28.4 to 6.3 %. All students considered the lab curriculum to be interesting and helpful. Quantitative and qualitative data converge to suggest that the lab curriculum has strengthened students' grasp of important microbiology-related theory, cultivated their scientific interest, and developed their potential and comprehensive abilities. Our student performance and perception data support the continued use of the innovative teaching system. As an extension and complement of the theory course, the oral microbiology lab curriculum appears to improve the quality of oral medicine education and help to

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...

Innovation - A view from the Lab

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA Ag Lab in Peoria helps bridge the gap between agricultural producers and commercial manufacturers. In 2015, the Ag Lab, officially known as the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR), is celebrating 75 years of research in Peoria. T...

Modeling Taylor series approximations for prompt neutron kinetics with lab view simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adzri, E. P.

2012-09-01

The reactor point kinetics equations have been subjected to intense research in an effort to find simple yet accurate numerical solutions methods. The equations are very stiff numerically, meaning that there is a wide variation in the decay constants, so that using a particular time step in the numerical solution may provide sufficient accuracy for the group, but not for another. Several solutions techniques have been presented on the point kinetics equations with varying degrees of complexity. These include Power Series Solutions, CORE, PCA, Genapol and Taylor series methods. In this research, algorithms were developed based on the first and second order Taylor series expansion and simulated in LabVIEW to solve the Reactor Point Kinetics equations using block diagram nodes implemented within stacked sequences. The algorithms developed were fast,accurate and simple to code. Several reactivity insertions were used to simulate the change in neutron population with time. The LabVIEW- Taylor series solutions were compared with other solution techniques such as Power Series Solutions, CORE, PCA, Genapol and McMahon and Pierson's Taylor series approximation. The results of LabVIEW-Taylor series technique used by McMahon and Pearson The LabVIEW-implemented techniques were found to agree very well with these other methods. At 1x10 -8 s the neutron population was 1.000220 neutrons / cm 3 , at 1 x 10 -2 s it was 2.007681 neutrons / cm 3 and at 1x10 -1 s it was 2.075317 neutrons / cm 3 ; same results reported by Genapol for a fast reactor, it produced good and accurate results and compared very favorably with other methods found in the literature. Using much smaller time steps to the order or 10 -8 s commensurate with fast reactor parameters also produced very satisfactory results, indicating that the LabVIEW-based Taylor series technique is suitable for simulating the kinetics of fast reactors as well as thermal reactors. Algorithms developed that included second order terms

U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon looks at the U.S. Lab Destiny in the SSPF.

Science.gov (United States)

1999-01-01

In the Space Station Processing Facility, Thomas R. 'Randy' Galloway, with the Space Station Hardware Integration Office, points out a feature to U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon (right) in the U.S. Lab, called 'Destiny.' In the far background is Dana Gartzke, the congressman's chief of staff. Weldon is on the House Science Committee and vice chairman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. Destiny is scheduled to be launched on Space Shuttle Endeavour in early 2000. It will become the centerpiece of scientific research on the ISS, with five equipment racks aboard to provide essential functions for station systems, including high data-rate communications, and to maintain the station's orientation using control gyroscopes launched earlier. Additional equipment and research racks will be installed in the laboratory on subsequent Shuttle flights.

An analysis of high-performing science students' preparation for collegiate science courses

Science.gov (United States)

Walter, Karen

This mixed-method study surveyed first year high-performing science students who participated in high-level courses such as International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP), and honors science courses in high school to determine their perception of preparation for academic success at the collegiate level. The study used 52 students from an honors college campus and surveyed the students and their professors. The students reported that they felt better prepared for academic success at the collegiate level by taking these courses in high school (pstudent GPA with honors science courses (n=55 and Pearson's r=-0.336), while AP courses (n=47 and Pearson's r=0.0016) and IB courses (n=17 and Pearson's r=-0.2716) demonstrated no correlation between perception of preparation and GPA. Students reported various themes that helped or hindered their perception of academic success once at the collegiate level. Those themes that reportedly helped students were preparedness, different types of learning, and teacher qualities. Students reported in a post-hoc experience that more lab time, rigorous coursework, better teachers, and better study techniques helped prepare them for academic success at the collegiate level. Students further reported on qualities of teachers and teaching that helped foster their academic abilities at the collegiate level, including teacher knowledge, caring, teaching style, and expectations. Some reasons for taking high-level science courses in high school include boosting GPA, college credit, challenge, and getting into better colleges.

A dedicated lab for interventional cardiology and hybrid surgery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berger, F. [KinderSpital Zurich (Switzerland). Department of Congenital Heart Disease/Pediatric Cardiology

2004-07-01

Pediatric interventionalists and surgeons treating congenital heart defects at the KinderSpital children's hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, use a ''hybrid'' approach to minimize the incidence and extent of open-heart surgery. The hybrid approach combines catheterization and surgical techniques in a single procedure, performed in the same lab. The combined cardiac cath lab/surgery suite is equipped with a Philips Integris Allura BH5000 9''/9'' biplane system, designed to meet all the requirements for pediatric applications, including the need to keep the quantity of contrast agent and the radiation dose to the minimum. Wherever possible, diagnostic X-ray examinations are supplemented by MR and Ultrasound. (orig.)

Experimental investigation of new manufacturing process chains to create micro-metal structures on polymer substrates for lab-on-chip sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Calaon, Matteo; Islam, Aminul; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard

2012-01-01

Over the last two decades, lab-on-a-chip devices have emerged as a leading technology for life sciences, drug development, medical diagnostics, food safety, agricultural and environmental monitoring. The conventional methods used nowadays to manufacture these micro- and nano-functional surface...

Exploring the changing learning environment of the gross anatomy lab.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, Robin; Regehr, Glenn; Wilson, Timothy D

2011-07-01

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of virtual models and prosected specimens in the context of the gross anatomy lab. In 2009, student volunteers from an undergraduate anatomy class were randomly assigned to study groups in one of three learning conditions. All groups studied the muscles of mastication and completed identical learning objectives during a 45-minute lab. All groups were provided with two reference atlases. Groups were distinguished by the type of primary tools they were provided: gross prosections, three-dimensional stereoscopic computer model, or both resources. The facilitator kept observational field notes. A prepost multiple-choice knowledge test was administered to evaluate students' learning. No significant effect of the laboratory models was demonstrated between groups on the prepost assessment of knowledge. Recurring observations included students' tendency to revert to individual memorization prior to the posttest, rotation of models to match views in the provided atlas, and dissemination of groups into smaller working units. The use of virtual lab resources seemed to influence the social context and learning environment of the anatomy lab. As computer-based learning methods are implemented and studied, they must be evaluated beyond their impact on knowledge gain to consider the effect technology has on students' social development.

Experiential Learning of Digital Communication Using LabVIEW

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Wei; Porter, Jay R.; Morgan, Joseph A.

2014-01-01

This paper discusses the design and implementation of laboratories and course projects using LabVIEW in an instrumentation course. The pedagogical challenge is to enhance students' learning of digital communication using LabVIEW. LabVIEW was extensively used in the laboratory sessions, which better prepared students for the course projects. Two…

Practical guide to machine vision software an introduction with LabVIEW

CERN Document Server

Kwon, Kye-Si

2014-01-01

For both students and engineers in R&D, this book explains machine vision in a concise, hands-on way, using the Vision Development Module of the LabView software by National Instruments. Following a short introduction to the basics of machine vision and the technical procedures of image acquisition, the book goes on to guide readers in the use of the various software functions of LabView's machine vision module. It covers typical machine vision tasks, including particle analysis, edge detection, pattern and shape matching, dimension measurements as well as optical character recognition, enabli

Data Stewardship in the Ocean Sciences Needs to Include Physical Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, M.; Lehnert, K.

