Hey fans, look alive! You are the new face of science. Citizens, scientists, and government folks huddle here to help you learn about, DO, and shape science. Above, you'll find links to the popular Brain Makeover (starring 76ers girls), Citizen Science Projects, and Science Policy discussions. Check back regularly to see what else we've got cookin'. Cheers!
When irony is just too much. In my never-ending effort to help “average” citizens get involved in science and science policy matters, I had quite an eye-opening experience Saturday night. Local bartender (granted he was drunk) said to me ” I defriended you on Facebook you know. I got tired of what you were posting. Science this and science that, waa, waa, waa.” Me: “Why, I never grow tired of your posts about your new baby’s pooping schedule.” Him: “Seriously, you shouldn’t be writing about stuff like that. We need to stick together. Let those people [finger quotes] write about and think about that and let us talk about stuff we should be talking about. You need to remember your place in this world.” Me: “Hmmm. I may need to find a way to filter certain [finger quotes] voices from any crowdsourcing, participatory activities I’m planning…(thinking back to people telling me why we shouldn’t have the public weigh in on science policy issues… ”you haven’t met enough people if you really think everyone should be invited to weigh in.”) Him: “Well now that we have an understanding, I’ll refriend you on FB.”
Clearly Joe doesn’t feel worthy of taking a seat at the “participatory” table. It’s unfortunate and surely Joe’s not alone. He doesn’t want to learn about issues he feels he has no business talking about. Joe has no shortage of opinions. He’s also an influencer (he made a point of telling me he has more friends on facebook than I do…nice). By enlisting people like Joe, real change can start to take place. But Joe needs to be convinced that he’s entitled to participate. I’ll work on Joe but anyone involved in science and policy should consider having these types of conversations outside of their labs, offices, classrooms and conferences. Go to your corner tap room from time to time to take the pulse of the American public. I promise you , you’ll learn something.
For those of you who may be wondering what’s become of the effort to Reopen the Office of Technology Assessment, with public participation, I’ll have something to report in a few weeks!
Welcome to NASA’s brand new Open Government Web page where the White House’s three principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration “form the cornerstone of an open government”. The website’s not NASA’s only astronaut boot planted firmly on-board the Transparency Train…check this out:
The NASA App for the iPhone and iPod touch is now available free of charge on the Apple App Store. Among other cool tricks, the NASA App allows users to track the current positions of the International Space Station and other spacecraft currently orbiting Earth
Why do this? “Making NASA more accessible to the public is a high priority for the agency,” said Gale Allen, director of Strategic Integration and Management for NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington. “Tools like this allow us to provide users easy access to NASA information and progress at a fast pace.”
Philly NetSquared , a local chapter of the national organization, NetSquared ,brings together web innovators and social changemakers to socialize, strategize, learn from and inspire one another.
Last week, I had the opportunity to share the vision of Science Cheereleader’s sister site, ScienceForCitizens.net during one of Philly NetSquared’s monthly meetings. This particular meeting was built on the concept of Crowdsourcing Change:
“Crowdsourcing Change” will be a highly participatory event where attendees will have an opportunity to help three “Social Changers” who are using –or trying to use — the social web for the common good. The way it will work is that presenters will first explain the change they are trying to achieve through social media. Attendees, with the help of a moderator, will then provide feedback, ideas, constructive criticism and concrete instructions to help the presenters succeed. This is a great opportunity to learn and to have an impact.”
It was a wonderful experience and the attendees provided excellent suggestions (many of which will be employed). In the spirit of all the embodies ScienceForCitizens.net it was fitting to tap the wisdom of the crowds in our effort to strengthen ScienceForCitizens.net! Thank you, Philly NetSquared (and Jacquie Lewis for nominating me)!
In this installment of MotherboardTV, the “fashion geek” demonstrates how easily technology can be incorporated into fashion and she shares a secret about Victoria’s Secret’s bust-enhancing, “smart fabric”. Check it out.
On February 1, 2010, President Obama sent Congress a $3.8 trillion budget request, $147.7 billion of which is to be used for federal R&D. Susan Morrissey of Chemical and Engineering News says this means “science wins”. Read her report. (Thanks to Paul for sending this.)
