03/19/04
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This newsletter is available to the public at the following locations:
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/swain/nsflibnews/
http://www.eevl.ac.uk/scitechnews/
http://avel.edu.au/scitech.html
UK Science & Technology Committee Invites Evidence on Open
Access Publishing
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/science_and_technology_committee/scitech111203a.cf
“The
Committee will be looking at access to journals within the scientific
community, with particular reference to price and availability. It will be
asking what measures are being taken in government, the publishing industry
and academic institutions to ensure that researchers, teachers and students
have access to the publications they need in order to carry out their work
effectively. The inquiry will also examine the impact that the current trend
towards e-publishing may have on the integrity of journals and the scientific
process.”
Assn. of American Publishers on HR 2613
http://www.pspcentral.org/committees/executive/sabo.doc
A
brief statement from this organization giving their position on the proposed
open access to federally funded sci-tech research.
Noam
Chomsky: The Militarization of Science and Space
http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/182/
“Chomsky
launches a savage, two-pronged assault on national economic policies and
efforts at ‘global domination....By now the stakes are so high that issues of
survival arise,’ says Chomsky.
The basic principle underlying our current economy is ‘to make rich people happy and make everybody else frightened.’ Chomsky lays particular blame for this doctrine on Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan -- ‘Saint Alan’ -- who claims the economy is working well because of private entrepreneurial initiative and expanding consumer choice. Chomsky disagrees. He claims that in the last 30 years, it has been public spending on such technologies as computers, satellites, the Internet and lasers that has fed the economy. And the wealth derived from these technologies has gone primarily into the hands of corporate masters, who represent a fraction of the American people. The government has used a succession of bogeymen -- the Soviets, Communist insurgents around the world, and now global terrorism -- to scare taxpayers into supporting core defense programs whose technologies ultimately spin off into private hands. The current administration advocates not merely controlling space, but owning it, with a new missile-based system and satellite-guided unmanned drones. This expensive strategy, combined with the doctrine of striking first at perceived enemies, may well bring global calamity.”
Vaccinology
http://www.national-academies.org/nas/colloquia
“Vaccinology:
Challenges and Opportunities for the 21st Century” is the subject of the
fourth annual Sackler Lecture being given by Anthony Fauci, director of the
National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases. The 90-minute event begins at 6 p.m. EST Thursday, April 1 in the
National Academy of Sciences Building auditorium, 2100 C St. N.W., Washington,
D.C. Admission to the lecture is free and open to the public.
Enhancing the Postdoc Experience
http://www7.national-academies.org/postdoc
Enhancing
the postdoctoral experience for scientists and engineers is the topic of the
second convocation being held by the National Academies' Committee on Science,
Engineering and Public Policy. The daylong event, which begins at 9 a.m. EDT
Thursday, April 15 in the National Academy of Sciences Building, 2100 C St.
N.W., Washington, D.C., will aim to assess progress on the recommendations set
out in its September 2000 report. The workshop is free and open to the public,
but advance registration is required.
Career
Opportunities for Undergraduate Students in the Geosciences
http://www.national-academies.org/
Career
opportunities for undergraduate students in the geosciences is the topic of an
upcoming forum being hosted by the National Academies. The daylong event
begins at 9 a.m. EST Tuesday, March 30 in the National Academy of Sciences
Building auditorium, 2100 C St. N.W., Washington, D.C. Presenters at the forum
include a television meteorologist, a top ocean scientist, a volcano expert,
hurricane specialists and an astronaut. Participate by listening to a live
audio webcast (requires free RealPlayer) and submitting questions using an
e-mail form, both accessible on the National-Academies.org home page during
the event.
2 New Open Access Journals from Biomed
Central
BMC Medicine
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmed/
BMC
Biology
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcbiol/
BMC
Medicine publishes original research articles, technical advances and study
protocols in any area of medical science or clinical practice. To be
appropriate for BMC Medicine, articles need to be of special importance and
broad interest. BMC Medicine (ISSN 1741-7015) is covered by PubMed.
