07/08/02
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This newsletter is available to the public at the following locations:
http://library.stanford.edu/depts/swain/nsflibnews/
http://www.eevl.ac.uk/scitechnews/
http://avel.edu.au/scitech.html
Press Release
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309084814?OpenDocument
Full Report
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10415.html?onpi_newsdoc062402
Executive Summary
http://books.nap.edu/html/stct/1-20.pdf
Opening Statement
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/(ByDocID)/0D7F53E7D50C7AB185256BE300530F35?OpenDocument
Listen to the News Conference (requires free RealPlayer)
http://video.nationalacademies.org/ramgen/news/062502.rm
Press conference at the National Academy of Sciences held on June 25. “The United States
should take advantage of its scientific and engineering strengths to detect, thwart and respond
to terrorist attacks more effectively, says a new National Academies report. An independent
homeland security institute should be established to help the government make crucial technical
decisions and devise technical strategies for combating terrorism.”
A Metadata Framework to Support the Preservation of Digital Objects.
OCLC, 2002.
http://www.oclc.org/research/pmwg/pm_framework.pdf
The Condition of Education, 2002.
US Dept. of Education, 2002.
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002025
Meeting the Need for Scientists, Engineers, and an Educated Citizenry in a Technological Society.
ETS, 2002.
http://www.ets.org/research/pic/meetingneed.pdf
Raising Achievement and Reducing Gaps: Reporting Progress Toward Goals for Academic Achievement in Mathematics, by Paul E. Barton.
ETS, 2002.
http://www.ets.org/research/pic/raising.pdf
The economic impacts of inadequate infrastructure for software testing.
NIST, 2002.
http://www.nist.gov/director/prog-ofc/report02-3.pdf
The Broadband Difference: How online Americans' behavior changes with high-speed Internet connections at home.
Pew Internet Project, 2002.
http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=63
Proceedings and Summary Report: Workshop on the Fate, Transport, and Transformation of Mercury on Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments.
USEPA, 2002.
http://toxics.usgs.gov/meetings/epa_usgs_workshop.pdf
Effects of Trawling and Dredging on Seafloor Habitat.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10323.html?onpi_listserv062802
Community and Quality of Life: Data Needs for Informed Decision Making.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10262.html?onpi_listserv062802
New Tools for Environmental Protection: Education, Information, and Voluntary Measures.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10401.html?onpi_listserv062802
(NAS Colloquium) Nanoscience: Underlying Concepts and Phenomena.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10422.html?onpi_listserv062802
Countering Terrorism: Lessons Learned from Natural and Technological Disasters.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10414.html?onpi_listserv062802
The Last Word
http://www.newscientist.com/lastword/lwhome.jsp
People have all kinds of questions about all kinds of phenomena. Why don't identical twins have
identical fingerprints? Can you really see the Great Wall of China from space? Is there a
difference between shaken and stirred martinis? There is a lot more science in our daily lives
than we are likely to ever realize. New Scientist has the answers to these questions. In fact,
it has several answers to each of them. And to a great many more questions as well. A fun site
to visit!
EarthCam for Kids
http://www.earthcamforkids.com/
EarthCam for Kids lets users search or browse to find web cams located
around the world. Arranged by subject, students can locate cameras that are
viewing seismographs, mountains, rivers, space, labs, as well as other
subjects. Each link brings up the remote camera letting users see what's
going on or, as in several cases, what's not going on. [JAB] (From the Scout Report)
Light: A Learning Unit
http://www.gelighting.com/na/home/gela/students/index.htm
This website from GE covers Science, Technology, History and Math of light.
