Research and Education
Ever since the early days of the Internet, various educational organizations and foundations have sought to use the Web to disseminate important pedagogical tools to fellow educators and interested parties. This very fine site sponsored by the Baylor College of Medicine and Texas A&M University does exactly that for the field of biology with great aplomb. First-time visitors will want to start by perusing the homepage, which includes links to "Hot Topics" in biology (such as flu prevention), a "Biology News" section (which digests important news from the field), and a selection of recent additions to the site. Educators will also want to take a look through the slide sets offered here, in the PowerPoint format, which include topics such as human body systems, ecosystems, and Mendelian genetics. Additionally, the site also features a number of streaming video presentations for classroom use on a wide range of biological topics. [KMG]
While there are numerous sites about different museums of all sizes around the world, there are also numerous sites about the wide world of museology and exhibition techniques. One such site is the Global Museum, which provides information about important and new exhibits around the globe, along with job postings from a wide range of museums. Persons interested in a course of study on museums would do well to look at the site's listings of internationally accredited museum studies courses, which is offered in the Study area of the website. Visitors can also look through the online bookstore, which contains a wide array of titles that are of great relevance. Finally, the site is rounded out by an Ideas area that focuses on providing external links to sites that deal with marketing, conservation, and World Heritage sites. [KMG]
http://www.1704.deerfield.history.museum/
The interpretation of historical events in colonial America as regards the interactions between Native Americans and colonists has at times been depicted as a series of violent uprisings that resulted in the tragic deaths of numerous settlers. This interactive feature and exhibit offered by the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association in Deerfield, Mass., offers a highly nuanced and complex narrative of the well-known raid on the town which took place on February 29, 1704. Within the site, visitors can learn about the various cultures that converged on this region of the New World, the artifacts produced by these different groups, and of course, a very detailed chronology of the raid on Deerfield. Another way to begin learning about the events of the raid is to peruse the various biographical profiles of the people involved (directly or indirectly) in those events. For those with a penchant for cartography and geography, there is also a fine section that offers some maps of how the raid was conducted and a map of settlement patterns in the Connecticut River Valley. [KMG]
http://www.exploratorium.edu/ancientobs/chichen/index.html
Located on a limestone plateau in the northern area of the Yucatan peninsula, the dramatic ruins of Chichen Itza stand as a testimony to the ingenuity of the Mayan civilization. Many visitors flock to the area to view these structures, and now it is also possible to view them via this fine exhibition created by the Exploratorium Museum. With substantial funding from the McBean Family Foundation and NASA, this site explores the use of these structures as ancient observatories. Visitors will want to begin by looking through some historical essays on Chichen Itza, then proceed to learn about the expert alignments of the structures that allowed Mayans to observe different celestial bodies. The site also includes fun activities, such as Mayan math exercises and a Mayan calendar. [KMG]
http://www.sagecrossroads.net/
With a growing percentage of the American population entering later life, it would seem to make sense that there would be an increased online presence of sites to provide information on related topics. SAGE Crossroads is a "public forum on the ethics, politics, and economics of aging research and longevity science." The site has been in existence since March 2003, and was developed by a collaborative arrangement between the Alliance for Aging Research and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The two primary features of the site include "News & Views", which digests news on aging-related research and policy and the "Live Debates" section, where visitors can view debates on subjects that include "Women and Aging: Ethical Implications for 2005 and Beyond." Additionally, visitors may sign up to receive updates when new material is added to the site. [KMG]
On the surface, the subject may not seem terribly interesting, but the importance of providing historical materials relating to the growth and development of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is tremendously important. Since 1999, the Securities and Exchange Commission Historical Society has been collecting materials in this area, and for the past several years it have included many of these materials on this website. On the site, visitors can view a timeline of the SEC's history, peruse (and listen) to a number of oral histories, and view crucial primary documents. The "Online Programs" area is also worth a look, as it contains full broadcasts with experts on such topics as "Developments in the Mutual Fund Industry" and "Transformation of Wall Street". The site is rounded out by a photograph archive, which can be browsed alphabetically. [KMG]
