Month: September 2015

Community Outdoor Nature Program Tonight

“Discover How Insects Prepare for Winter”, 6 -7:30 p.m. tonight, September 28, 2015, at Nara Nature Center, with Jim Bess. Observe preserved insects and the tools of the entomologist then take a hike to find some insects.

What to Bring:  Dress for the weather. Wear good walking shoes. Ring rubber boots (optional).

This program is free and open to the public. Funding provided by the Michigan Association of Environmental Professionals and coordinated by the Western U.P. Center for Science, Math & Environmental Education and the Michigan Tech Center for Science & Environmental Outreach. For more information contact the Center by calling: 7-3341

From Tech Today.

Ellis Publishes on Social Interactions of Beginning Teachers

STEM Teaching VideoJoshua A. Ellis, Assistant Professor of STEM Education, has published “Investigating the social interactions of beginning teachers using a video annotation tool” in Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education this month. The article can be read in its entirety online. Dr. Ellis will be discussing this study in the Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors forum on November 9, 2015, at 2:00 pm.

Community Outdoor Nature Programs

Outdoor ScienceThe Michigan Tech Center for Science & Environmental Outreach is coordinating a monthly outdoor program for families and children. Two programs focused on nature exploration are planned each month through December—Monday evenings and Saturday afternoons. There is no need to register and no cost to attend; all are welcome.

Attendees can expect a variety of presenters who will lead each program focused on a different topic. Events are designed to engage parents and children in nature outdoors in a various locations. Information on the events are as follows:

  • Sept. 26, 2 p.m. at Brown Nature Sanctuary—Collecting and identifying of aquatic insects at Lake Perrault and Nature Hike with Joan Chadde, water resource specialist
  • Sept. 28, 6 p.m. at Nara Nature Center—”How do insects prepare for winter?” with Jim Bess, entomologist
  • Oct. 10, 7:30-11 a.m. at Marsin Nature Center—Trappings and observations of birds and small mammals with Jesse Knowlton and Dan Haskell (SFRES)
  • Oct. 12, 6 p.m. at Nara Nature Center—Apple cider making (bring your own apples and jugs) with Chris Hohnholt (SFRES)
  • Nov. 7, 2 p.m. at Maasto-Hiito Chalet—Leaf and needle ID: “Do you know what’s growing in your backyard?” with Denise Landsberg, outdoor science educator
  • Nov. 16, 6 p.m. at Nara Nature Center—Sensory night hike; discover your senses coming alive at night, with Marcy Erickson, outdoor science educator
  • Dec. 7, 6 p.m. at Nara Nature Center—Luminary night walk at the Nara Boardwalks with Marcy Erikson, outdoor science educator
  • Dec. 12, 2 p.m. at Nara Nature Center—”Finding your way: Compasses and treasure hunts” with Denise Landsberg, outdoor science educator

As with any outdoor event—dress accordingly for the weather. For more information call 7-3341 or visit wupcenter.mtu.edu.

From Tech Today.

Dare Publishes on Physics Education Research

Emily Dare
Emily Dare

Emily Dare, Assistant Professor of STEM Education in Cognitive and Learning Sciences, has an article in press cited as:

Dare, E. A., & Roehrig, G. H. (in press). “If I had to do it, then I would”: Understanding Early Middle School Students’ Perceptions of Physics and Physics-Related Careers by Gender. Physical Review Special Topics – Physics Education Research.

Physical Review Special Topics – Physics Education Research (PRST-PER) is a peer-reviewed online open-access journal sponsored by the American Physical Society (APS), the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the APS Forum on Education.

2015 Lake Superior Water Festival

Water Festival

2015 Lake Superior Water Festival
Great Lakes Research Center
Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Registration is open! Teachers can now register their high school classes to attend an exciting array of activities that will increase students’ knowledge of Great Lakes science, engineering, history, careers, and more! During each half-day session, students attend four 35-minute activities.

Learn more at the Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education.

Lake Superior Water Festival

Nearly 500 high school students, in 19 classes from 11 schools in Houghton, Baraga, Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties will flood Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center today, September 30, 2015. The GLRC will be a hopping place on from 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. today for the Fourth Annual Lake Superior Water Festival. More than 15 different sessions will be offered throughout the day, presented by Michigan Tech faculty, staff, students, community organizations, government agencies, authors, artists and photographers.

The Water Festival provides an opportunity for students to learn about and celebrate our most precious natural resource – clean, fresh water.

The 2015 Water Festival is made possible with funding from Earth Force, Michigan Tech Center for Water & Society, the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, and Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative.

From Tech Today, by Joan Chadde.

Jeon Co-organizes Two Workshops on Driving Interactions

AutomotiveUI 2015Myounghoon “Philart” Jeon (CLS/CS) co-organized two workshops; Workshop on Practical Experiences in Measuring and Modeling Drivers and Driver-Vehicle Interactions and The Third Workshop on User Experience of Autonomous Driving, with international collaborators at the Seventh International Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications (AutomotiveUI15), in Nottingham, UK, which began Monday and concludes today. The workshops were partly supported by The Michigan Tech Transportation Institute.

From Tech Today.