2016-02-01

Across the Ocean Sciences, research involves the collection and study of samples collected above, at, and below the seafloor, including but not limited to rocks, sediments, fluids, gases, and living organisms. Many domains in the Earth Sciences have recently expressed the need for better discovery, access, and sharing of scientific samples and collections (EarthCube End-User Domain workshops, 2012 and 2013, http://earthcube.org/info/about/end-user-workshops), as has the US government (OSTP Memo, March 2014). iSamples (Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences) is a Research Coordination Network within the EarthCube program that aims to advance the use of innovative cyberinfrastructure to support and advance the utility of physical samples and sample collections for science and ensure reproducibility of sample-based data and research results. iSamples strives to build, grow, and foster a new community of practice, in which domain scientists, curators of sample repositories and collections, computer and information scientists, software developers and technology innovators engage in and collaborate on defining, articulating, and addressing the needs and challenges of physical samples as a critical component of digital data infrastructure. A primary goal of iSamples is to deliver a community-endorsed set of best practices and standards for the registration, description, identification, and citation of physical specimens and define an actionable plan for implementation. iSamples conducted a broad community survey about sample sharing and has created 5 different working groups to address the different challenges of developing the internet of samples - from metadata schemas and unique identifiers to an architecture for a shared cyberinfrastructure to manage collections, to digitization of existing collections, to education, and ultimately to establishing the physical infrastructure that will ensure preservation and access of the physical samples. Repositories that curate

Forensic Science Curriculum for High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Burgess, Christiana J.

Over the last several decades, forensic science---the application of science to civil and criminal legal matters---has become of increasing popularity with the public. The range of disciplines within the field is immense, offering individuals the potential for a unique career, regardless of their specific interests or expertise. In response to this growth, many organizations, both public and private, have recognized the need to create forensic science programs that strive to maintain and enhance the quality of forensic science education. Unfortunately, most of the emphasis placed on developing these materials relates to post-secondary education, and creates a significant lack of forensic science educational materials available in the U.S., especially in Oklahoma. The purpose of this project was to create a high school curriculum that provides the foundation for building a broad, yet comprehensive, overview of the field of forensic science and its associated disciplines. The overall goal was to create and provide course materials to high school teachers in order to increase their knowledge of forensic science such that they are able to teach its disciplines effectively and with accuracy. The Forensic Science Curriculum for High School Students includes sample lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, and lab activities with step-by-step instructions.

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.

Comparison of student achievement among two science laboratory types: traditional and virtual

Science.gov (United States)

Reese, Mary Celeste

Technology has changed almost every aspect of our daily lives. It is not surprising then that technology has made its way into the classroom. More and more educators are utilizing technological resources in creative ways with the intent to enhance learning, including using virtual laboratories in the sciences in place of the "traditional" science laboratories. This has generated much discussion as to the influence on student achievement when online learning replaces the face-to-face contact between instructor and student. The purpose of this study was to discern differences in achievement of two laboratory instruction types: virtual laboratory and a traditional laboratory. Results of this study indicate statistical significant differences in student achievement defined by averages on quiz scores in virtual labs compared with traditional face-to-face laboratories and traditional laboratories result in greater student learning gains than virtual labs. Lecture exam averages were also greater for students enrolled in the traditional laboratories compared to students enrolled in the virtual laboratories. To account for possible differences in ability among students, a potential extraneous variable, GPA and ACT scores were used as covariates.

MetaboLab - advanced NMR data processing and analysis for metabolomics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Günther Ulrich L

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite wide-spread use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR in metabolomics for the analysis of biological samples there is a lack of graphically driven, publicly available software to process large one and two-dimensional NMR data sets for statistical analysis. Results Here we present MetaboLab, a MATLAB based software package that facilitates NMR data processing by providing automated algorithms for processing series of spectra in a reproducible fashion. A graphical user interface provides easy access to all steps of data processing via a script builder to generate MATLAB scripts, providing an option to alter code manually. The analysis of two-dimensional spectra (1H,13C-HSQC spectra is facilitated by the use of a spectral library derived from publicly available databases which can be extended readily. The software allows to display specific metabolites in small regions of interest where signals can be picked. To facilitate the analysis of series of two-dimensional spectra, different spectra can be overlaid and assignments can be transferred between spectra. The software includes mechanisms to account for overlapping signals by highlighting neighboring and ambiguous assignments. Conclusions The MetaboLab software is an integrated software package for NMR data processing and analysis, closely linked to the previously developed NMRLab software. It includes tools for batch processing and gives access to a wealth of algorithms available in the MATLAB framework. Algorithms within MetaboLab help to optimize the flow of metabolomics data preparation for statistical analysis. The combination of an intuitive graphical user interface along with advanced data processing algorithms facilitates the use of MetaboLab in a broader metabolomics context.

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.

Putting the spark into physical science and algebra

Science.gov (United States)

Pill, Bruce; Dagenais, Andre

2007-06-01

The presenters will describe a number of laboratory activities developed in collaboration with the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Delaware as part of their outreach program to help make math and science more authentic on the pre-college level. Lessons relating to electrical topics are often abstract and appropriate only for advanced students in math and science. We have devised lessons that rely on simple equipment. They promote skills that are included in National and State Standards. They emphasize the connections between math and science; they are appropriate for an algebra course, a physical science course, a PhysicsFirst course or a traditional physics course. Students benefit from seeing that what they learn in math and science courses can lead to cutting-edge work in areas such as passive wave imaging, photonics, wireless communication and high performance computing. The collaboration has been meaningful because it has motivated us to tailor our lessons to reflect what is happening in the research lab of our local university. Written materials for use in teacher training workshops will also be available.

Using Grand Challenges to Teach Science: A Biology-Geology Collaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Lyford, M.; Myers, J. D.

2012-12-01

Three science courses at the University of Wyoming explore the inextricable connections between science and society by centering on grand challenges. Two of these courses are introductory integrated science courses for non-majors while the third is an upper level course for majors and non-majors. Through collaboration, the authors have developed these courses to explore the grand challenges of energy, water and climate. Each course focuses on the fundamental STEM principles required for a citizen to understand each grand challenge. However, the courses also emphasize the non-STEM perspectives (e.g., economics, politics, human well-being, externalities) that underlie each grand challenge and argue that creating equitable, sustainable and just solutions to the grand challenges hinges on an understanding of STEM and non-STEM perspectives. Moreover, the authors also consider the multitude of personal perspectives individuals bring to the classroom (e.g., values, beliefs, empathy misconceptions) that influence any stakeholder's ability to engage in fruitful discussions about grand challenge solutions. Discovering Science (LIFE 1002) focuses on the grand challenges of energy and climate. Students attend three one-hour lectures, one two-hour lab and a one-hour discussion each week. Lectures emphasize the STEM and non-STEM principles underlying each grand challenge. Laboratory activities are designed to be interdisciplinary and engage students in inquiry-driven activities to reinforce concepts from lecture and to model how science is conducted. Labs also expose students to the difficulties often associated with scientific studies, the limits of science, and the inherent uncertainties associated with scientific findings. Discussion sessions provide an opportunity for students to explore the complexity of the grand challenges from STEM and non-STEM perspectives, and expose the multitude of personal perspectives an individual might harbor related to each grand challenge

Living Lab voor Informatiemanagement in Agri-Food

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolfert, J.

2010-01-01

Het Living Lab is een specifieke open innovatie aanpak waarbij in feite het laboratorium naar de praktijk wordt gebracht. het Agri-Food Living lab is een informatiemanagementsysteem specifiek voor de agri-food sector.

Hydrogel Beads: The New Slime Lab?

Science.gov (United States)

Brockway, Debra; Libera, Matthew; Welner, Heidi

2011-01-01

Creating slime fascinates students. Unfortunately, though intrigue is at its peak, the educational aspect of this activity is often minimal. This article describes a chemistry lab that closely relates to the slime lab and allows high school students to explore the concepts of chemical bonding, properties, and replacement reactions. It involves the…

Reducing radiation exposure in an electrophysiology lab with introduction of newer fluoroscopic technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Munish Sharma

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The use of fluoroscopic devices exposes patients and operators to harmful effects of ionizing radiation in an electrophysiology (EP lab. We sought to know if the newer fluoroscopic technology (Allura Clarity installed in a hybrid EP helps to reduce prescribed radiation dose. We performed radiation dose analysis of 90 patients who underwent various procedures in the EP lab at a community teaching hospital after the introduction of newer fluoroscopic technology in June of 2016.Watchman device insertion, radiofrequency ablation procedures, permanent pacemaker (PPM/implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD placement and battery changes were included in the study to compare radiation exposure during different procedures performed commonly in an EP lab. In all cases of watchman device placement, radiofrequency ablation procedures, PPM/ICD placement and battery changes, there was a statistically significant difference (<0.05 in radiation dose exposure. Significant reduction in radiation exposure during various procedures performed in an EP lab was achieved with aid of newer fluoroscopic technology and better image detection technology.

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...