Meet Sandra, a former Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader who’s now an emergency room registered nurse.
Tell us about yourself, Sandra:
I’ve always loved science. I remember receiving a telescope and microscope science kit when I was in elementary school. I think all sciences are fascinating!
My favorite classes included Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Microbiology. In fact, while in nursing school, I took a microbiology course that I loved so much, I almost quit nursing to pursue a career in microbiology.
Unlike, Michelle, the former New Orleans Saints cheerleader-turned-chemist, I wasn’t as “into” chemistry and physics compared to biological sciences.
Some people think of Cheerleading and Science as two worlds. In my opinion, I think being a former cheerleader may have helped my career. As cheerleaders, we are ambassadors for our organization and we must have people skills. These also happen to be terrific qualities in nursing because we are so hands-on with patients, we stand beind the hospitals we work for, and it’s important our patients feel we are rooting for their recovery.
Whether someone is considering a career in science or not, nothing in this world is more empowering than to do what you love (dance/cheer) and back it up with a good education and awesome grades. Being smart IS beautiful and dancing/cheering will give you an outlet! I’ve danced and cheered with some of the most brilliant women in this world who have gone on to become doctors, engineers, science and math teachers, and nurses. Nothing geeky about that!
Joanne gives a beautiful review of The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmes. Joanne’s Top Model doll is wearing a dress representing something a woman would wear in the mid 1840s.
Are you a 30 year-old male with the physical building skills to design inventions and create amazing gadgets?
If so, you are not me. In addition, you may be perfect for the cast of a new engineering TV show that aims to solve occupational and domestic problems for everyday people. The creators are look for candidates with big ideas and even bigger personalities — someone with a wry sense of humor and the passion to overcome engineering challenges.
I’m here in Pittsburgh, PA, at Carnegie Mellon University where Discover Magazine, in partnership with the National Science Foundation, is producing a panel discussion on the future of robotics! The event takes place tonight and highlights will be featured in a subsequent issue of Discover, while recorded interviews will appear on NSF.gov, the Research Channel, and DiscoverMagazine.com
Thought it would be fun to share with you all that goes into producing one of these events. Each panelist (described here) is interviewed on camera. The screen in the background is plain now, but using “green screen” technology, the editor will drop in some cool backgrounds. Here’s MIT’s Rodney Brooks being interviewed. When asked “what would make robots better?” he replied: “Give robots the visual object recognition capabilities of a 2-year-old child; the verbal comprehension of 4-year-old; the manual dexterity of a 6-year-old; and the social understandings of an 8-year old. That’s it.”
And, here’s Robin Murphy being interviewed about her search and rescue robots.
Then Discover’s photographer take portraits of the panelists and the moderator for use in the magazine. Here’s the moderator, Discover’s editor Corey Powell, preparing for his portrait.Discover’s director of photography, Rebecca Horne, is calling the shots from the back there.
Here’s the video producer, Dan Agan, with Discover’s marketing director, Tricia Gately, talking through the on stage line up (while panelists Rodney Brooks and Javier Movellan look on).
Oh, and here’s Tank, the Roboceptionist who greeted me when I entered CMU’s Gates Building where this event will take place this evening.
Guests will start arriving at the Rashid Auditorium around 6:30 pm. Show time is 7pm!
Now, if you REALLY want to do something that you don’t want your mother to find out about, you need to be in the vicinity of a black hole, in which (as far as we know) nothing can escape. My friend Matt (who works at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory) quipped “What happens in the event horizon stays in the event horizon”. Matt’s son Owen told the joke on “CBS Sunday Morning” and Matt’s wife Robin (who is a graphical designer) turned the quip into a T-shirt (modeled by their daughter Lindsay) that you can purchase from Cafe Press. There is also a light-background version of the design.
So, be bold! Show the universe that secrets can be kept – as long as you are within the Schwarzschild radius of a black hole.
P.S. – Don’t forget our own nifty Science Cheerleader T-shirts! Make a fashion statement and fill up your closet!
Are you a 30 year-old male with the physical building skills to design inventions and create amazing gadgets?