“Fun activities await you in the four lessons that are included here. Each lesson includes Read Abouts, Hands-on Activities, and Experiments to help you master each topic. Read Abouts are non-fiction articles about people or scientific ideas about light. Look for the Before, During, and After Reading Helps along the way. Hands-on Activities show you how to make cool scientific stuff (like a pinhole camera) and play around with it to learn new things. Experiments give you the chance to be a real scientist and conduct some of the same investigations that geniuses (such as Thomas Edison and Lewis Latimer) used to invent things we use every day (such as light bulbs). When you're finished learning about the science, technology, math, and history of light, you'll be ready to put your knowledge to work with the GE Lighting Audit (GELA). GELA will help you and your classmates find out how much your school is spending to light your classroom, cafeteria, gym-your whole school building. It will also show how you and your parents, friends, teachers, and school administrators can work together to save energy and reduce the cost of lighting your school.” (Thank to Blue Web'N)
Wild Weather
http://www.wildweather.com/
This attractive site brings you weather news, a gallery of weather pictures and photographs,
the meteorologist of the month, storm chasers, a link to the weather cam located near the most
exciting current weather phenomenon, games, and special stories, such as a discussion of last
year's unusually mild winter.
Animal Self Medication
http://www.animalselfmedication.com/
“Scientists from various disciplines are currently exploring the possibility that many
species (birds, insects, and mammals) use plants, soils, insects, and fungi as ‘medicines’
in ways that guard against future illness (preventive medicine) and/or relieve unpleasant symptoms
(curative or therapeutic medicine).”
Fun with Bacteriology
http://www.cbdn.ca/english/fun_with/fun_with.html
“Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network produced this website where students
can learn about Bacteriology and the importance of microscopy. Photos
and text introduce the basics including microscopy and Gram staining,
different cell types, and bacterial culture plates. After exploring
these topics, students can work through a series of short case studies
to test their knowledge.” (From Blue Web'N)
Bald Eagles Come Back from the Brink
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0207/sights_n_sounds/media2.html
A brief and gorgeous slide show with narration, from National Geographic.
Chimpanzee Cultures
http://chimp.st-and.ac.uk/cultures3/default.htm
This Web site exploring the cultural variation among various groups of
chimpanzees is a collaboration by a number of primate experts. Its basis is
a 1999 paper published in the journal _Nature_, and its main feature is two
related databases. The Behaviour Definitions Database includes records of
specific observed behaviors while the examples database includes photos,
sketches, or video documentation of the behavior type. Both can be searched
by a number of fields and are linked to each other. This is a comprehensive
site, complete with background information on chimpanzees and research, as
well as news and information related to this field of study. [AL] (From the Scout Report)
Seeing
http://www.exploratorium.edu/seeing/
“We don't see things as they are; we see things as we are.” This
quote kicks off the site and sums up the essence of this exhibit
from the Exploratorium. No two people see things the same way. Our
eyes and brains are different and our unique experiences color our
interpretation of what we see. This interactive museum explores
the subjectivity of vision in its physical collections, some of
which have been adapted for the Internet. These online exhibits
bend your mind and tweak your eyes to prove their points. You can
even follow activities that show how your eyes play tricks on you
when you view the moon in the night sky. To further examine visual
illusions, visual arts, and human and animal sight, check out the
links page. Seeing is believing. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
Cryptography 101
http://www.ssh.fi/tech/crypto/intro.html
Nothing snazzy at this site, just a basic, succinct, but well written introduction to
cryptography.
OAIster Search Interface
http://oaister.umdl.umich.edu/index.html
OAIster, a Mellon-funded project of the University of Michigan Digital
Library Production Services (last reviewed in the March 15, 2002 _Scout
Report_), is now up and running. The OAIster search interface allows users
the opportunity to freely access and search a wide variety of digital
resources from various institutions. The database currently contains 274,062
records from 56 institutions, with each record leading to an actual digital
collection hosted at an institution. Users can view each collection
separately or search the database by keyword, author, title, or subject.
This user-friendly interface is valuable to students, teachers, researchers,
and other information professionals needing simultaneous access to a variety
of digital resources. [MG] (From the Scout Report)
Engineering Magic
http://www.asme.org/education/precollege/magic/
Sharp, pointy objects and inflatables generally don't coexist happily, and results are
predictable. Or are they? When a magician passes a metal skewer through a balloon, he
accomplishes the seemingly impossible, and an explanation is given for the illusion.
Hint: There is prep work involved with the skewer, and the balloon has to be just so.
