education
grrlscientist | May 26, 2010tags: Dickcissel, Townsend's Sparrow, Townsend's Bunting, Spiza americana, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Dickcissel, occasionally (at least historically) known as Townsend's Bunting or Townsend's Sparrow, Spiza americana, photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 April 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to…
jdupuis | May 25, 2010Another terrific issue. I'm going to list everything but the book & database reviews & reports so as not to clutter the post too much.
Five Voices, Two Perspectives: Integrating Student Librarians into a Science and Engineering Library by Eugene Barsky, Aleteia Greenwood, Samantha Sinanan, Lindsay Tripp, and Lindsay Willson, University of British Columbia
Collection Assessment in Response to Changing Curricula: An Analysis of the Biotechnology Resources at the University of Colorado at Boulder by Gabrielle Wiersma, University of Colorado at Boulder
Browsing of E-Journals by…
rallain | May 25, 2010A note about the end of the semester (I really should have posted this a few weeks ago): sometimes I get students that come in and say they are not happy with their grade. It is not unusual for them to come in right before the test, but it seems more common to come after all the grades are finished. Here is a typical student:
"I really need a C (or D) in this class, but I have a 67%. Is there anything I can do to bring my grade up? Maybe I could do an extra project, or file some papers or wash your car?"
That is not one real student, but I have had students ask if they could file my…
grrlscientist | May 25, 2010tags: House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, photographed in a backyard in Houston, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 28 March 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This species has an interesting feature that provides insight into its life history -- can you tell me what that feature is and what it reveals about this…
grrlscientist | May 24, 2010tags: Blue Grosbeak, Passerina caerulea, Guiraca caerulea, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Female Blue Grosbeak, Passerina (Guiraca) caerulea, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] [For your reference, here's a male of the species in breeding plumage]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 27 April 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery…
bioephemera | May 24, 2010
As you may know, the Phylo (Phylomon) project is crowdsourcing a collection of ecology-based trading and gaming cards, in the hopes of supplying kids with a more engaging way of learning and thinking about their environment. And here's a timely addition: the Oil Spill, with very nice artwork by Stephanie Tan. Scientist-artist types: have ideas, or artwork, to contribute to Phylomon? Check out their website for more info!
grrlscientist | May 23, 2010tags: Red-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Red-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda rothschildi, photographed on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Midway Island, Hawai'i [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joe Fuhrman, March 2010. I encourage you to purchase images from this professional photographer.
NOTE: Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | May 23, 2010tags: Scientology, SeaOrg, cults, religion, mind control, offbeat, weird, L Ron Hubbard, A Look at Scientology's Secret Base, Twin Peaks, AnonOrange, Angry Gay Pope, streaming video
The Twin Peaks base houses a vault full of Scientology's precious scripture. It's also a place to hide if WWIII breaks out. And it's a place where celebrities can come and escape. But judging by all the high fences and UltraBarrier, it's also a prison camp. Protesters AnonOrange and the Angry Gay Pope pay them a visit, seeking missing cultists Shelly Miscavige and Heber Jentz. Instead, they meet cultists Sarah…
grrlscientist | May 22, 2010tags: Scientology, SeaOrg, cults, religion, mind control, offbeat, weird, L Ron Hubbard, Scarlett Hanna, Australian Broadcasting Company, streaming video
Scarlett Hanna, the daughter of the president of the Church of Scientology in Australia, speaks out against the organization in this eye-opening interview with the Australian Broadcasting Company.
bioephemera | May 22, 2010
From a post by Erin Fitzgerald, a DoD Science Policy Fellow who consulted on the design of Mattel's new "Computer Engineer Barbie:"
It might seem silly to get excited about a new Barbie doll. But, to me, she will help reinforce in math-loving little girls that they, like Barbie, can grow up to be computer engineers. It has been well documented that in recent years far fewer women are pursuing computer science degrees, so such role models are very important. What Computer Engineer Barbie will do, I think, is broaden the realm of not only what is possible, but what feels accessible--being…
grrlscientist | May 22, 2010tags: Kori Bustard, Ardeotis kori, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Kori Bustard, Ardeotis kori, photographed in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 15 January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300, ISO 400, 1/2000 sec, f/8. Exp Comp -1.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This African mystery bird is quite remarkable: if you can identify this recognizable species, then you'll also be able to tell me why this bird is so remarkable. I'm also wondering if it's possible…
mikethemadbiologist | May 22, 2010One of the things that bothered me about the 'stimulus' bill (other than it not being called an employment bill) is that there was a focus on things being 'shovel ready.' Not only did this imply that the depression* would be short-term (whereas un-, underemployment, and flat wages are largely ongoing structural problems), but 'shovel ready' also implied that keeping state and local budgets stable--not laying people off and cancelling orders with private contractors--was out of bounds (thanks Senator Nelson!). Atrios sums it up well:
I'm personally a bit tired of hearing about all of the…
grrlscientist | May 21, 2010tags: Razorbill, Ruokki, Alca torda, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Razorbill, known in Finland as the Ruokki, Alca torda, photographed at Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo (University of Helsinki Museum of Natural History), Helsinki, Finland. [Fully feathered specimens]
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This mystery bird lacks all plumage hints that might give you clues as to its identity, but it is showing you plenty more hints that will guide you to your ID.
22 May…
grrlscientist | May 21, 2010tags: Pay Attention to Penguins, birds, penguins, environment, global warming, ethics, climate change, Dee Boersma, TEDTalks, TED Talks, streaming video
Think of penguins as ocean sentinels, says Dee Boersma -- they're on the frontlines of sea change. Sharing stories of penguin life and culture, she suggests that we start listening to what penguins are telling us.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on…
mikethemadbiologist | May 20, 2010Thankfully, in principle, it's reversible. The Texas State Board of Education has approved new history standards. Because Texas is a major book buyer, this will have far-reaching effects on the curricula of other states (I haven't been able to find out if this will affect Massachusetts. Intelligent Designer, I hope not). The proposed changes (pdf) are farcial to anyone in the Coalition of the Sane--which, unfortunately, excludes the majority of the Board of Education. While they haven't released the final adoptions, what the Board sent for review is absurd. You can't read a single page…
rallain | May 20, 2010Grades are all over the place, but what are they? Well, I guess there are a few questions. What is a grade? What is the grade supposed to be? Why do we give grades?
I think the grade is supposed to be a measure of a students' understanding of the material. Probably everyone would agree with that description. But, it is still a bit tricky. Who (or what) determines what a student should understand? Who determines what an "A" means? Fortunately, there is not a governing body (yet at least in physics) that says what an "A" grade means. It is left up to the expert evaluations of faculty…
grrlscientist | May 20, 2010tags: Barnacle Goose, Valkoposkihanhi, Branta leucopsis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Barnacle Goose, known in Finnish as Valkoposkihanhi, Branta leucopsis, photographed on Suomenlinna, Helsinki, Finland. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: GrrlScientist, 16 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
I photographed this lovely mystery bird a couple days ago in stunning Helsinki, Finland, can you ID the species and tell me how it got its peculiar English common name?
This goose was…
grrlscientist | May 19, 2010tags: Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 27 April 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | May 19, 2010tags: Why I'm a Weekday Vegetarian, environment, global warming, meat, vegetarianism, ethics, climate change, Graham Hill, TEDTalks, TED Talks, streaming video
We all know the arguments that being vegetarian is better for the environment and for the animals -- but in a carnivorous culture, it can be hard to make the change. Graham Hill has a powerful, pragmatic suggestion ...
The video following the TEDTalk is more interesting than the actual talk itself.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and…