BMC Biology publishes original research articles and methodology articles in any area of biology but with a focus on the biomedical sciences. To be appropriate for BMC Biology, articles need to be of special importance and broad interest. BMC Biology (ISSN 1741-7007) is covered by PubMed.
New at Highwire Press
Reproduction
http://www.reproduction-online.org/
“Reproduction
publishes high quality original research and topical reviews on the subject of
reproductive biology. The journal focuses on cellular and molecular mechanisms
of reproduction, development of gametes, embryos and reproductive tissues,
reproductive physiology and reproductive endocrinology. New and emerging
topics in more applied areas of reproduction, including assisted reproductive
technologies, cloning, and stem cell biology are encouraged. Reproduction is
the official journal of the Society of Reproduction and Fertility (SRF).
There is currently a free trial period for access to Reproduction, which will be available until April 30, 2004. Subsequent to the free trial, access to the full text of articles will be available by institutional license, which comes with all institutional subscriptions. Review articles are freely available to all immediately upon release. Other full-text content will be free one year after publication.”
Free Back Issues at HighWire
Additional journals
working with Stanford University's HighWire Press have begun to participate in
the “Free Back Issues” program; some publications have changed their Free Back
Issue policies. This note covers both.
The Free Back Issues program now has 168 journals participating (21 of these are entirely free), making over 690,000 full-text articles free to the community; two-thirds of all online full-text articles produced by publishers working with HighWire Press are now free. These publishers comprise the largest archive of free full-text articles in the sciences.
The new participating publishers and publications:
Changes in publications' free back issue policies:
Essential Elements of Effective Science Instruction for English
Learners (pdf). California Science Project, 2004.
http://csmp.ucop.edu/csp/downloads/essential_elements.pdf
James
H. Bigelow, Paul K. Davis. Implications for Model Validation of
Multiresolution, Multiperspective Modeling (MRMPM) and Exploratory
Analysis. RAND, 2004.
http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1750/
Terrence Kelly, et al. A Review of Reports on Selected Large
Federal Science Facilities: Management and Life-Cycle Issues. RAND,
2004.
http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1728/
Hazards
Watch: Reducing the Impacts of Disasters Through Improved Earth Observations
-- Summary of a Workshop, October 22, 2003, Washington, DC. NAP,
2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10948.html
Gender & Science Digital Library
http://gsdl.enc.org/external/gsdl_index/0,4079,,00.shtm
“The
Gender & Science Digital Library (GSDL) is a collaborative project between
the Gender & Diversities Institute at EDC and the Eisenhower National
Clearinghouse at Ohio State University, with funding from the National Science
Foundation (NSF). The GSDL is an interactive collection of high-quality,
gender-equitable science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
resources for K-12, higher education (community college and university),
women's studies, teacher preparation programs, and informal learning
environments.” Includes a news service of articles pertaining to women and
minorities in science.
ESA: Aurora Programme
http://www.esa.int/export/SPECIALS/Aurora/
“The
primary objective of Aurora is to create, and then implement, a European
long-term plan for the robotic and human exploration of the solar system, with
Mars, the Moon and the asteroids as the most likely targets.” The site
presents news, describes the Aurora program and its missions, and provides
related information. Includes documents and artist images. Searchable. From
the European Space Agency (ESA). (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Leonardo Da Vinci
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/leonardo/
“Leonardo
da Vinci, 1452-1519. Italian artist, scientist, engineer. An all-round genius
whose paintings and inventions changed the world. Take an interactive journey
through his life and works to discover what made him a true Renaissance man.”
This website from the BBC asks “what kind of thinker are you?” (take the
personality test to determine the answer), a visit to Leonardo's studio, a
picture gallery, and more!