But still, gasps are in order. And perhaps more than a few explosive pops till the trick
is perfected by eager youngsters. Teachers' guides provide ideas for student discussion
and further activities. There are six demos in all, including the egg in the bottle trick
and disappearing milk. For those who don't want to endure the download times, there is a
slide show option. Students will learn about air pressure, polymer elasticity,
superabsorbent polymers, conversion of energy, and magnetic sheeting. And they will need
several balloons. Rating: 9 out of 10. AD (from New Scientist Weblinks)
Distributed Energy Generation
http://www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/index.html
Solar power, fuel cells, wind power and all of the growing family of alternative energy
producing devices are becoming daily fare in the media. However, there hasn't been too
much thought about how the energy produced will be distributed. What distinguishes
alternative power sources now emerging from the large generating plants of the past is
that they are often small, do not produce much more power than an home or a small business
needs, and can be sited quite close to where the energy is actually required. A whole new
concept of energy generation, “Distributed Energy Generation” has arisen as a
result. In DEG the energy sources serve either as alternative energy outside the grid, or
supplement it. The recent energy crises in California have turned it into a leading exponenet
of DEG, and this site by the California Energy Commission in DEG is perhaps the most
comprehensive treatment of it on the web. The demonstration sites covered on this site are
often particularly interesting, as in some cases, such as microturbines and UPS
(Uninterrupted Power Supply) they are some of the few non-commercial Internet pages
available. Although aimed primarily at California residents, many non American firms are
also covered, and there are links taking one to not only the sites of all major manufacturers
concerned with DGE, but also many organizations. Despite being organized in the usual stiff
style you would expect from a web page put up by a government organization, there is a wealth
of useful information available. Rating 8 out of 10 WTS (from New Scientist Weblinks)
eeBuildings
http://www.epa.gov/eeBuildings
“The United States Environmental Protection Agency recently unveiled a major new
resource for energy efficiency in developing countries, the eeBuildings website. The site
allows building owners and managers in developing countries to tap into resources from
EPA's long-running domestic energy-efficiency programs, such as Energy Star(r).
eeBuildings (energy-efficient buildings) puts Energy Star lessons, experiences and materials into an international context. The site introduces building owners and managers to international use of the Energy Star Benchmarking Tool, giving them the ability to measure the total energy consumption of a building in terms of how it compares to similar buildings. Benchmarking is an excellent complement to existing green buildings projects. Benchmarking can also be the foundation of an internal energy management program.
In addition to the site, eeBuildings has in-country activities that include training, conferences and addressing specific market barriers. Recent in-country activities have included a workshop on lighting retrofits in Manila, the Philippines and pilot use of the Benchmarking Tool in Shanghai, China.
All tools and materials on the site are free and available to the public. Visit the eeBuildings Homepage (http://www.epa.gov/eeBuildings/) or e-mail eebuildings@epa.gov for more information.” (Thanks to Fred Stoss)
K-19: the Widowmaker
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/k19/
“When meltdown threatens the first Soviet nuclear ballistic submarine in 1961, its crew
must devise a way to survive - or die trying”. This webiste introducing the history behind
National Geographic's first feature length movie is an interesting display of the history of
submarines and of submarine disasters. It is a visual and audio feast with links to the movie
trailer and website.
Great Projects: the Building of America
http://www.pbs.org/greatprojects/
“From the men who blasted through a mountain of rock along the Colorado River, to those
who hammered 475,000 rivets into each tower of the George Washington Bridge, learn how the
greatest engineering feats in American History were accomplished”. Tour the projects,
read the interviews, test yourself and more at this website from PBS.
Engineering the Impossible
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/eti/eti.html
The Discovery Channel brings you this website about three engineering projects:
The site includes “Ask the Experts” and “The Visualization Gallery”.
