The concepts of sustainable development have experienced extraordinary success since their advent in the 1980s. They are now an integral part of the agenda of governments and corporations, and their goals have become central to the mission of research laboratories and universities worldwide. However, it remains unclear how far the field has progressed as a scientific discipline, especially given its ambitious agenda of integrating theory, applied science, and policy, making it relevant for development globally and generating a new interdisciplinary synthesis across fields. To address these
Right now about one billion people suffer from chronic hunger. the world’s farmers grow enough food to feed them, but it is not properly distributed and, even if it were, many cannot afford it, because prices are escalating. But another challenge looms. By 2050 the world’s population will increase by two billion or three billion, which will likely double the demand for food, according to several studies. Demand will also rise because many more people will have higher incomes, which means they will eat more, especially meat. Increasing use of cropland for biofuels will make meeting the doubling
This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Scientists and researchers from fields as diverse as oceanography and ecology, astronomy and classical studies face a common challenge. As computer power and technology improve, the sizes of data sets available to us increase rapidly. The goal of this project is to develop a new methodology for using citizen science to unlock the knowledge discovery potential of modern, large data sets. For example, in a previous project Galaxy Zoo, citizen scientists have already made major contributions, lending their eyes, their pattern recognition skills and their brains to address research questions that need human input, and in so doing, have become part of the computing process. The current Galaxy Zoo project has recruited more than 200,000 participants who have provided more than 100 million classifications of galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. This project builds upon early successes to develop a mode of citizen science participation which involves not only simple "clickwork" tasks, but also involves participants in more advanced modes of scientific thought. As part of the project, a symbiotic relationship with machine learning tools and algorithms will be developed, so that results from citizen scientists provide a rich training set for improving algorithms that in turn inform citizen science modes of participation. The first phase of the project will be to develop a portfolio of pilot projects from astrophysics, planetary science, zoology, and classical studies. The second phase of the project will be to develop a framework - called the Zooniverse - to facilitate citizen scientists. In particular, research and machine-learning communities will be engaged to identify suitable projects and data sets to integrate into Zooniverse.
The ultimate goal with the Zooniverse is to create a sustainable future for large-scale, internet-based citizen science as part of every researcher?s toolkit, exemplifying a new paradigm in computational thinking, tapping the mental resources of a community of lay people in an innovative and complex manner that promises a profound impact on our ability to generate new knowledge. The project will engage thousands of citizens in authentic science tasks leading to a better public understanding of science and also, by the engagement of students, leading to interest in scientific careers.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Geza GyukPamela GayChristopher LintottMichael RaddickLucy FortsonJohn Wallin
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
Innovation processes are rarely smooth and disruptions often occur at transition points were one knowledge domain passes the technology on to another domain. At these transition points communication is a key component in assisting the smooth hand over of technologies. However for smooth transitions to occur we argue that appropriate structures have to be in place and boundary spanning activities need to be facilitated. This paper presents three case studies of innovation processes and the findings support the view that structures and boundary spanning are essential for smooth transitions. We
There exists a distinct disconnect between scientists’ perception of nature and people’s worldview. This ‘disconnect’ though has dialectical relationship with science communication processes which, causes impediments in the propagation of scientific ideas. Those ideas, which are placed at large cultural distance, do not easily become a part of cognitive structure of a common citizen or peoples thought complex. Low level of public understanding of bio-energy technologies is one such sphere of understanding. The present study is based on assumption that public debate on bio-energy is part of the
Catechism, a literary genre of a religious origin, was once employed in the teaching of ‘lay’ subjects, especially of a technical nature. This is a review of this past editorial tradition which illustrates the potentialities and the limitations of agrarian catechisms, with a special focus on their spreading across Southern Italy in the late Enlightenment. This paper reflects on whether a book was the best instrument to hand down procedures and notions to people who supposedly were illiterate or unschooled.
Our goal is to attempt the identification of Sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) that may be returning to San Diego from year-to-year, using the pattern recognition algorithm provided in ‘Wildbook,’ a web-based application for wildlife data management, designed by Jason Holmberg. 'Wildbook' which has been successfully used to ID Whale Sharks (Rhincodon typus ) by their spotting patterns.
Sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus), are currently listed as Data deficient (DD) on the IUCN Red List: "This assessment is based on the information published in the 2005 shark status survey (Fowler et al. 2005).