Nano lab-on-chip systems for biomedical and environmental ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In recent years, nano lab-on-chip (NLOC) has emerged as a powerful tool for biosensing and an active area of research particularly in DNA genetic and genetic related investigations. Compared with conventional sensing techniques, distinctive advantages of using NLOC for biomedicine and other related area include ...

In silico and wet lab approaches to study transcriptional regulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hestand, Matthew Scott

2010-01-01

Gene expression is a complicated process with multiple types of regulation, including binding of proteins termed transcription factors. This thesis looks at transcription factors and transcription factor binding site discovery through computational predictions and wet lab work to better elucidate

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.

BURECS: An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Climate Science Program

Science.gov (United States)

Dennis, D. P.; Marchant, D. R.; Christ, A. J.; Ehrenfeucht, S.

2017-12-01

The current structure of many undergraduate programs, particularly those at large research universities, requires students to engage with a major or academic emphasis early in their university careers. This oftentimes curbs exploration outside the major and can inhibit interdisciplinary collaboration. The Boston University Research Education and Communication of Science (BURECS) program seeks to bridge this institutional divide by fostering interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration on climate change-related issues by students from across Boston University (B.U.). Every year, approximately fifteen first-year students from B.U.'s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication, and School of Education are selected to join BURECS, which includes a climate science seminar, a hands-on lab course, a supported summer internship with Boston-area researchers, and the opportunity to participate in Antarctic field work during subsequent B.U. Antarctic Research Group expeditions. Currently in its third year, BURECS is funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professors Program.

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…

Magnetic Viscous Drag for Friction Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Gaffney, Chris; Catching, Adam

2016-01-01

The typical friction lab performed in introductory mechanics courses is usually not the favorite of either the student or the instructor. The measurements are not all that easy to make, and reproducibility is usually a troublesome issue. This paper describes the augmentation of such a friction lab with a study of the viscous drag on a magnet…

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)

Keep calm and share science!

CERN Multimedia

Antonella Del Rosso

2015-01-01

FameLab is the exciting competition for young researchers that is conquering the world of science communication. CERN, which was already a partner in the Swiss and French competitions, is now launching its own event. Enter the competition now!   FameLab is not just another talent show for scientists: its magic formula truly helps real scientists show off their communication skills. Successful candidates will have to impress the judges by giving an original and entertaining 3-minute talk.  In the words of one of the participants in the Swiss competition: “I enjoyed the fact that it wasn't only a competition, and there were also plenty of opportunities to network with other young researchers and to get valuable feedback on our public speaking and science communication skills.” The contestants are judged on the content, clarity and charisma of their talks. The result is an amazing collection of speeches that are inspiring, educational and accurate, despite their ...

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...

Microstructural characterization of LaB6-ZrB2 eutectic composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Shengchang; Wei, W.J.; Zhang Litong

2003-01-01

Detail microstructure of LaB 6 -ZrB 2 composites has been characterized by TEM and HRTEM. The directionally solidified ZrB 2 fibers in LaB 6 matrix near LaB 6 -ZrB 2 eutectics present at least three growing relationship systems. In addition to previous report of [001]LaB 6 / [0001]ZrB 2 relationship, [0 anti 11]LaB 6 / [0001]ZrB 2 and [1 anti 20]LaB 6 / [0001]ZrB 2 . were identified. Different with [001]LaB 6 / [0001]ZrB 2 system, the interfaces of [0 anti 11]LaB 6 / [0001]ZrB 2 and [1 anti 20]LaB 6 / [0001]ZrB 2 . show non-coherent and clean interfaces. There is neither glassy phase nor reaction products found at the interfaces (orig.)

Performance report of the U.S. Department of Energy's Jefferson Lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jefferson Lab

1999-01-01

Jefferson Lab, the newest of the US Department of Energy's 16 national laboratories, has been functioning effectively since its inception in 1984, first during construction and later during operations. As shown in this report, JLab aligns itself directly with DOE's strategic planning, both in terms of laboratory visions and plans and in terms of actual laboratory performance. Most importantly, JLab contributes significantly to DOE's Science and Technology mission in the area of nuclear physics, under the Office of Science. The laboratory practices continuous improvement and has made a number of important effectiveness and efficiency enhancements in recent years. Laboratory performance has been demonstrated by completion of the construction phase on cost and schedule, by exceeding technical specifications when coming on-line for physics research, and then - during operations in the mid- and late- 1990's - by the application of the performance measures in the laboratory's performance-based contract with DOE

Flexible HVAC System for Lab or Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedan, Jonathan

2001-01-01

Discusses an effort to design a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system flexible enough to accommodate an easy conversion of classrooms to laboratories and dry labs to wet labs. The design's energy efficiency and operations and maintenance are examined. (GR)

The Dynamics and Facilitation of a Living Lab Construct

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brønnum, Louise; Nielsen, Louise Møller

2013-01-01

During the last decade Living Labs have established itself as an attractive innovation approach. Living Labs are an interesting construction because it offers a collaboration platform for dynamic interaction with users in all the project phases. Living Labs frame knowledge about actors in their o...

ASC Tri-lab Co-design Level 2 Milestone Report 2015

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hornung, Rich [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Jones, Holger [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Keasler, Jeff [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Neely, Rob [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Pearce, Olga [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Hammond, Si [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Trott, Christian [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Lin, Paul [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Vaughan, Courtenay [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Cook, Jeanine [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Hoekstra, Rob [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Bergen, Ben [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Payne, Josh [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Womeldorff, Geoff [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2015-09-23

In 2015, the three Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories that make up the Advanced Sci- enti c Computing (ASC) Program (Sandia, Lawrence Livermore, and Los Alamos) collaboratively explored performance portability programming environments in the context of several ASC co-design proxy applica- tions as part of a tri-lab L2 milestone executed by the co-design teams at each laboratory. The programming environments that were studied included Kokkos (developed at Sandia), RAJA (LLNL), and Legion (Stan- ford University). The proxy apps studied included: miniAero, LULESH, CoMD, Kripke, and SNAP. These programming models and proxy-apps are described herein. Each lab focused on a particular combination of abstractions and proxy apps, with the goal of assessing performance portability using those. Performance portability was determined by: a) the ability to run a single application source code on multiple advanced architectures, b) comparing runtime performance between \

Meeting Report of the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Surgical Research: Summary of Presentations, Labs, and Workshops, Focusing on Experimental Surgery, Las Vegas, NV, October 4-6, 2017.

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Melanie L; Ziegelhofer, Tracy; Ehrmann, Jon

2018-04-11

The 33rd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Surgical Research was held from October 4 to 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The meeting welcomed >160 participants from 27 different states and five countries representing the organization's diverse membership of technicians, veterinarians, medical doctors, and biomedical researchers. The Academy's annual meeting is focused on promoting the advancement of professional and academic standards, education, and research related to the art and science of experimental surgery. Presentations included four invited keynote speakers and 30 selected lectures and posters. A primary strength of the meeting was that lectures were complimented with practical sessions that included four wet lab and two dry lab half-day courses. Likewise, participants were brought together in workshops emphasizing research workflow from starting experimental design to readying results for publication. In this report, we present the highlights from this meeting and some selected abstracts that illustrate the diverse scientific expertise of the Academy and progress in surgical research.

Assessing Usage and Maximizing Finance Lab Impact: A Case Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Noguera, Magdy; Budden, Michael Craig; Silva, Alberto

2011-01-01

This paper reports the results of a survey conducted to assess students' usage and perceptions of a finance lab. Finance labs differ from simple computer labs as they typically contain data boards, streaming market quotes, terminals and software that allow for real-time financial analyses. Despite the fact that such labs represent significant and…

Exploring the Impact of TeachME™ Lab Virtual Classroom Teaching Simulation on Early Childhood Education Majors' Self-Efficacy Beliefs

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista, Nazan Uludag; Boone, William J.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a mixed-reality teaching environment, called TeachME™ Lab (TML), on early childhood education majors' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs. Sixty-two preservice early childhood teachers participated in the study. Analysis of the quantitative (STEBI-b) and qualitative (journal entries)…

Incorporating Hot Topics in Ocean Sciences to Outreach Activities in Marine and Environmental Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Bergondo, D. L.; Mrakovcich, K. L.; Vlietstra, L.; Tebeau, P.; Verlinden, C.; Allen, L. A.; James, R.