Cloud Physics - The Basics
http://www.evac.ou.edu/okwmdp/physics.html
Hey! Give Me Back My Rain!
http://www.brookings.com/bswf/tp18.htm
Does Weather Modification Really Work?
http://twri.tamu.edu/twripubs/WtrResrc/v20n2/
Aircrew Pictures 2001
http://users.pld.com/hailman/PicturePage.htm
Weather as a Weapon?
http://abcnews.go.com/onair/DailyNews/wnt_weatherwar990217_story.html
Atmospheric Resources -- Photos and Videos
http://www.swc.state.nd.us/arb/photos.html
The Physical Basis for Seeding Clouds
http://www.atmos-inc.com/weamod.html
Cloud Seeding -- Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.xmission.com/~nawc/wmfaq.html
This Topic in Depth begins with a Web site from the Oklahoma Weather
Modification Program called Cloud Physics - The Basics (1). Students are
encouraged to initiate a debate on the controversy surrounding the issue of
inducing or enhancing precipitation. Next, the Texas Water Resources
Institute Web site, Does Weather Modification Really Work? (3) provides a
more basic description of cloudseeding. The site offers several categories
including The Science of Cloud Seeding, A Brief History of Weather
Modification in Texas, Legal and Policy Issues, Current and Future
Activities, and more. The Western Kansas Weather Modification Program offers
the next site, Aircrew Pictures 2001 (4). The page contains pictures of the
planes and crew involved in the program as well as pictures from the plane
during a mission. Other links on the site contain radar, data, and other
information. The next site from ABCNEWS.com is an article entitled Weather
as a Weapon? (5) The piece explorers what might happen “on some battlefield
of the future where the US military could gain a tactical advantage by
changing the weather.” A discussion on the possibilities of changing the
weather, an Air Force research paper and several other links are provided to
learn more. The 6th site maintained by the North Dakota State Water
Commission is entitled Atmospheric Resources-Photos and Videos (6). Here,
visitors can find more photographs of cloudseeding equipment and most
notably three videos of cloudseeding planes in action. Atmospherics
Incorporated, an operations and research company in the field of applied
meteorology, provides the next site, The Physical Basis for Seeding Clouds
(7). The page describes techniques for cloud seeding and has a link to
photographs of pyrotechnic seeding devices. The last site provided by North
American Weather Consultants, Inc. is titled, Cloud Seeding -- Frequently
Asked Questions (8). The site briefly answers questions such as When did
application of modern cloud seeding technology begin?, Is cloud seeding
effective?, and Do the commonly used seeding materials pose any direct
health or environmental risks? [JAB] (From the Scout Report)
UN Atlas of the Oceans
http://www.oceansatlas.com/index.jsp
“The UN Atlas of the Oceans is an Internet portal providing information relevant
to the sustainable development of the oceans. It is designed for policy-makers who need
to become familiar with ocean issues and for scientists, students and resource managers
who need access to databases and approaches to sustainability. The UN Atlas can also
provide the ocean industry and stakeholders with pertinent information on ocean
matters.”
The UN says the atlas will provide strategic data on the state of the oceans, together with maps, development trends and threats to human health from the deteriorating marine environment and will help negotiations of future marine-related agreements. It will also provide information on ice cover, links to real-time maps and tracking data.
Water Balloons in Space
http://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/balloon/blob.htm
Summer is the season for many things, including water balloon games. But there is a serious
side to water balloons, believe it or not. NASA conducted experiments to find out the effect
of bursting water balloons under low gravity conditions “to develop the ability to
rapidly deploy large liquid drops by rupturing an enclosing membrane”. The results are
displayed at this site in Quicktime and mpeg videos.
Molecular Expressions - Exploring the World of Optics and Microscopy
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/index.html
“Welcome to the Molecular Expressions Website featuring our acclaimed photo galleries
that explore the fascinating world of optical microscopy. We are going where no microscope
has gone before by offering one of the Web's largest collections of color photographs taken
through an optical microscope (commonly referred to as ‘photo-micro-graphs’).
Visit our Photo Gallery for an introductory selection of images covering just about everything
from beer and ice cream to integrated circuits and ceramic superconductors.”