Excellence in Science Communication Awards
http://www7.national-academies.org/keck/Awards.html
The
National Academies and the W.M. Keck Foundation announce a call for
nominations for communication awards recognizing excellence in reporting and
communicating science, engineering and medicine to the general public. The
Academies will present a $20,000 prize to one individual in each of the
following three categories for significant contributions to the public's
understanding of science in 2003: a book author; a newspaper, magazine or
online journalist; and a TV/radio producer or reporter.
eScholarship Repository
http://repositories.cdlib.org/escholarship/
UC'S
ESCHOLARSHIP REPOSITORY ADDS PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
“OAKLAND - To
address the economic unsustainability of high pricing for scholarly journals,
the University of California is providing alternatives to the traditional
scholarly communication model through the eScholarship program at the
California Digital Library. Now, UC faculty in all departments, research units
and centers can use the eScholarship Repository to provide free, open access
to peer-reviewed journals online at
http://repositories.cdlib.org/escholarship/.
Since 2002, the eScholarship Repository has offered UC faculty a central, online location for depositing working papers, technical reports, research results and conference proceedings from a wide range of disciplines. Scholars around the world have benefited from the free access to this faculty research. With the eScholarship Repository's new peer-review capability, UC faculty have an alternative to publishing their research in for-profit journals, whose rising costs have become a burden to universities and libraries with shrinking budgets.
The first peer-reviewed journal in the eScholarship Repository is San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, published by the John Muir Institute of the Environment at UC Davis.
Other peer-reviewed materials in the eScholarship Repository include papers and edited volumes from the UC International and Area Studies Digital Collection.
The California Digital Library (CDL) expects the number of peer-reviewed papers and journals to grow substantially in coming months, with the addition of scientific monographs and other content from the University of California Press, as well as new journals sponsored by departments at several UC campuses, including InterActions: UCLA Journal of Education and Information Studies. Additionally, Comitatus, a 34-year-old journal sponsored by the UCLA Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, will be migrating to the eScholarship Repository this spring.”
GET IN THE RHYTHM
http://www.exploratorium.edu/music/index.html
“Explore
how and why music affects us all. Discover provocative questions, interactive
sound exhibits, and short films exploring the world of musical instruments on
our new Accidental Scientist: Music Web site. Whether it's classical, jazz, or
rhythm and blues, all music is rooted in physics, biology, and psychology. Get
in tune with the science of music!”
Virtual
Knee Surgery (COSI)
http://livingchildren.com/knee/
“This totally
Flash-driven tutorial allows users to conduct a virtual knee replacement. You
will be guided step by step throughout the procedure and will have
opportunities to interact with various tools such as the bone saw, a tool for
cauterizing veins, and so forth. Also includes real photos of the procedure in
a separate section which are not too gross. Produced by COSI Columbus.” (From
Blue Web'N)
Searching the Internet for Images
http://www.tasi.ac.uk/resources/searchingresources.html
“Specific
and simply worded guidelines and links for searching for pictures,
photographs, and other images on the Internet. Provides suggested sources for
stock photos, historical images, art images, and scientific images. From the
United Kingdom's Technical Advisory Service for Images (TASI).” (From
Librarian's Index to the Internet)
The Science of Football [Soccer]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/football/
“Nowadays
scientists, nutritionists and physiologists all have a part to play in the
beautiful game. Find out how to bend it like Beckham and why Arsene Wenger
likes to look at your urine.” This terrific BBC website introduces you to many
scientific aspects of the sport, including why watching the World Cup is good
for your health, are you a natural footballer, and why the referee is blind.
Enjoy!
Bring your lunch to the Library Tuesday, March 23 and/or Wednesday, March 24 for our latest feature “Jurassic Park”. You may have seen the movie already, but you didn't see it with the critical eye of BIO's own Sam Scheiner. Sam is ready to fill you in on the science (or lack thereof) underlying this modern classic. If you can't stay for the movie, at least don't miss Sam's presentation!
Tuesday, March 23 at 12:30
Wednesday, March 24, at 11:30
As usual, the popcorn is on us!
Exchange Program for Biomedical Scientists
http://www7.national-academies.org/dsc/Biomedical_Exchange_Application.html
The
National Research Council is sponsoring an international exchange program for
American biomedical scientists at institutes in the former Soviet Union. The
program, which will allow successful applicants to spend two weeks in July
2004 at research institutes in Russia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, is supported
by the Department of Defense's Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Applications
are due by Thursday, April 15.