2016-02-01

The US Coast Guard Academy, an undergraduate military Academy, in New London CT, provides STEM education programs to the local community that engage the public on hot topics in ocean sciences. Outreach efforts include classroom, lab, and field-based activities at the Academy as well as at local schools. In one course, we partner with a STEM high school collecting fish and environmental data on board a research vessel and subsequently students present the results of their project. In another course, cadets develop and present interactive demonstrations of marine science to local school groups. In addition, the Academy develops In another course, cadets develop and present interactive demonstrations of marine science to local school groups. In addition, the Academy develops and/or participates in outreach programs including Science Partnership for Innovation in Learning (SPIL), Women in Science, Physics of the Sea, and the Ocean Exploration Trust Honors Research Program. As part of the programs, instructors and cadets create interactive and collaborative activities that focus on hot topics in ocean sciences such as oil spill clean-up, ocean exploration, tsunamis, marine biodiversity, and conservation of aquatic habitats. Innovative science demonstrations such as real-time interactions with the Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus, rotating tank simulations of ocean circulation, wave tank demonstrations, and determining what materials work best to contain and clean-up oil, are used to enhance ocean literacy. Children's books, posters and videos are some creative ways students summarize their understanding of ocean sciences and marine conservation. Despite time limitations of students and faculty, and challenges associated with securing funding to keep these programs sustainable, the impact of the programs is overwhelmingly positive. We have built stronger relationships with local community, enhanced ocean literacy, facilitated communication and mentorship between young

Strategic planning for skills and simulation labs in colleges of nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gantt, Laura T

2010-01-01

While simulation laboratories for clinical nursing education are predicted to grow, budget cuts may threaten these programs. One of the ways to develop a new lab, as well as to keep an existing one on track, is to develop and regularly update a strategic plan. The process of planning not only helps keep the lab faculty and staff apprised of the challenges to be faced, but it also helps to keep senior level management engaged by reason of the need for their input and approval of the plan. The strategic planning documents drafted by those who supervised the development of the new building and Concepts Integration Labs (CILs) helped guide and orient faculty and other personnel hired to implement the plan and fulfill the vision. As the CILs strategic plan was formalized, the draft plans, including the SWOT analysis, were reviewed to provide historical perspective, stimulate discussion, and to make sure old or potential mistakes were not repeated.

Evaluation and capacity building to improve precollege science and mathematics achievement in the US: 10 CFR, Part 605

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-01-01

The National Center for Improving Science Education has undertaken activities to achieve evaluation goals for DOE's Precollege programs: develop means to determine program quality; develop means for determining the contribution of DOE precollege programs to both teacher enhancement and student achievement; provide evaluation designs and instruments and reports of program quality and impact; and strengthen both DOE's and the Labs' capacity to do both short- and long-term planning as well as deliver effective programs and evaluation. Appendices include evaluation/technical assistance report, profiling teacher research participation and teacher development programs, teacher surveys, impact assessment design, and teacher research participation programs anecdotes for 8 labs.

Using lab notebooks to examine students' engagement in modeling in an upper-division electronics lab course

Science.gov (United States)

Stanley, Jacob T.; Su, Weifeng; Lewandowski, H. J.

2017-12-01

We demonstrate how students' use of modeling can be examined and assessed using student notebooks collected from an upper-division electronics lab course. The use of models is a ubiquitous practice in undergraduate physics education, but the process of constructing, testing, and refining these models is much less common. We focus our attention on a lab course that has been transformed to engage students in this modeling process during lab activities. The design of the lab activities was guided by a framework that captures the different components of model-based reasoning, called the Modeling Framework for Experimental Physics. We demonstrate how this framework can be used to assess students' written work and to identify how students' model-based reasoning differed from activity to activity. Broadly speaking, we were able to identify the different steps of students' model-based reasoning and assess the completeness of their reasoning. Varying degrees of scaffolding present across the activities had an impact on how thoroughly students would engage in the full modeling process, with more scaffolded activities resulting in more thorough engagement with the process. Finally, we identified that the step in the process with which students had the most difficulty was the comparison between their interpreted data and their model prediction. Students did not use sufficiently sophisticated criteria in evaluating such comparisons, which had the effect of halting the modeling process. This may indicate that in order to engage students further in using model-based reasoning during lab activities, the instructor needs to provide further scaffolding for how students make these types of experimental comparisons. This is an important design consideration for other such courses attempting to incorporate modeling as a learning goal.

Comunicación USB entre aplicaciones desarrolladas en LabVIEW y microcontroladores de Silicon Labs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julio César Herrera Benítez

2013-06-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo trata sobre la utilización de LabVIEW para establecer comunicación USB con microcontroladores de la familia 8051 de Silicon Laboratories, utilizando un driver desarrollado por dicha compañía. En el documento se incluye una descripción de este driver, así como de las funciones principales que permiten el manejo del mismo, las cuales se encuentran en una biblioteca de enlace dinámico. El artículo contiene además una metodología básica para el uso de estas funciones y una explicación detallada a través de un ejemplo, donde se ilustra como cargar y configurar las mismas con el ambiente de desarrollo LabVIEW. Finalmente se muestran dos ejemplos de la utilización del driver a partir de una biblioteca de funciones USB creada en LabVIEW para la comunicación con un microcontrolador.

USNA DIGITAL FORENSICS LAB

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — To enable Digital Forensics and Computer Security research and educational opportunities across majors and departments. Lab MissionEstablish and maintain a Digital...

Developing the learning physical science curriculum: Adapting a small enrollment, laboratory and discussion based physical science course for large enrollments

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Fred; Price, Edward; Robinson, Stephen; Boyd-Harlow, Danielle; McKean, Michael

2012-06-01

We report on the adaptation of the small enrollment, lab and discussion based physical science course, Physical Science and Everyday Thinking (PSET), for a large-enrollment, lecture-style setting. Like PSET, the new Learning Physical Science (LEPS) curriculum was designed around specific principles based on research on learning to meet the needs of nonscience students, especially prospective and practicing elementary and middle school teachers. We describe the structure of the two curricula and the adaptation process, including a detailed comparison of similar activities from the two curricula and a case study of a LEPS classroom implementation. In LEPS, short instructor-guided lessons replace lengthier small group activities, and movies, rather than hands-on investigations, provide the evidence used to support and test ideas. LEPS promotes student peer interaction as an important part of sense making via “clicker” questions, rather than small group and whole class discussions typical of PSET. Examples of student dialog indicate that this format is capable of generating substantive student discussion and successfully enacting the design principles. Field-test data show similar student content learning gains with the two curricula. Nevertheless, because of classroom constraints, some important practices of science that were an integral part of PSET were not included in LEPS.

Developing the learning physical science curriculum: Adapting a small enrollment, laboratory and discussion based physical science course for large enrollments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fred Goldberg1

2012-05-01

Full Text Available We report on the adaptation of the small enrollment, lab and discussion based physical science course, Physical Science and Everyday Thinking (PSET, for a large-enrollment, lecture-style setting. Like PSET, the new Learning Physical Science (LEPS curriculum was designed around specific principles based on research on learning to meet the needs of nonscience students, especially prospective and practicing elementary and middle school teachers. We describe the structure of the two curricula and the adaptation process, including a detailed comparison of similar activities from the two curricula and a case study of a LEPS classroom implementation. In LEPS, short instructor-guided lessons replace lengthier small group activities, and movies, rather than hands-on investigations, provide the evidence used to support and test ideas. LEPS promotes student peer interaction as an important part of sense making via “clicker” questions, rather than small group and whole class discussions typical of PSET. Examples of student dialog indicate that this format is capable of generating substantive student discussion and successfully enacting the design principles. Field-test data show similar student content learning gains with the two curricula. Nevertheless, because of classroom constraints, some important practices of science that were an integral part of PSET were not included in LEPS.

