Science Chicago

Texting Groundhogs and More Snowy Winter!

February 2, 2010

I totally forgot that today is Groundhog Day…probably because I don’t pay too much attention to the weather other than to shriek in delight when it’s snowing – like it was this morning! But alas, February 2nd has come again and it was time for Punxsutawney Phil (along with less-famous groundhogs everywhere) to come out this morning and look for his shadow, letting us know how much more winter weather we have ahead.

But why February 2nd? Turns out that this date is about halfway between Winter Solstice – when Earth’s axis is tilted at its largest angle away from the Sun, causing the year’s shortest number of daylight hours - and the Spring Equinox – one of the two times per year that Earth’s axis is neither tilted toward or away from the sun. With about six weeks on either side of Groundhog Day, it doesn’t take a scientist to see that whether the groundhog sees its shadow or not, we still have six more weeks of winter (or, depending on how you look at it, only six more weeks until spring). By the way, if you missed the announcement this morning, it was a declaration of more winter…yippee!

Though I’m not a follower of the groundhogs, it was hard not to notice this year that Phil has gotten pretty tech-savvy. He has a website, along with multiple ways to follow his activities, like text messaging, webcasts and Twitter, making clear that despite the unscientific weather predictions, Groundhog Day has entered the digital technology realm. Now if I could only get my parents to do the same…

-Rabiah

Leave a Comment » | Astronomy, Citizen Science, Environmental Science, Meteorology, Science News | Tagged: Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil, spring equinox, winter solstice | Permalink
Posted by Rabiah Mayas

Science Online 2010 – It’s OK to Tweet During Class!

January 16, 2010

Update, Sunday 10:28am – Headed to a session on blogging for youth audiences. I also did way too much partying last night, but staying up until 3am talking about science communication and engagement was AWESOME. Shared some experiences from Science Chicago and learned a lot about some of the interesting ways to connect with public audiences online. Also learned about a brand-new (launched yesterday) website aimed at connecting the public with citizen science projects, www.scienceforcitizens.net. Check it out!

——————-

Update 6:12pm – It’s the end of sessions, and now everyone is getting ready for the evening banquet here at the hotel. I’m looking to catch up with some bloggers I met this afternoon and connect with the few museum representatives here. And maybe do some nerdy science dancing in the process – I hope there’s music!

—————

Update 2:15pm – Had a fabulous lunchtime chat with John Timmer and am now in a session on Citizen Science for students, discussing strategies to engage students in such processes and involving them in science as process.

————–

Update: 12:20pm – I’m 6 feet away from Carl Zimmer and I’m totally going to go talk to him after this session. I’m trying to stay calm – please, please do not say anything dumb, like when I met Neil deGrasse Tyson…

————–

So I’m in North Carolina right now (Raleigh-Durham, to be precise) for the Science Online 2010 conference. Now in its third year, the meeting brings together science journalists, bloggers, educators and other science communicators to share findings and experiences about talking science in the online environment. I totally feel like a groupie, as many of the science journalists and bloggers whom I follow are here, in the flesh! Carl Zimmer, John Timmer, Dr. KiKi and many others are here for the weekend, and already I’ve learned quite a bit.

And, for the first time, I tweeted during a session – it’s totally appropriate at this kind of conference! I’m writing this blog now while we wait for the next session of demos to start. I’ll post back with news as the conference continues, and if you’re interested, check out their site for videos of the conference sessions…

-Rabiah

Leave a Comment » | Citizen Science, Education and Careers, Science News, Science and Entertainment, Uncategorized | Tagged: Citizen Science, ScienceOnline | Permalink
Posted by Rabiah Mayas

Women on The Ice!

January 12, 2010

Talk about perfect timing! I received a National Science Foundation (NSF) newsletter in my inbox highlighting the 40th anniversary of the first American women researchers to travel on an expedition to Antarctica. The voyage, which spanned 4 months from late 1969 to early 1970, consisted of four women scientists from The Ohio State University who made history when they arrived on the continent. And from the accounts of the trip, it sounds like they kicked a little male chauvinist butt at the same time:-) During the expedition, the scientists also became the first women to set foot on the South Pole.

This journey, however, was not the first time women had set foot in Antarctica. According to sources from the Exploratorium, the first woman set foot on Antarctica back in 1935, and several more spent time on The Ice, as it’s called, before the American researchers made their trip in 1969.

I say this is perfect timing because my friend and colleague here at the Museum has just embarked on a somewhat parallel journey of her own. Lindsay is on her way to Antarctica – her first trip there ever – to learn and share ways to communicate polar science research to the public. Lindsay is the only museum educator invited on this once-in-a-lifetime trip, and she’s started her very own blog, Lindsay On The Ice, to document her travels. Lindsay’s background is in physics and astronomy, and she’s traveled and lived in some of the coolest places on earth (with a goal of hitting all 7 continents during her lifetime!). She has left Chicago and is on her way down to The Ice; stay tuned to her blog for updates and feel free to post any comments or questions you have for her about the trip.