Raintree: Tropical Plant Database
http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
“Hosted by
Raintree, the Tropical Plant Database is authored and maintained by Board
Certified Naturopath, Ms. Leslie Taylor to provide accurate information about
rainforest plants and to help promote rainforest conservation. Including over
300 pages of documentation on rainforest plants and very well-organized, the
Tropical Plant Database lists plants by Common name, Botanical name, Ethnic
uses, and Action/disorder. The Database File for each plant includes an
illustration and information about family, genus, species, common names, plant
description, and more. Visitors can link to great illustrations and photos as
well as web resources for each plant including Medline Abstracts, W3 TROPICOS
Database, Ethnobotany Database, and Phtyochem Database among others. Plant
Database File pages include references as well. This site is also reviewed in
the March 19, 2004 _NSDL Life Sciences Report_. [NL]” (From the Scout
Report)
BBC Wildfacts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/index.shtml
Choose
your animal and this BBC website provides you with pictures, videos, and brief
facts about the species. You can also browse groups of species, sorted by such
factors as habitat, diet, etc.
New York University: A World Community of Old
Trees
http://www.nyu.edu/projects/julian/index.html
“Hosted
by New York University, this innovative website entitled ‘A World Community of
Old Trees’ was created by art educator and exhibiting visual artist, Dr. June
Julian. This collaborative art project provides opportunities for students in
grades K-12 to research a tree in their community, create art work about that
tree, and submit the information and artwork for inclusion in the Tree Gallery
section of the website. The Tree Gallery section also includes background for
the project, examples of Dr. Julian's art, and other artists' representations
of trees (including work from K-12 students from around the country and Ohio
University students). The site links to Project Instructions for Students in
Grades K-12 and printable Permission Forms. The site also links to the Tree
Museum containing art history for tree images, and Tree Talk which provides a
forum for sharing ecological information about ancient trees. [NL]” (From the
Scout Report)
Animal Planet: Jane Goodall-40 Years at Gombe
http://media.animal.discovery.com/fansites/janegoodall/janegoodall.html
“Hosted
by Animal Planet, this Jane Goodall-40 Years in Gombe multi-media website
shares stories, high-quality video clips, and photographs about the
experiences of Jane Goodall, the chimpanzees of Gombe, and other information.
A special feature of the site is the On Location: From the Field videos that
are sent in every other month from Bill Wallauer, who has been
video-documenting Gombe chimps since 1992. Additionally, site visitors can
learn about Jane Goodall's life through a brief biography with photos, view an
interview with Jane Goodall, join the Discover Roots and Shoots online
discussion, and more. This site also hosts an Earth Alert section, and even
provides family trees with photos for selected chimpanzees. [NL]” (From the
Scout Report)
Accessibility in
Distance Education (ADE)
http://www.umuc.edu/ade/
“This site ‘focuses on
helping [university] faculty develop accessible online learning materials for
people with disabilities.’ It features an overview of accessibility and
sections on legal issues, understanding disabilities, accessible Web design,
and best practices. Includes a glossary. From the Center for Accessibility in
Distance Education (CADE) at the University of Maryland University College.”
(From the Librarian's Index to the Internet)
The Black
Inventor Online Museum
http://www.blackinventor.com/
This commercial
site presents brief information about dozens of Black inventors from the
United States. Some entries include portraits and images. Also includes a
browsable timeline covering 1721-1988. Searchable. Note: Does not include
bibliographic information. (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
First
Flight, First Fabric
http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/177/
“On the 100th
anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight, Deborah Douglas manages to
tease several story strands out of a one-inch-square piece of fabric. The
object at the center of her lecture is a sacred aviation relic, part of the
wing covering used in the famous 1903 Wright Brothers flyer. Douglas turns
back the clock to 1916-when the Institute was celebrating its new campus in
Cambridge. This ‘Pageant of Progress’ featured the 1903 Flyer, and dozens of
alumni attended, including some who went on to illustrious careers in
aviation. After Orville Wright died, he bequeathed fabric from the Flyer to
Lester Gardner (B.S., MIT 1898), founder of what was to become Aviation Week
& Space Technology. Gardiner mounted pieces of the fabric on certificates,
and, according to Douglas, created a shrine for them in his library.