Tough Times Ahead for Government Labs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ban, Stephen; Buchanan, Michelle V.; Cheeks, Nona; Funsten, Herbert; Hawsey, Robert; Lane, Monya; Whitlow, Woodrow Jr.; Studt, Tim

2008-01-01

Many government R and D laboratory executives face a tough couple of months ahead. These anxieties are fueled by (1) possible management, technical direction, and budgetary changes in their agencies due to changes in the federal administration; (2) frozen operating budgets until March 2009 due to the Continuing Resolution (CR) attachment to the recent banking bailout bill; and (3) the financial fallout from the economic downturn. These and other pertinent questions regarding their R and D operations were addressed in R and D Magazine's 9th Annual Government R and D Executive Roundtable held on Oct. 16, 2008, in conjunction with the 46th Annual R and D 100 Awards at Chicago's Navy Pier. Most members of this year's government executive panel were hesitant to speculate on the changes that might occur in their labs as a result of the new administration. The exception to this stand was the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Robert Hawsey. ''No matter who wins (the Roundtable was held before the Nov. 4th Presidential election), we expect to see continued support,'' says Hawsey. ''All of our cooperative research facilities are over-subscribed and we're looking at how we can expand them.'' Obviously, renewable energy is a hot button in the administration and likely to get increased financial backing to help meet our country's energy independence goals. When pressed, the panel was mostly optimistic about their future support, stating that external threats to the U.S. have not changed, and research work associated with homeland security and national defense is unlikely to see drastic change. ''We have a strong portfolio in life science and don't expect any changes,'' says Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL's) Michelle Buchanan. Ongoing federally funded work at the national labs that was started before the Oct. 1st start of the FY2009 fiscal year will continue without any changes - those funds are unaffected by the CR action. This applies as well to any

Fabrication and Prototyping Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Purpose: The Fabrication and Prototyping Lab for composite structures provides a wide variety of fabrication capabilities critical to enabling hands-on research and...

Journal of Genetics | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Partial sequence analysis and expression patterns of some of these random cDNA ... Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, ... BC V6T124, Canada; USDA Vegetable Lab, Building 010A, ARS/PSI/BARC- ...

Bulletin of Materials Science | News

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The studies clearly indicate that the synthesized Y2O3 nanoparticle is a crystalline material with a particle size from 23 to 66 nm. Further analysis ... M Sundrarajan1. Advanced Green Chemistry Lab, Department of Industrial Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu, India ...

Digital Design with KP-Lab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Ponta

2007-08-01

Full Text Available KP-Lab is an EU Integrated Project envisioning a learning system that facilitates innovative practices of sharing, creating and working with knowledge in education and workplaces. The project exploits a novel pedagogical view, the knowledge-creation metaphor of learning. According to such “trialogical” approach, cognition arises through collaborative work in systematically developing shared “knowledge artefacts”, such as concepts, plans, material products, or social practices. The paper presents the plan of a pilot course to test the KP-Lab methodologies and tools in the field of Digital Design.

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)

LabVIEW Library to EPICS Channel Access

CERN Document Server

Liyu, Andrei; Thompson, Dave H

2005-01-01

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) accelerator systems will deliver a 1.0 GeV, 1.4 MW proton beam to a liquid mercury target for neutron scattering research. The accelerator complex consists of a 1 GeV linear accelerator, an accumulator ring and associated transport lines. The SNS diagnostics platform is PC-based and will run Windows for its OS and LabVIEW as its programming language. Data acquisition hardware will be based on PCI cards. There will be about 300 rack-mounted computers. The Channel Access (CA) protocol of the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) is the SNS control system communication standard. This paper describes the approaches, implementation, and features of LabVIEW library to CA for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. We also discuss how the library implements the asynchronous CA monitor routine using LabVIEW's occurrence mechanism instead of a callback function (which is not available in LabVIEW). The library is used to acquire accelerator data and applications have been ...

Measurement of Solar Spectra Relating to Photosynthesis and Solar Cells: An Inquiry Lab for Secondary Science

Science.gov (United States)

Ruggirello, Rachel M.; Balcerzak, Phyllis; May, Victoria L.; Blankenship, Robert E.

2012-01-01

The process of photosynthesis is central to science curriculum at all levels. This article describes an inquiry-based laboratory investigation developed to explore the impact of light quality on photosynthesis and to connect this process to current research on harvesting solar energy, including bioenergy, artificial photosynthesis, and solar…

LIDAR Research & Development Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The LIDAR Research and Development labs are used to investigate and improve LIDAR components such as laser sources, optical signal detectors and optical filters. The...

The evolution of Jefferson Lab's control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

K. S. White; M. Bickley; W. Watson

1999-01-01

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility's (Jefferson Lab) accelerator controls were initially implemented as a proprietary in-house system. During machine commissioning, problems were encountered leading to a decision to migrate to the Experimental Physics and Industrial Controls System (EPICS). Since then, the accelerator and all other laboratory controls have been successfully converted. In addition to implementing Jefferson Lab's controls using EPICS, new data visualization tools have been developed and existing programs have been enhanced with new capabilities. In order to provide a more generic interface for high level applications development, a device abstraction layer, called Common DEVice (CDEV), was implemented. These additions have been made available to other laboratories and are in use at many sites, including some that do not use EPICS. Control System development is not limited to computer scientists; operators, engineers and physicists frequently add capabilities using EPICS, CDEV, Tel/tk, and other tools. These contributions have tailored the control system for many different types of customers. For the future, the authors envision more intelligent processing and more capable tools for data storage, retrieval and visualization

German lab wins linear collider contest

CERN Multimedia

Cartlidge, Edwin

2004-01-01

Particle physicists have chosen to base the proposed International Linear Collider on superconducting technology developed by an international collaboration centred on the DESY lab in Germany. The superconducting approach was chosen by an internatinal panel ahead of a rival technology developed at Stanford in the US and the KEK lab in Japan. The eagerly-awaited decision was announced at the International Conference on High Energy Physics in Beijing today (½ page)

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.

S'Cool LAB Summer CAMP 2017

CERN Multimedia

Woithe, Julia

2017-01-01

The S’Cool LAB Summer CAMP is an opportunity for high-school students (aged 16-19) from all around the world to spend 2 weeks exploring the fascinating world of particle physics. The 24 selected participants spend their summer at S’Cool LAB, CERN’s hands-on particle physics learning laboratory, for an epic programme of lectures and tutorials, team research projects, visits of CERN’s research installations, and social activities.

Engineering and Scientific Applications: Using MatLab(Registered Trademark) for Data Processing and Visualization

Science.gov (United States)

Sen, Syamal K.; Shaykhian, Gholam Ali

2011-01-01

MatLab(TradeMark)(MATrix LABoratory) is a numerical computation and simulation tool that is used by thousands Scientists and Engineers in many countries. MatLab does purely numerical calculations, which can be used as a glorified calculator or interpreter programming language; its real strength is in matrix manipulations. Computer algebra functionalities are achieved within the MatLab environment using "symbolic" toolbox. This feature is similar to computer algebra programs, provided by Maple or Mathematica to calculate with mathematical equations using symbolic operations. MatLab in its interpreter programming language form (command interface) is similar with well known programming languages such as C/C++, support data structures and cell arrays to define classes in object oriented programming. As such, MatLab is equipped with most of the essential constructs of a higher programming language. MatLab is packaged with an editor and debugging functionality useful to perform analysis of large MatLab programs and find errors. We believe there are many ways to approach real-world problems; prescribed methods to ensure foregoing solutions are incorporated in design and analysis of data processing and visualization can benefit engineers and scientist in gaining wider insight in actual implementation of their perspective experiments. This presentation will focus on data processing and visualizations aspects of engineering and scientific applications. Specifically, it will discuss methods and techniques to perform intermediate-level data processing covering engineering and scientific problems. MatLab programming techniques including reading various data files formats to produce customized publication-quality graphics, importing engineering and/or scientific data, organizing data in tabular format, exporting data to be used by other software programs such as Microsoft Excel, data presentation and visualization will be discussed.

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,...

The Updated AGU Ethics Policy: Supporting Inclusive and Diverse Field and Lab Environments within the Geosciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, B. M.; McPhaden, M. J.; Gundersen, L. C.

2017-12-01

The American Geophysical Union (AGU), a scientific society of >60,000 members worldwide, has established a set of scientific integrity and professional ethics guidelines for the actions of its members, for the governance of the union in its internal activities, and for the operations and participation in its publications and scientific meetings. More recently AGU has undertaken actions to help address the issue of harassment in the sciences and other work climate issues; and, where applied more broadly as a code of standard behavior, will help address tangential issues of diversity and inclusion. This presentation will highlight the proposed policy changes and additional resources now in place, as they apply to field and lab environments. Progress to date and remaining challenges of this effort will be discussed, including AGU's work to provide additional program strength in the areas of Ethics, Diversity and Inclusion.