"Local Investigations of Natural Science (LIONS)" engages grade 5-8 students from University City schools, Missouri in structured out-of-school programs that provide depth and context for their regular classroom studies. The programs are led by district teachers. A balanced set of investigations engage students in environmental research, computer modeling, and advanced applications of mathematics. Throughout, the artificial boundary between classroom and community is bridged as students use the community for their studies and resources from local organizations are brought into school. Through these projects, students build interest and awareness of STEM-related career opportunities and the academic preparation needed for success.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Robert CoulterEric KlopferJere Confrey
Since the summer of 2006, the Nature Museum at Grafton (TNM) has been offering three day intensive courses in Nature Writing and Nature Journaling. In 2006-07, TNM worked with PEER Associates to develop and analyze a survey which teachers complete on the last day of their course. TNM has continued to use that evaluation method, and, in December 2008 and February 2010, asked past participants to answer follow up questions about their future interest in programming options, experiences with the institutes, and their implementation of course content in their own classrooms. In late 2010, TNM
National Geographic Television will develop a television series (tentatively titled "Aqua Kids") and transmedia program to introduce preschoolers and kindergarteners to the wonders and value of water. The goal is to empower young children's innate sense of inquiry and increase early environmental literacy by motivating young learners to make discoveries with water, inside and outside their homes. The grant would allow the National Geographic project team to: 1) research cutting-edge practices for teaching early learners environmental literacy and water principles; 2) convene content and creative advisors; 3) test one storybook and animatic (animated storyboard) with the target audience and their parents; 4) strategize best ways to create a transmedia project that capitalizes on emerging digital platforms, reaches audiences most in need, and takes advantage of National Geographic resources, including National Geographic's ongoing global water conservation outreach missions. Insight Research Group will conduct formative evaluation using the animatic and interviews with parents to help identify barriers to extend the television experience with their children to outdoor activities and beyond. The project partners include Project WET, a youth water education project, NOAA's Office of Marine Sanctuaries, USDA Forest Service, the National Park Service as well as a number of museums and Think It Ink It Publishing. This Pathways Project will allow the project team to complete the groundwork necessary to create an innovative new multiplatform educational media resource. The Water Show will inspire outdoor science play, build inquiry and social skills and create a vital foundation for caring and respecting the most valuable natural resource, water. Fostering early appreciation for how Earth's "green parts" are wholly dependent on its "blue parts" is foundational for subsequent scientific learning and instrumental in building lasting respect for living systems and natural resources.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Tara SorensenMichelle SullivanTierney ThysSara Zeglin
Sea Studios Foundation will extend the Strange Days on Planet Earth multimedia initiative to raise public science literacy on pressing environmental issues. Based on pioneering Earth System Science research, Phase Two will be a media and outreach project focused on the ocean and water issues. The goal of the project is to increase public awareness and understanding of the scope and scale of key issues affecting the ocean. At the core of the project is a four part television documentary series for PBS primetime entitled Strange Days, Ocean. The programs will concentrate on four content areas: overexploitation of ocean resources, pollution, coastal development, climate change and the role of the ocean in Earth's system. Each episode is structured around a compelling scientific questions designed to engage the audience in a search for answers based on the most current research from the varied Earth System Science disciplines. The series focuses on explaining how scientists come to know what they know. The series will be complemented by activity-based learning supported by a national consortium of informal learning institutions, a citizen science program, training sessions for informal educators, and a project website. Collaborators include the National Geographic and three new major partners: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Program to expand citizen science programs around invasive species; Americans for Informed Democracy (AID), dedicated to organizing college campus educational events; The Ocean Project (TOP), a network of 600 organizations; plus the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and eight other informal science institutions. Knight Williams Research Communications, and Public Knowledge and Cultural Logic will assess the impact of the series. The project will contribute to the field of informal science education by providing widely applicable communication lessons on ocean and water issues and a model methodology for creating science education media that is credible, informative, and relevant. The results of two unique adult learning case studies will be shared with the field through presentations at national meetings and workshops, and posted online.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Mark ShelleyDavid EliscoTierney Thys
Through the Scientists for Tomorrow pathways project, The Science Institute at Columbia College in Chicago will test a model for preparing non-science major, pre-service elementary school teachers to deliver three ten-week informal science education modules to youth in after school programs. The initiative will bring engineering concepts, environmental science, and technology to approximately 240 urban Chicago youth (ages 10-14 years old) and their families. The Science Institute will partner with eight minority serving community based organizations and the Museum of Science and Industry, the Field Museum, and the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance to develop and implement all aspects of the program. The goals of the program are two-fold. First, the project will develop and implement a high-quality STEM based afterschool program for under-represented youth in STEM. Second, the professional development and experience implementing the curriculum with youth in the local communities and within informal science education (ISE) institutions will extend and enrich the pre-service teachers\' STEM content and pedagogical knowledge base and better prepare them to teach science in formal and informal settings. Thirty teachers will receive specialized professional development through a seminar, course, and other support mechanisms in order to best support the implementation of the modules, while building their STEM content expertise, confidence, and pedagogical knowledge. Each module has a different STEM content focus: alternative energy (fall), the physics and mathematics of sound and music (winter), and environmental science (spring). At the end of each module, a culminating youth-led presentation will be held at one of the partnering Chicago museums. Youth will be encouraged to participate in all three modules. The formative evaluation will be conducted by the Co-Principal Investigators. Pre and post assessments, artifact reviews, and interviews will be used for the summative evaluation, which will be conducted by an external evaluator at the Illinois Institute of Technology. The project deliverables include: (a) a teacher training program, (b) an after school curriculum, and (c) media tools - DVDs, website. Over the grant period, the project intends to reach 120 youth each year, over 100 family and community members, and 30 teachers. The larger impact of this project will be the development of a scalable model for bringing relevant STEM content and experiences to youth, their families, and non-science major pre-service teachers. As a result of this project, a cadre of pre-service teachers will have: (a) increased their STEM content knowledge, (b) gained experience presenting STEM content in informal settings, (c) learned effective approaches to deliver hands-on STEM content, and (d) learned to use museum and other ISE resources in their teaching. In fact, after the grant period nearly half of the teachers will continue to work at the centers as part-time instructors, fully supported by the partnering community centers.