The Extragalactic Database
http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/
The NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED) “is built around a master list of
extragalactic objects for which cross-identifications of names have been
established, accurate positions and redshifts entered to the extent
possible, and basic data collected.” The main page has links to objects by
name and position, data, literature, tools, additional information, and
more. Although a bit confusing to use, the database provides an excellent
resource for those interested in data of this sort. [JAB] (From the Scout Report)
Celebration of 100 Distinguished European Chemists from the Chemical Revolution to the 21st Century
http://www.chemsoc.org/networks/enc/FECS/100chemists.htm
Presented by the European Network for Chemistry, the Celebration of 100
Distinguished European Chemists from the Chemical Revolution to the 21st
Century is a celebration of distinguished European Chemists spanning a
period of over two hundred years. The chemists are listed by century and
include such notables as Louis Pasteur and Amedeo Avogadro. Each page
consists of a portrait, a short biography and links to further information.
[JAB] (From the Scout Report)
Anglo-Australian Observatory Astronomical Images
http://www.aao.gov.au/images.html/
The extraordinary wide-field images taken by David Malin with the
telescopes of the Anglo-Australian Observatory are iconic and out
of this world. Astronomer/photographer Malin pioneers spectacular
techniques for photographing the colors of the stars, galaxies,
and nebulae. By digitally re-mastering 3-color separations, amplifying
faint image information, and combining images to improve the
signal-to-noise ratio, Malin is able to create detailed high-resolution
photographs. From the whimsically named nebulae Trifid and Fox Fur
to the comets Halley and Hyukatake, you'll marvel at the mysterious
worlds so many light years away. But don't just gawk at the pictures
-- the accompanying text will increase your understanding and
enjoyment of this pictorial journey around the universe.
(From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
Antarctic Ship Rescue
http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/wdcc/ship2002.htm
Frequently updated news and bulletins about the Russian ship Magdalena Oldendorff currently
icebound off Antarctica, where it was returning from a research station.
Geoexplorer
http://www.geoexplorer.co.uk/
With the recent announcement that American students are falling further
and further behind in their knowledge of the world, the Geoexplorer site is
truly a sight for sore eyes, especially to those attempting to impart
geographical and geophysical knowledge to young minds. Alive with
information of all sorts, Geoexplorer supports research and learning at all
levels, with maps, images, instructional modules, statistical data and much,
much more. Particularly strong in links and references, the site is
literally networked to the rest of the world and any source that might prove
helpful to those studying our planet. Especially fun, and sure to please,
are the site's links to resources on rocks and rock collecting, with tours
of every kind of rock and how they were created. However deeply you might
want to delve, Geoexplorer can get you there. [WH] (From the Scout Report)
Pyramids, Mummies and Tombs
http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/pmt/pmt.html
This site from the Discovery Channel is content rich and loads of fun. It has information
on pyramids, mummies and tombs from all over the world, including quizzes, virtual tours,
forensics, and ask Dr. Bob. Well worth a visit.
Rosetta Stone WebQuest
http://www.yellow-springs.k12.oh.us/ys-mls/rosetta.htm
“In this WebQuest you will investigate the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, learn of
its history, and how the eventual deciphering of the stone unlocked the mysteries of Ancient
Egypt. You will also become involved in a simulation in which the rightful ownership of the
Rosetta Stone will be debated.” (Thanks to Blue Web'N)
Teaching Tolerance
http://www.splcenter.org/teachingtolerance/tt-index.html
A Web project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Tolerance.org
encourages people from all walks of life to “fight hate and promote
tolerance.” For educators, there are curriculum packages that can be
ordered at no cost, as well online lesson ideas. For Kids has online
activities and games that promote multiculturalism and tolerance.
(From Blue Web'N)
Anthropology Collection Database
http://www.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/collections/collintro.htm
Published and produced by the Department of Anthropology at the California
Academy of Sciences, this rich collection contains approximately 17,000
objects consisting of ethnographic and archaeological materials of
indigenous cultures of western North America (exclusive of Mexico), the
Pacific Rim (including all Pacific islands and East Asia), the US Southwest
and the Pacific Islands, East Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Central
and South America. Although a work-in-progress, the database also includes
7,000 digital images, and is searchable by category, object name, materials,
maker's name, collection, culture, global region, country, state, or county.