Seeing the Light (LBNL Science at the Theater)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brunger, Axel; Segalman, Rachel; Westphal, Andrew

2011-09-12

Berkeley Lab's Science at the Theater event "Seeing the Light" took place on Sept 12, 2011, at Berkeley Repertory's Roda Theatre. Learn how the Advanced Light Source is improving medicine, paving the way for clean energy, changing the future of computers, and much more. Featured speakers are Berkeley Lab's Roger Falcone, Rachel Segalman, Andrew Westphal, and Stanford University's Axel Brunger. Rachel Segalman: The future of clean energy technology relies on a better understanding of materials at the nanoscale. Berkeley Lab's Rachel Segalman uses the ALS to conduct this research, which could lead to improved photovoltaics and fuel cells. Axel Brunger: Improved treatment for human diseases hinges on understanding molecular-scale processes. Stanford University's Axel Brunger will discuss a new melanoma drug that was developed by a local company, Plexxikon, using the ALS for X-ray data collection. Andrew Westphal: What's comet dust made of? Andrew Westphal of UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory uses the ALS to study comet dust and interplanetary space dust collected by a NASA spacecraft. Moderated by Roger Falcone, Division Director of the Advanced Light Source

A Well-Maintained Lab Is a Safer Lab. Safety Spotlight

Science.gov (United States)

Walls, William H.; Strimel, Greg J.

2018-01-01

Administration and funding can cause Engineering/Technology Education (ETE) programs to thrive or die. To administrators, the production/prototyping equipment and laboratory setting are often viewed as the features that set ETE apart from other school subjects. A lab is a unique gift as well as a responsibility. If an administrator can see that…

MatLab Programming for Engineers Having No Formal Programming Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Shaykhian, Linda H.; Shaykhian, Gholam Ali

2007-01-01

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. Also, stated are the current limitations of the MatLab, which possibly can be taken care of by Mathworks Inc. in a future version to make MatLab more versatile.

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.

Design, Fabrication and Characterization of an In Silico Cell Physiology lab for Bio Sensing Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haque, A ul; Rokkam, M; De Carlo, A R; Wereley, S T; Wells, H W; McLamb, W T; Roux, S J; Irazoqui, P P; Porterfield, D M

2006-01-01

In this paper, we report the design, fabrication and characterization of an In Silico cell physiology biochip for measuring Ca 2+ ion concentrations and currents around single cells. This device has been designed around specific science objectives of measuring real time multidimensional calcium flux patterns around sixteen Ceratopteris richardii fern spores in microgravity flight experiments and ground studies. The sixteen microfluidic cell holding pores are 150 by 150 μm each and have 4 Ag/AgCl electrodes leading into them. An SU-8 structural layer is used for insulation and packaging purposes. The In Silico cell physiology lab is wire bonded on to a custom PCB for easy interface with a state of the art data acquisition system. The electrodes are coated with a Ca 2+ ion selective membrane based on ETH-5234 ionophore and operated against an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Initial characterization results have shown Nernst slopes of 30mv/decade that were stable over a number of measurement cycles. While this work is focused on technology to enable basic research on the Ceratopteris richardii spores, we anticipate that this type of cell physiology lab-on-a-chip will be broadly applied in biomedical and pharmacological research by making minor modifications to the electrode material and the measurement technique. Future applications include detection of glucose, hormones such as plant auxin, as well as multiple analyte detection on the same chip

A stream-based mathematical model for distributed information processing systems - SysLab system model

OpenAIRE

Klein, Cornel; Rumpe, Bernhard; Broy, Manfred

2014-01-01

In the SysLab project we develop a software engineering method based on a mathematical foundation. The SysLab system model serves as an abstract mathematical model for information systems and their components. It is used to formalize the semantics of all used description techniques such as object diagrams state automata sequence charts or data-flow diagrams. Based on the requirements for such a reference model, we define the system model including its different views and their relationships.

Technology Roadmap: Lab-on-a-Chip

OpenAIRE

Pattharaporn Suntharasaj; Tugrul U Daim

2010-01-01

With the integration of microfluidic and MEMS technologies, biochips such as the lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices are at the brink of revolutionizing the medical disease diagnostics industries. Remarkable advancements in the biochips industry are making products resembling Star Trek.s "tricorder" and handheld medical scanners a reality. Soon, doctors can screen for cancer at the molecular level without costly and cumbersome equipments, and discuss treatment plans based on immediate lab results. Th...

Bus.py: A GridLAB-D Communication Interface for Smart Distribution Grid Simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hansen, Timothy M.; Palmintier, Bryan; Suryanarayanan, Siddharth; Maciejewski, Anthony A.; Siegel, Howard Jay

2015-07-03

As more Smart Grid technologies (e.g., distributed photovoltaic, spatially distributed electric vehicle charging) are integrated into distribution grids, static distribution simulations are no longer sufficient for performing modeling and analysis. GridLAB-D is an agent-based distribution system simulation environment that allows fine-grained end-user models, including geospatial and network topology detail. A problem exists in that, without outside intervention, once the GridLAB-D simulation begins execution, it will run to completion without allowing the real-time interaction of Smart Grid controls, such as home energy management systems and aggregator control. We address this lack of runtime interaction by designing a flexible communication interface, Bus.py (pronounced bus-dot-pie), that uses Python to pass messages between one or more GridLAB-D instances and a Smart Grid simulator. This work describes the design and implementation of Bus.py, discusses its usefulness in terms of some Smart Grid scenarios, and provides an example of an aggregator-based residential demand response system interacting with GridLAB-D through Bus.py. The small scale example demonstrates the validity of the interface and shows that an aggregator using said interface is able to control residential loads in GridLAB-D during runtime to cause a reduction in the peak load on the distribution system in (a) peak reduction and (b) time-of-use pricing cases.

FameLab provides competition and coaching on science communication

Science.gov (United States)

Scalice, Daniella; Weiss, Peter

2012-10-01

In today's media-intensive environment, the ability to convey science can reshape the face of scientific exploration and discovery. Many early-career scientists could benefit from training on how to communicate their work effectively to all stakeholders along their career paths, from deans and political representatives to neighbors and students, and perhaps even to public audiences through the lens of a camera or the voice of a blog.

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.

Reducing unnecessary lab testing in the ICU with artificial intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Cismondi, F; Celi, L A; Fialho, A S; Vieira, S M; Reti, S R; Sousa, J M C; Finkelstein, S N

2013-05-01

To reduce unnecessary lab testing by predicting when a proposed future lab test is likely to contribute information gain and thereby influence clinical management in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Recent studies have demonstrated that frequent laboratory testing does not necessarily relate to better outcomes. Data preprocessing, feature selection, and classification were performed and an artificial intelligence tool, fuzzy modeling, was used to identify lab tests that do not contribute an information gain. There were 11 input variables in total. Ten of these were derived from bedside monitor trends heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, temperature, blood pressure, and urine collections, as well as infusion products and transfusions. The final input variable was a previous value from one of the eight lab tests being predicted: calcium, PTT, hematocrit, fibrinogen, lactate, platelets, INR and hemoglobin. The outcome for each test was a binary framework defining whether a test result contributed information gain or not. Predictive modeling was applied to recognize unnecessary lab tests in a real world ICU database extract comprising 746 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Classification accuracy of necessary and unnecessary lab tests of greater than 80% was achieved for all eight lab tests. Sensitivity and specificity were satisfactory for all the outcomes. An average reduction of 50% of the lab tests was obtained. This is an improvement from previously reported similar studies with average performance 37% by [1-3]. Reducing frequent lab testing and the potential clinical and financial implications are an important issue in intensive care. In this work we present an artificial intelligence method to predict the benefit of proposed future laboratory tests. Using ICU data from 746 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding, and eleven measurements, we demonstrate high accuracy in predicting the likely information to be gained from proposed future

Reducing unnecessary lab testing in the ICU with artificial intelligence

Science.gov (United States)

Cismondi, F.; Celi, L.A.; Fialho, A.S.; Vieira, S.M.; Reti, S.R.; Sousa, J.M.C.; Finkelstein, S.N.

