[You can sign up for our Engage: The Science Speaker Series email list on our *new* website.

http://engage-science.com]

Please also see the University Week article about Engage.

We'd like to invite you to our next Engage Talk:

Wednesday, March 10th, 7:00 pm

Engage: The Science Speakers Series presents Rok Roskar on Big Bang to an Immigrant Sun: The Birth and Life of Spiral Galaxies

In this talk I will try to illuminate some fundamental ideas about the growth of galaxies like our own Milky Way. I will begin with the cosmic context and gradually focus on increasingly detailed aspects of galactic disks, some of which defy basic expectations. I will illustrate that to understand some of these phenomena, it may be necessary to imagine stars like our own Sun as galactic travelers, rapidly and unexpectedly changing their residence within the Milky Way.

This is brought to you by the UW Graduate and Professional Student Senate and the Forum on Science, Ethics, and Policy.

Admission is free.

Venue: Physics and Astronomy Auditorium, Room 118, UW Campus.

Doors open at 6:45pm, talk will be about 30 minutes with lots of time for questions.

Graduate students in the sciences at the UW get a lot of cutting edge training but rarely in the ways of explaining their research to non-

specialists. Engage: The Science Speaker Series is a pilot program where PhD students build their skills of communicating with the public

about their work. This year, we showcase the research of mostly Astronomy PhD students; next year we will plan a seminar whose sole

purpose is to make an engaging science talk the entire family would understand and appreciate.

More information: http://engage-science.com

Teacher Workshop--Living with a Volcano in your Backyard--Mount Rainier
July 19-23, 2010

Come spend a few lovely summer days at the park with US Geological Survey scientists and park educators.  This workshop will be a mix of content, curriculum activities and field experiences.  The workshop is designed for middle school teachers who teach about volcanoes, volcanic processes, and hazards.  The interdisciplinary curriculum focuses on the science of Cascade Volcanoes in general, and the specifics of Mount Rainier volcano and hazards associated with living in its shadow.  Participating teachers will receive curriculum materials and additional resources to use with their students.   Free tent camping is available in the meadow behind the Education Center.  No cost for workshop.   4 Quarter Credits available with fee.  

Registration form is available at:  http://www.nps.gov/mora/forteachers/professionaldevelopment.htm
Information at:  Fawn_Bauer@nps.gov (360) 569-2211 X 6037
****************************************************************************************************

Carolyn L. Driedger
Hydrologist/Outreach Coordinator

*************
US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
CASCADES VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
BUILDING 10    SUITE 100
1300 SE CARDINAL COURT
VANCOUVER, WA   98683
(360) 993-8907
driedger@usgs.gov
CVO Website:  http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov

Are you interested in learning more about the intersection of information technology and biological research?  Would you like to engage your high school students with an authentic genetic research project that uses the same bioinformatics resources used by scientists? NWABR is excited to announce a new bioinformatics professional development opportunity and curriculum, Bio-ITEST.

When: August 2-13, 2010

Where: Shoreline Community College, Shoreline WA, and the EdLab Group, Lynnwood, WA

Who: High school teachers, particularly those with advanced biology or biotechnology courses.  Prior bioinformatics experience is not required.

What: Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research is a two-week professional development experience for teachers. Teachers will receive training in the use of bioinformatics tools to analyze DNA sequences, perform multiple sequence alignments and explore protein structure.  Teachers will also have the opportunity to participate in a research study of the program and to provide critical feedback on lesson drafts.

Teachers will receive: $900 stipend (an additional $100 will be provided upon completion of the field test of Bio-ITEST lessons), clock hours free of charge, and the opportunity to purchase credits through Seattle University.

The program is comprised of two different units or “Strands.” The Introductory Strand, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Testing, utilizes bioinformatics resources to teach basic concepts in molecular biology. The Advanced Strand, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research, builds upon the introductory lessons by incorporating additional informatics resources and includes an authentic inquiry-based investigation specifically for advanced students.  Teachers will learn about both strands during this workshop.

Applications open March 1 and are due April 1, 2010.

For more information, visit the project website at: www.nwabr.org/education/itest.html

We hope to see you this summer!

Sincerely,

Jeanne Chowning, MS
NWABR Director of Education
206-957-3337, jchowning@nwabr.org

The Bio-ITEST program is made possible by an Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers grant award from the National Science Foundation, DRL-0833779.

Looks like an important and informative opportunity.  Take a peek.  Mary McClellan

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Beth Harris" <membership@nsela.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 8:32 AM
To: <membership@nsela.org>
Subject: National Science Education Leadership Association / AAAS Project 2061 Field Testing

AAAS Project 2061

An Invitation for Teachers to Participate in the Field Testing
of Middle School and High School Science Assessment Items

AAAS Project 2061 is developing assessment items to measure middle and high school students’ understanding of important science ideas from the National Science Education Standards and the AAAS Benchmarks for Science Literacy. We are recruiting middle and high school science teachers willing to field test our multiple-choice test items with their students in April, May or June of 2010. As an incentive, each participating teacher will receive a copy of Volume 2 of the Atlas of Science Literacy or a $50 gift card from either Borders or Barnes and Noble Bookstore. The assessment should take no longer than 45 minutes to complete, and will cover one of a variety of topics in science. It is not necessary that your students have had formal instruction on any of the topics being tested.

The guidelines for participation are as follows:

You must be a middle or high school science teacher in the United States.
Your students must be in 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.
You must obtain permission to participate from the appropriate school or district personnel.
You must return all testing materials to AAAS Project 2061. Pre-paid shipping labels will be provided.
This study is not intended to evaluate teachers or students. Individual students will not be identifiable, and teacher information will remain strictly confidential. Our only interest is to learn how students respond to these test items so that we can design test items that are valid measures of what middle and high school students know about important science ideas.

If you are able to participate, please click the link below and complete the registration form that follows. Participation in this study is limited, so registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. If necessary, we will also adjust our selections to achieve representation from urban, rural, and suburban schools from different parts of the country. Teachers who are selected to participate will be notified by email.

2010 Project 2061 Field Testing registration:
http://register.p2061.org/field

The deadline for registration is April 2nd, 2010.

If you have any questions, please contact the coordinator of this assessment study by email at 2061assessment@aaas.org or by phone at 1-202-326-6207.

Please pass this invitation along to anyone you know who may be interested!