[MG] (From the Scout Report)
The History of Eating Utensils
http://www.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/utensil/
Presented by the California Academy of Sciences, this online history of
eating utensils is both stimulating and educational, with brief
presentations on individual utensils and their evolution, as well as images
of specimens from various cultures and periods. Learn, among other things,
what Louis the XIV had to fear from the knife and what he did about it, and
how it changed the shape of that instrument forever. Equally worth
considering, chopsticks have also evolved over the course of five millennia.
Called “kuai-zi” in Chinese, for quick little fellows, chopsticks were first
joined together and only gradually came to be separated and made of less and
less precious materials. Learn all about them and the rest of the
instruments used by humans to eat gracefully in this brief online history.
Better yet, if you are fortunate enough to be in the Bay area, visit the
exhibit in person at the California Academy of Sciences. [WH] (From the Scout Report)
The following items are from Edupage. To subscribe to Edupage: send mail to: listproc@educom.unc.edu with the message: subscribe edupage Anonymous (if your name is Anonymous; otherwise, substitute your own name). To unsubscribe send a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu with the message: unsubscribe edupage. (If you have subscription problems, send mail to: manager@educom.unc.edu.)
ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS GET HELP FROM TECHNOLOGY
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,53028,00.html
Researchers at the University of Washington are developing so-called
assisted cognition systems to help Alzheimer's patients care for
themselves over the course of an average day. The program combines GPS
and handheld technology with artificial intelligence to create a device
that “learns” how to help people through their day. The Activity
Compass part of the system learns where a patient typically goes and is
able then to offer directions or even suggest intended destinations to
those who have forgotten. The Adaptive Prompter assists patients in
remembering how and when to do more home-oriented tasks, like taking
medication or making and eating meals.
Wired News, 24 June 2002 via Edupage
NPR'S LINK POLICY PROTESTED
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,53355,00.html
National Public Radio has roused public protest in response to its
policy on Web linking, which requires prior written consent to link to,
or frame, any material on the NPR Web site. A form on the site requests
the linker's name, e-mail address, physical address, phone number,
information about the linking site, how long the link will remain on
the site, the proposed wording, the U.S. state in which the linking
site is incorporated, and whether the site is commercial. Although the
permission form was updated in March 2002, the policy began to attract
attention on Web logs June 19 after a blog owner posted a link to the
form. NPR established the policy to support its noncommercial,
journalistic nature, according to an NPR spokesman, and to track use.
Wired News, 20 June 2002 via Edupage
NEW CHIP-MAKING PROCESS MAY OUTPACE MOORE'S LAW
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/18432.html
Stephen Chou, a researcher at Princeton University, said he has
developed a procedure for making computer chips that could increase
their capacity 100-fold. The process, called laser assisted direct
input (LADI), involves pressing a quartz mold onto a piece of silicon
and shooting it with a laser for a very short time. The silicon melts
and quickly rehardens into the new shape. The result is imprinting
silicon with features as small as 10 nanometers, significantly smaller
than current methods allow. The process is also claimed to produce
chips much more cheaply, more quickly, and without the environmentally
unfriendly chemicals required of traditional chip-making methods. Some
observers noted that the process is in the very early stages of
development and is probably not “inherently useful in the near term.”
NewsFactor Network, 28 June 2002 via Edupage
NEW TOOLS CAN BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE ARCHIVE
http://chronicle.com/free/v48/i43/43a02901.htm
Some institutions, including MIT, are developing tools for professors
and other researchers to add resources including data sets, notes,
research reports, and otherwise unpublished papers to large,
searchable, digital archives. Testing of DSpace, MIT's archive
project, will begin this summer, and officials at the school hope that
eventually nearly every professor will contribute to the body of work.