2017-01-01

Objectives To reduce unnecessary lab testing by predicting when a proposed future lab test is likely to contribute information gain and thereby influence clinical management in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Recent studies have demonstrated that frequent laboratory testing does not necessarily relate to better outcomes. Design Data preprocessing, feature selection, and classification were performed and an artificial intelligence tool, fuzzy modeling, was used to identify lab tests that do not contribute an information gain. There were 11 input variables in total. Ten of these were derived from bedside monitor trends heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, temperature, blood pressure, and urine collections, as well as infusion products and transfusions. The final input variable was a previous value from one of the eight lab tests being predicted: calcium, PTT, hematocrit, fibrinogen, lactate, platelets, INR and hemoglobin. The outcome for each test was a binary framework defining whether a test result contributed information gain or not. Patients Predictive modeling was applied to recognize unnecessary lab tests in a real world ICU database extract comprising 746 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Main results Classification accuracy of necessary and unnecessary lab tests of greater than 80% was achieved for all eight lab tests. Sensitivity and specificity were satisfactory for all the outcomes. An average reduction of 50% of the lab tests was obtained. This is an improvement from previously reported similar studies with average performance 37% by [1–3]. Conclusions Reducing frequent lab testing and the potential clinical and financial implications are an important issue in intensive care. In this work we present an artificial intelligence method to predict the benefit of proposed future laboratory tests. Using ICU data from 746 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding, and eleven measurements, we demonstrate high accuracy in predicting the

Overview of RepLab 2012: Evaluating Online Reputation Management Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Amigó, E.; Corujo, A.; Gonzalo, J.; Meij, E.; de Rijke, M.

2012-01-01

This paper summarizes the goals, organization and results of the first RepLab competitive evaluation campaign for Online Reputation Management Systems (RepLab 2012). RepLab focused on the reputation of companies, and asked participant systems to annotate different types of information on tweets

Fuzzy logic type 1 and type 2 based on LabVIEW FPGA

CERN Document Server

Ponce-Cruz, Pedro; MacCleery, Brian

2016-01-01

This book is a comprehensive introduction to LabVIEW FPGA™, a package allowing the programming of intelligent digital controllers in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) using graphical code. It shows how both potential difficulties with understanding and programming in VHDL and the consequent difficulty and slowness of implementation can be sidestepped. The text includes a clear theoretical explanation of fuzzy logic (type 1 and type 2) with case studies that implement the theory and systematically demonstrate the implementation process. It goes on to describe basic and advanced levels of programming LabVIEW FPGA and show how implementation of fuzzy-logic control in FPGAs improves system responses. A complete toolkit for implementing fuzzy controllers in LabVIEW FPGA has been developed with the book so that readers can generate new fuzzy controllers and deploy them immediately. Problems and their solutions allow readers to practice the techniques and to absorb the theoretical ideas as they arise. Fuzzy L...

The idea factory: Bell Labs and the great age of American innovation

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gertner, Jon

2012-01-01

.... And at its heart this is a story about a small group of brilliant and eccentric men including Mervin Kelly, Bill Shockley, Claude Shannon, John Pierce, and Bill Baker who spent their careers at Bell Labs...

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.

Integrating Multiple On-line Knowledge Bases for Disease-Lab Test Relation Extraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yaoyun; Soysal, Ergin; Moon, Sungrim; Wang, Jingqi; Tao, Cui; Xu, Hua

2015-01-01

A computable knowledge base containing relations between diseases and lab tests would be a great resource for many biomedical informatics applications. This paper describes our initial step towards establishing a comprehensive knowledge base of disease and lab tests relations utilizing three public on-line resources. LabTestsOnline, MedlinePlus and Wikipedia are integrated to create a freely available, computable disease-lab test knowledgebase. Disease and lab test concepts are identified using MetaMap and relations between diseases and lab tests are determined based on source-specific rules. Experimental results demonstrate a high precision for relation extraction, with Wikipedia achieving the highest precision of 87%. Combining the three sources reached a recall of 51.40%, when compared with a subset of disease-lab test relations extracted from a reference book. Moreover, we found additional disease-lab test relations from on-line resources, indicating they are complementary to existing reference books for building a comprehensive disease and lab test relation knowledge base.

Semantic SenseLab: Implementing the vision of the Semantic Web in neuroscience.

Science.gov (United States)

Samwald, Matthias; Chen, Huajun; Ruttenberg, Alan; Lim, Ernest; Marenco, Luis; Miller, Perry; Shepherd, Gordon; Cheung, Kei-Hoi

2010-01-01

Integrative neuroscience research needs a scalable informatics framework that enables semantic integration of diverse types of neuroscience data. This paper describes the use of the Web Ontology Language (OWL) and other Semantic Web technologies for the representation and integration of molecular-level data provided by several of SenseLab suite of neuroscience databases. Based on the original database structure, we semi-automatically translated the databases into OWL ontologies with manual addition of semantic enrichment. The SenseLab ontologies are extensively linked to other biomedical Semantic Web resources, including the Subcellular Anatomy Ontology, Brain Architecture Management System, the Gene Ontology, BIRNLex and UniProt. The SenseLab ontologies have also been mapped to the Basic Formal Ontology and Relation Ontology, which helps ease interoperability with many other existing and future biomedical ontologies for the Semantic Web. In addition, approaches to representing contradictory research statements are described. The SenseLab ontologies are designed for use on the Semantic Web that enables their integration into a growing collection of biomedical information resources. We demonstrate that our approach can yield significant potential benefits and that the Semantic Web is rapidly becoming mature enough to realize its anticipated promises. The ontologies are available online at http://neuroweb.med.yale.edu/senselab/. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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…

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.

Group dynamic and its effect on classroom climate, achievement, and time in lab in the organic chemistry laboratory classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Rachael S.

Despite the many studies on the benefits of cooperative learning, there is surprising little research into how the classroom as a whole changes when these cooperative groups are reassigned. In one section of CHEM 3011 in Fall 2013, students were allowed to pick their partner and kept the same partner all semester. In another section during the same semester, students were assigned a different partner for every wet lab and were allowed to pick their partners during the computer simulation labs. The students in both sections were given the "preferred" version of the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) at the beginning of the semester to elicit student preferences for the class environment, and the "actual" version of the SLEI and the Class Life Instrument at the end of the semester to determine what actually occurred during the semester. The students' interactions were recorded using an observational instrument developed specifically for this project. The students' responses to surveys, interactions, grades, and time in lab were analyzed for differences between the two sections. The results of this study will be discussed.

Journal of Biosciences | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Author Affiliations. Vinod Shanker Dubey1 Ritu Bhalla2 Rajesh Luthra3. Neurobiotechnology Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA; Plant Microbes Interaction Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604; CSIR Complex, Dr K S Krishnan Marg, Pusa ...

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.

The Lab of the Future: Using Technology to Teach Foreign Language.

Science.gov (United States)

Underwood, John H.

1993-01-01

Describes the role of technology in teaching foreign languages. Offers a brief history of language lab technologies, including computer use for drill-and-practice, text reconstruction, and simulations and games. Discusses tool programs, intelligent systems, video technology, satellite television, videodisc and interactive video, hypertext and…

Hydroscoop - Bulletin of the small-scale hydraulic laboratory MHyLab; Hydroscoop - Bulletin d'information MHyLab laboratoire de petite hydraulique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denis, V.

2009-07-01

This is issue Nr. 5 of the news bulletin of MHyLab, the small-scale hydraulic laboratory in Montcherand, Switzerland. The history of MHyLab development is recalled. The objective of the laboratory is given: the laboratory development of efficient and reliable turbines for the entire small-scale hydraulic range (power: 10 to 2000 kW, flow rate: 0.01 to 10 m{sup 3}/s, hydraulic head: 1 m up to more than 700 m). The first period (1997-2001) was devoted to Pelton turbines for high heads (60 to 70 m) and the second (2001-2009) to Kaplan turbines for low and very low heads (1 to 30 m). In the third period (beginning 2008) diagonal turbines for medium heads (25 to 100 m) are being developed. MHyLab designed, modelled and tested all these different types. The small-scale hydraulic market developed unexpectedly quickly. The potential of small-scale hydraulics in the Canton of Vaud, western Switzerland is presented. Three implemented projects are reported on as examples for MHyLab activities on the market place. The MHyLab staff is presented.