By mid-century, airplanes dominated the imagination of the American public, symbolizing modernity and progress. Speed was emerging as a central cultural value. Douglas details all that we owe ‘to the huge communities of people that work together to keep a small number of vehicles in the air.’”
Engineering is a Dream Career
http://www.engineergirl.org/nae/cwe/egedu.nsf/(weblinks)/KGRG-5CZHGL?OpenDocument
The
National Academy of Engineering's EngineerGirl! Web site announces its essay
contest, “Engineering is a Dream Career,” for boys and girls in grades 4-12.
Entries are due by Wednesday, March 31 and winners will be announced on
Saturday, April 24.
Aerospaceweb.org
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/
“Engineers employed
within the aerospace industry formed this site to ‘provide information
regarding a wide range of aerospace-related fields, including aircraft design,
spacecraft design, aerodynamics, and aerospace history.’ Features pictures and
data on international aircraft, and an ‘Ask a Rocket Scientist’ section for
questions about aviation and aerospace.” (From Librarian's Index to the
Internet)
CLIWOC:
Climatological Database for the World's Oceans
http://www.ucm.es/info/cliwoc/
“The primary aim
of this project funded by the European Union ‘is to produce and make freely
available for the scientific community the world's first daily oceanic
climatological database for the period 1750 to 1850.’ Data has been obtained
primarily through ships' logbooks ‘held in British, Dutch, French, Spanish and
Argentinean archives.’ Site includes a database of transcribed weather
information, maps, and a multilingual dictionary of wind force terms.” (From
Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Stormtrack
http://www.stormtrack.org/
“This site celebrates
the storm chaser (‘defined as a person who pursues imminent or existing severe
thunderstorms, for any reason, and operates independently or as part of a
research effort’). It features annotated images of recent extreme weather
conditions in the United States as well as a forum, information about Skywarn
(the U.S. National Weather Service program for volunteer skywatchers), and
links to related sites. Note: Some portions of the site are not updated
regularly.” (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Whirlpools: Experiencing Naruto Whirlpools
http://www.uq.edu.au/~e2hchans/whirlpl.html
“A
short, scholarly discussion of whirlpools in general, and the whirlpools of
Japan's Naruto Strait in particular. ‘In coastal zones, whirlpools are
produced by the interaction of rising and falling tides.’ Contains photographs
and related links. From a fluid mechanics and water engineering professor at
the University of Queensland, Australia.” (From Librarian's Index to the
Internet)
Walking with Dinosaurs
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dinosaurs/index.shtml
“Could
you guard a Tyrannosaurus nest from predators? What if you encountered an
angry Ankylosaurus? Start exploring the dinosaurs' world.” This is a great
interactive page from the BBC as a companion to the BBC-produced TV series. It
includes a timeline, a screensaver, fact files, games and quizzes, news,
science focus and more, with wonderful graphics.
Wonderful World of Weather
http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/weatherproj/index_NEW.html
“Created
by the Stevens Institute of Technology, the Wonderful World of Weather is a
standard-based real time data module for elementary students to explore
weather phenomena locally and globally. Teachers can find many fun classroom
activities divided into three sections: introductory activities, real time
data activities, and language arts activities related to weather. The website
features an abundance of links to real time weather data. Students can learn
how to have their work published on the website. Users can find additional
materials about children's books related to weather, guidelines for data
collection, and curriculum standards. [RME]” (From the Scout Report)
ESA: European Space
Agency
http://www.esa.int/
“Made up of 15 nations and
headquartered in Paris, ESA seeks to ‘shape the development of Europes space
capability.’ The site includes information about ESA and its programs, news,
press releases, news from member countries, and multimedia galleries with
audio, video, and photographs. Also features the home page for the Mars
Express project. Searchable. Available in multiple languages.” (From
Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Animated Guide to the Rosetta Mission
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3487230.stm
From
BBC News, a website with a brief animated guide to the Rosetta mission, which
will land instruments onto a comet for the first time. Also included are
numerous news stories about the mission.