Submission to the archive is voluntary, so developers have tried to
make the system as simple as possible. Metadata will be included to aid
in the organization and searching of the content, though submissions
will not be actively filtered or moderated. Other archives have been
established at the California Institute of Technology and the
University of California system. Critics say that institutional
repositories will fail because effective dissemination depends on the
publishing process and editorial filtering that journals provide.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 1 July 2002 via Edupage
STUDY PUTS A NUMBER TO LOSSES FROM BUGGY SOFTWARE
http://www.idg.net/ic_878966_1794_9-10000.html
A new study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) says that the U.S. economy loses almost $60 billion annually as
a result of buggy software. According to the study, better testing
could eliminate about one third of that loss, but much of the rest will
remain. The study addressed the problem as it affects three major
industries, automotive, aerospace, and financial services, and
extrapolated those results to the nation as a whole. Authors of the
study did not present specific actions to resolve the problem, but they
did suggest that current methods for testing software are “fairly
primitive” and that significant improvements could be made in that
area.
ComputerWorld, 25 June 2002 via Edupage
CARNEGIE MELLON CREATES CYBERSECURITY RESEARCH CENTER
http://chronicle.com/free/2002/06/2002062501t.htm
Carnegie Mellon University has become the latest of several
universities to recently create research centers to study information
security. The Center for Computer and Communications Security joins
other projects at schools including Dartmouth College and Johns Hopkins
University to try to address the myriad and emerging challenges to
computer security. According to Pradeep K. Khosla of Carnegie Mellon,
the new center will study methods for using robots to monitor security
and report problems. The center will also address security issues for
fiber-optic and wireless networks, disk drives, network cards, and
computer processors.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 25 June 2002 via Edupage
MIT WORKING ON NEW KIND OF COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/18363.html
The two-year old Project Oxygen Alliance, a project at MIT, is working
to develop a new, “smart” environment for computing and communication.
Ken Steele, a research scientist at MIT, said the goal is to have
computers that understand and communicate with people as if the devices
were also people, similar to having a personal assistant for everyone.
For example, in this new environment, a person could tell the computer
to make plane reservations. The computer would understand speech, know
the person's seat preference, and handle the entire process with no
further input. Steele admitted that researchers don't have a clear
vision of exactly what the completed project might look like, though
some observers compare the project to the technology in the recent film
“Minority Report,” a science fiction thriller.
NewsFactor Network, 25 June 2002 via Edupage
CRYPTOGRAPHY BASED ON RANDOM NUMBERS
http://chronicle.com/free/2002/07/2002070301t.htm
Jason R. Kauffman, a sophomore at the University of Dayton majoring in
mechanical engineering, has developed a new encryption technology based
on random-number generation. Kauffman first thought of the idea while
working on a science-fair project to improve computer animation. He
extended a mathematical technique used in Disney's “The Hunchback of
Notre Dame,” which assigned pseudo-random numbers to body movements for
a crowd scene in the film. While studying number generators, he found
references to theories that the technique could be used in encryption
technology, but no details. He then thought of a unique way to use
random numbers in a math equation to encrypt data. He and his father,
Robert Kauffman, formed a partnership with the University of Dayton to
patent the idea.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 3 July 2002 (sub. req'd)via Edupage
INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION PARTNER TO TRAIN TECHNOLOGY WORKERS
http://www.idg.net/ic_883502_1794_9-10000.html
An effort in Florida hopes to bring more input and influence from
technology firms to the curricula of colleges and high schools. The
project was started by Hugh Moore, vice president of IT and CIO at
Siemens Information and Communications Networks Inc. in Boca Raton.
Moore noticed that many new graduates were not ready to meet the needs
of his and other technology firms. He began urging industry to work
with education, in concert with other businesses, to address the gaps.
They hope to coordinate statewide technology education with local
business needs so that firms can avoid having to hire from out of
state. The Florida effort is part of a recent trend that brings
industry and education closer in aligning training of students with
prospective responsibilities in the workplace.
ComputerWorld, 3 July 2002 via Edupage
Fireworks!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fireworks/
“This explosive NOVA website presents the colorful history of pyrotechnics and reveals
how hi-tech firing systems are transforming public displays into a dazzling, split-second
science.” July stuff at its finest!
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