The Habitation Lab: Using a Design Approach to Foster Innovation for Sustainable Living

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paula Femenías

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This article describes a first step towards a strategy for using living labs as a means to foster innovation and develop new concepts of sustainable living from an architectural point of view. The overall aim is to enable truly sustainable living through radically reduced energy and resource use thus addressing both environmental and social aspects of sustainability. Earlier research has shown that contemporary housing developments, including those with a sustainable profile, do not profoundly question modern lifestyles and consumption, which is a necessity to overcome limitations of a technological focus on environmental efficiency in construction. Thus, we see an opportunity for the discipline of architecture to engage in current investments in living lab facilities in order to push innovation in the field of sustainable housing. We introduce the concept of a "Habitation Lab", which will provide an arena for radical and high-risk design experimentation between users, building-sector actors, and academia, and we describe a case study of a planned Habitation Lab within a living lab facility where traditional solutions for daily living and habitation are questioned and new architectural innovations are explored and evaluated. The idea of using experimental activities in the field of housing is not new, and we argue that new investments should build on earlier experiences to avoid perpetuating misconceptions and repeating past failures. Furthermore, to ensure the dissemination and uptake of results, the design of the Habitation Lab should consider the innovation and learning trajectories of the building sector. We propose a transdisciplinary setting to provide a neutral arena for value creation and to increase the distribution of experiences.

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.

A Low-Cost Remote Lab for Internet Services Distance Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Sissom

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Academic departments seeking to reach students via distance education course offerings find that some on-line curricula require a traditional hands-on lab model for student evaluation and assessment. The authors solve the problem of providing distance education curriculum and supporting instruction lab components by using a low-cost remote lab. The remote lab is used to evaluate student performance in managing web services and website development, solving security problems, patch management, scripting and web server management. In addition, the authors discuss assessment and evaluation techniques that will be used to determine instructional quality and student performance. Discussed are the remote lab architecture, use of disk images and utilization of Windows 2003 Internet Information Service, and Linux Red Hat 9.0 platforms.

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…

European labs brace for German cuts: international collaboration

CERN Multimedia

Clery, D

1996-01-01

Germany, the largest contributor to international European research labs, announced plans to reduce its contributions an average of 8% in the nation's latest budget. CERN and other labs are worried that the cuts will endanger ongoing projects and that other countries may follow Germany's lead.

Can Graduate Teaching Assistants Teach Inquiry-Based Geology Labs Effectively?

Science.gov (United States)

Ryker, Katherine; McConnell, David

2014-01-01

This study examines the implementation of teaching strategies by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) in inquiry-based introductory geology labs at a large research university. We assess the degree of inquiry present in each Physical Geology lab and compare and contrast the instructional practices of new and experienced GTAs teaching these labs. We…

Constructing the Components of a Lab Report Using Peer Review

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, David E.; Fawkes, Kelli L.

2010-01-01

A protocol that emphasizes lab report writing using a piecemeal approach coupled with peer review is described. As the lab course progresses, the focus of the report writing changes sequentially through the abstract and introduction, the discussion, and the procedure. Two styles of lab programs are presented. One style rotates the students through…

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.

New microfluidic platform for life sciences in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Hugo, S

2012-10-01

Full Text Available is also offered as numerous devices can be implemented on one disc. A variety of components from sample preparation through to detection can be implemented simply and effectively into an integrated microfluidic solution for life sciences. The lab... in the field of centrifugal microfluidics. New microfluidic platform for life sciences in South Africa S. HUGO, K. LAND CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing P O Box 395, Pretoria 0001, SOUTH AFRICA Email: kland@csir.co.za INTRODUCTION Microfluidic...

Connecting Earth Systems: Developing Holistic Understanding through the Earth-System-Science Model

Science.gov (United States)

Gagnon, Valoree; Bradway, Heather

2012-01-01

For many years, Earth science concepts have been taught as thematic units with lessons in nice, neat chapter packages complete with labs and notes. But compartmentalized Earth science no longer exists, and implementing teaching methods that support student development of holistic understandings can be a time-consuming and difficult task. While…

A LabVIEWTM-based detector testing system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Haori; Li Yuanjing; Wang Yi; Li Yulan; Li Jin

2003-01-01

The construction of a LabVIEW-based detector testing system is described in this paper. In this system, the signal of detector is magnified and digitized, so amplitude or time spectrum can be obtained. The Analog-to-Digital Converter is a peak-sensitive ADC based on VME bus. The virtual instrument constructed by LabVIEW can be used to acquire data, draw spectrum and save testing results

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.

Clinical training in medical students during preclinical years in the skill lab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Upadhayay N

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Namrata Upadhayay Department of Physiology, Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Center, Kaski, Nepal Background: In Nepal, medical education is a high-stakes and stressful course. To enhance learning and minimize students’ stress, the conventional method has been replaced by integrated, student-centered learning. As an approach to train effectively, colleges have started establishing skill labs.Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of clinical skill training on exam performance as compared with the conventional teaching practice. Further, to assess the perceptions of students of the importance of skill lab training in college.Method: Twenty students were randomly selected to participate in this cross-sectional study. On the internal examination, students showed skills on manikins, and examiners evaluated them. A sample question in the exam was “To perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR on half body human manikin.” On completion of the exam, opinions were collected from the students via a predesigned self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions regarding skill lab use and its benefits to them in developing their skills, with a few questions related to the exam pattern. The responses were expressed in frequencies.Results: We found that all (20/20 students performed CPR with confidence and without hesitation on the manikin. The practical examination performance (marks was categorized as excellent (7/20, good (8/20, average (3/20, and poor (2/20. The pass percentage after skill training was increased by 25% as compared with conventional teaching practice. The majority of the students (17/20 mentioned that skill is better learned by doing than by observing others’ performance or watching videos. A few students (6/20 said skills are better learned by observing the real disease state. They mentioned that skill lab is the better choice for learning major skills such as catheterization, opening

Reviews Equipment: Data logger Book: Imagined Worlds Equipment: Mini data loggers Equipment: PICAXE-18M2 data logger Books: Engineering: A Very Short Introduction and To Engineer Is Human Book: Soap, Science, & Flat-Screen TVs Equipment: uLog and SensorLab Web Watch

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-01

WE RECOMMEND Data logger Fourier NOVA LINK: data logging and analysis To Engineer is Human Engineering: essays and insights Soap, Science, & Flat-Screen TVs People, politics, business and science overlap uLog sensors and sensor adapter A new addition to the LogIT range offers simplicity and ease of use WORTH A LOOK Imagined Worlds Socio-scientific predictions for the future Mini light data logger and mini temperature data logger Small-scale equipment for schools SensorLab Plus LogIT's supporting software, with extra features HANDLE WITH CARE CAXE110P PICAXE-18M2 data logger Data logger 'on view' but disappoints Engineering: A Very Short Introduction A broad-brush treatment fails to satisfy WEB WATCH Two very different websites for students: advanced physics questions answered and a more general BBC science resource

Physics lab in spin

CERN Multimedia

Hawkes, N

1999-01-01

RAL is fostering commerical exploitation of its research and facilities in two main ways : spin-out companies exploit work done at the lab, spin-in companies work on site taking advantage of the facilities and the expertise available (1/2 page).

Practical Clinical Training in Skills Labs: Theory and Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bugaj, T. J.

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Today, skills laboratories or “skills labs”, i.e. specific practical skill training facilities, are a firmly established part of medical education offering the possibility of training clinical procedures in a safe and fault-forging environment prior to real life application at bedside or in the operating room. Skills lab training follows a structured teaching concept, takes place under supervision and in consideration of methodological-didactic concepts, ideally creating an atmosphere that allows the repeated, anxiety- and risk-free practice of targeted skills.In this selective literature review, the first section is devoted to (I the development and dissemination of the skills lab concept. There follows (II an outline of the underlying idea and (III an analysis of key efficacy factors. Thereafter, (IV the training method’s effectiveness and transference are illuminated, before (V the use of student tutors, in the sense of peer-assisted-learning, in skills labs is discussed separately. Finally, (VI the efficiency of the skills lab concept is analyzed, followed by an outlook on future developments and trends in the field of skills lab training.

Comparative genomics of Lactobacillus and other LAB

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wassenaar, Trudy M.; Lukjancenko, Oksana

2014-01-01

that of the others, with the two Streptococcus species having the shortest genomes. The widest distribution in genome content was observed for Lactobacillus. The number of tRNA and rRNA gene copies varied considerably, with exceptional high numbers observed for Lb. delbrueckii, while these numbers were relatively......The genomes of 66 LABs, belonging to five different genera, were compared for genome size and gene content. The analyzed genomes included 37 Lactobacillus genomes of 17 species, six Lactococcus lactis genomes, four Leuconostoc genomes of three species, six Streptococcus genomes of two species...

Aircraft Lighting and Transparency Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Advanced Lighting and Transparencies with Night Combat Lab performs radiometric and photometric measurements of cockpit lighting and displays. Evaluates the day,...

Colliding worlds how cutting-edge science is redefining contemporary art