University of Cambridge : Relativity Public Home
Page
http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/gr/public
“A
very detailed site for the layperson or student interested in learning about
relativity, cosmology, black holes, quantum gravity, and theories of the
universe. Categories are divided into multiple sections, and the text is
supported by multiple images and diagrams. There are computer models,
simulations, and graphics within the sections as well. Site links to the
homepage of Professor Stephen Hawking and COSMOS, the National Cosmology
Supercomputer page.” (From InfoMine)
Math
Cats
http://www.mathcats.com/
“It is at times very
difficult to get children excited about math, but Math Cats (designed by Wendy
Patti, a teacher) is an online archive of fun and informative activities that
will help young people learn about a number of math topics, including
geometry, arithmetic, and other topics. As one might expect, much of this is
achieved by a number of virtual cats who explain various features of the site,
and the different math concepts that are explored within. The site is divided
up into a number of sections, including one that is particularly well-thought
out, MicroWorlds. Here visitors may download a number of interactive projects,
such as Coin Flipper (a way to learn about probability) and Multiply It, which
allows users to learn about multiplication. The Math Crafts section is also
quite ingenious, providing plans for different fun projects, such as the
Number City and a Polygon Airport. Finally, visitors may sign up to receive an
electronic newsletter and learn about the various accolades that the site has
received. [KMG]” (From the Scout Report)
Heavens Above: Art and Actuality
http://www.nypl.org/research/sibl/trouvelot/
“‘An
online exhibit that compares the 19th-century chromolithographs of
astronomical observations made by artist/astronomer Etienne Trouvelot with
comparable images photographed by NASA as part of its space program.’ From the
New York Public Library.” (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Ideas: The Higgs Boson
http://www.exploratorium.edu/origins/cern/ideas/higgs.html
“‘What
determines your mass ... [is] one of the most-asked, most-hotly pursued
questions in physics today.’ This site provides background information about
this question and an overview of the Higgs boson, ‘a particle, or set of
particles, that might give others mass.’ Includes illustrations and links to
research on the Higgs boson. From the Exploratorium.” (From Librarian's Index
to the Internet)
Sedna (2003 VB12)
http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/sedna/
“‘On
15 March 2004, astronomers from Caltech, Gemini Observatory, and Yale
University announced the discovery of the coldest, most distant object known
to orbit the sun.’ This site provides background information about Sedna, and
details about the findings of the team. Includes images and related links
(such as to the legend of Sedna, the Inuit goddess of the sea). From a member
of the team that discovered Sedna.” (From Librarian's Index to the
Internet)
Serco
TransArctic Expedition
http://www.sercotransarctic.com/
“In our time,
it would seem that all of the boundaries of exploration have been pushed to
the limits here on terra firma. With the notable exception of the world's
oceans, every mountain peak has been successfully conquered, every
inhospitable landscape traversed and so on. Stepping into the grand tradition
of exploration is Ben Saunders, a long distance skier from Devon, England, who
is currently seeking to become the first person to ski solo more than 1200
miles across the Arctic from Siberia to Canada via the geographic North Pole.
On the website dedicated to his expedition, visitors can learn more about his
previous expeditions, view a map of his route, and view statistics on his
progress on a daily basis. Of course, visitors will also want to read his
daily dispatches, and perhaps send along a word of encouragement via email.
[KMG]” (From the Scout Report)
Sample Size Calculator
http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm
“Want to
take a survey but not sure how many responses to collect? This calculator
gives you the number for any given population size and desired confidence
level. A reverse calculator lets you enter characteristics of an existing
survey and gives the confidence interval (plus-or-minus number) to apply to
the results. This site, sponsored by a survey software company, also gives
clear explanations of statistical significance, survey design, and related
concepts.” (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Campfire
Stories with George Catlin: An Encounter of Two Cultures
http://catlinclassroom.si.edu/
“‘Take a virtual
journey to meet American Indians of the 1830s with artist, ethnologist, and
showman George Catlin. This site compiles paintings, historical documents, and
commentary from contemporary experts so you can explore the intersections of
two cultures, both in Catlin's time and today.’ Also includes lesson plans and
curriculum standards. Searchable by keyword or tribal affiliation. From the
Smithsonian American Art Museum. Note: Use search button on main page.” (From
Librarian's Index to the Internet)
The
Population Research Center at NORC & The University of
Chicago
http://www.src.uchicago.edu/prc/
“‘The
Population Research Center at NORC [National Opinion Research Center] and the
University of Chicago . . . is an interdisciplinary research center designed
to facilitate high-quality population research conducted by its researchers --
economists, sociologists, and other population scientists.’ The site features
browsable discussion papers (on topics such as education, marriage, and racial
equality), information about and data from research projects and surveys, and
related links. Note: Some data files require special programs or conversion.”
(From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
English Accents and Dialects
http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/collections/dialects/
“‘All
languages change over time and vary according to place and social domain, as
is perfectly illustrated by these extracts taken from two large audio
resources held in the British Library Sound Archive. . . . Together, they
provide a fascinating overview of spoken English during the second half of the
20th century.’ Includes dozens of browsable sound clips and a glossary. A part
of the British Library Collect Britain project.” (From Librarian's Index to
the Internet)
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INTERNET2 COMPLETES ABILENE UPGRADE
http://chronicle.com/prm/weekly/v50/i25/25a03002.htm
Internet2
has completed an upgrade to its Abilene network, raising the network's speed
to 10 billion bits of information per second. Abilene's capacity for data
transfer is four times as fast as it was prior to the upgrade and 15,000 times
faster than a typical dial-up connection. According to Internet2, hardware and
services for the upgrade were provided by Indiana University, Juniper
Networks, and Qwest Communications. In addition to speed increases, the new
network is capable of using IPv6, the newest version of the protocol used to
transmit information. Officials from Internet2 said researchers are already
working on projects that can take advantage of extremely high speeds of data
transfer, including a project last year that transferred data from a
particle-physics laboratory in Switzerland to the California Institute of
Technology at seven billion bits per second.
Chronicle of Higher Education,
27 February 2004 (sub. req'd) via Edupage.
TRIBES IN OREGON PLAN VIRTUAL COLLEGE
http://chronicle.com/prm/weekly/v50/i18/18a03701.htm
Native
American tribes in Oregon are working on plans to establish an entirely online
college to serve the state's nine reservations, none of which currently has a
college. The Oregon Virtual Tribal College would develop an infrastructure to
allow students on all nine reservations to interact with each other and
instructors. All of the instruction planned would take place online, unlike
some other tribal colleges that provide online programs as well as in-class
instruction. Responsibility for the various parts of the curriculum would be
spread across Oregon's Native American tribes, and other higher education
institutions in the state would provide course content and instructors.
Organizers of the project believe it will cost less than a physical
institution and hope to fund the virtual college with state and federal
grants. Wendell Jim, who is heading the project, said he expects the program
to begin with about 100 students and to become an accredited, degree-granting
institution.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 9 January 2004 (sub. req'd)via
Edupage
NATIVE AMERICANS CONNECT WITH WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3489932.stm
A
group of 18 Native American tribes in Southern California is using wireless
techology for Internet access where wired connections remain unavailable.
Because of the high cost of running cables, Internet carriers have chosen to
build infrastructure in urban areas and areas with substantial numbers of
prospective customers. The 18 tribal reservations included in the Tribal
Digital Village (TDV) project include only 15,000 people total. The TDV
wireless network covers a mountainous region 150 miles long by 75 miles wide
and was built in large part using funds from a grant by HP. The network has
more than 900 computers connected to it so far. One of the applications the
network serves is educational, with 25 learning labs offering high school and
postsecondary courses.
BBC, 3 March 2004 via Edupage
UNIVERSITY SUPERCOMPUTER TO ADDRESS GLOBAL WEATHER
CHANGES
http://chronicle.com/prm/weekly/v50/i26/26a02602.htm
A
new supercomputer at the University of California at Irvine may strengthen
arguments made by researchers involved in climate-change studies. Detractors
of climate-change research have often pointed to variables not accounted for
in computer simulations, according to UC Irvine's Charles Zender, an assistant
professor of earth system science. The new computer, dubbed the Virtual
Climate Time Machine, has enough processing power to add many of those
variables into simulations, potentially providing researchers with stronger
data supporting theories about global warming and its causes. The new computer
will not only make predictions about future changes but will also examine
historical data, looking for clues about changes that have already
happened.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 5 March 2004 (sub. req'd) via
Edupage.
SIA
ADDS TO UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECT
http://news.com.com/2100-7337_3-5173459.html
The
Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has added the University of
California at Los Angeles to four other universities participating in the
Focus Center Research Program, which conducts research on semiconductor
projects with support from 25 other universities. The SIA also announced that
the research scope for the other four members would be expanded. The four
original members of the program are Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the
University of California at Berkeley. The SIA also called on the government to
increase the funding it provides to the program. Currently, government funds
account for about one-third of the program's $29 million budget. George
Scalise, president of the SIA, said the government should double its
contribution, to $20 million annually.
CNET, 16 March 2004 via Edupage
CHINA CREATES SOFTWARE COLLEGES
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/8206391.htm
In
an effort to close a growing technology-skills gap with a number of other
countries, China began a program three years ago of creating software colleges
at 35 Chinese universities. Unlike most universities in China, the software
colleges take advantage of significant funding from companies outside China.
The School of Software at Peking University, for example, boasts cutting-edge
computer labs funded by U.S. companies including IBM, Microsoft, Sun
Microsystems, Motorola, Oracle, and Intel. In addition, many of the faculty at
the school are from the United States. The Chinese software colleges aim to
combine training in technical skills and practical experience (many students
are involved in internship programs with U.S. technology firms) with a focus
on Western-style management. According to one student, Chinese management
structures are based on personal connections rather than merit.
San Jose
Mercury News, 17 March 2004 via Edupage
GAO QUESTIONS THE 50-PERCENT RULE
http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2004/02/2004022703n.htm
The
General Accounting Office (GAO) released a report this week on a Department of
Education pilot project designed to test the necessity of the 50-percent rule.
The rule says that for students to be eligible to receive federal financial
aid, they must be enrolled at institutions that offer fewer than half of their
courses as distance courses or that have fewer than half their students
enrolled as distance students. The rule was intended to discourage fraud in
distance education programs, but the GAO said the pilot project showed no
increase in the level of fraud at institutions that were exempted from the
rule for the purposes of the pilot. The report also said that eliminating the
50-percent rule without instituting other measures to prevent fraud might
result in higher incidence of fraud and that eliminating the rule could draw
significant numbers of students into distance education programs, increasing
the potential cost of federal financial aid for those students.
Chronicle
of Higher Education, 27 February 2004 (sub. req'd) (via Edupage)
UK TO REFOCUS DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION PROJECT
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/3494048.stm
The
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) said it will begin a
series of discussions aimed at “restructuring” the UK e-Universities Worldwide
(UKeU), which has failed to meet expectations. The UKeU was launched last
spring, with the backing of 12 colleges and universities as well as that of
government and industry, as a project to develop Internet-based education that
would attract students from around the world. The HEFCE cited several problems
with UKeU, including the fact that many UK universities offer online education
outside the scope of UKeU. The council also noted that many of the students
expected to take advantage of the online courses have instead gone to the UK
and enrolled at colleges and universities. According to the HEFCE, “The new
arrangements will place greater emphasis on public good rather than commercial
objectives.”
BBC, 27 February 2004 via Edupage.
All items from the Scout Report are copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-2000. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the Scout Report provided the copyright notice and this paragraph is preserved on all copies. The InterNIC provides information about the Internet to the US research and education community under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation: NCR-9218742. The Government has certain rights in this material.
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