http://www.integrationindex.eu/

The European Union has long been concerned with looking at how migrants are integrated into various member states (and several non-EU countries), and this visually delightful and well-thought out site is a great resource for researchers and policy analysts. Drawing on a wide range of data sources, the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) covers policy areas like long-term residence, access to nationality, and political participation. After looking over the "About" section, visitors should be comfortable enough to dive right in. Visitors may wish to start by using the interactive mapping and charting function to look at how various countries are performing in terms of integration, and then move on to the "Key Findings" section which offers some summary statistics on the six policy areas covered here. Additionally, visitors can sign up to receive email updates and information via an RSS feed. [KMG]

http://sciweb.nybg.org/science2/FieldResearch.asp

From Dr. Douglas C. Daly's work on the frankincense family to Tatyana A. Lobova's work on bat-plant interactions, the New York Botanical Garden's International Plant Science Center sponsors a multitude of engaging field research projects. Since 1891, the Garden scientists have conducted almost 2000 expeditions and visitors to this site can learn about some of the more recent expeditions here. On the right side of the homepage, visitors can scroll through a list of researchers, or they may browse through the list by plant type or geographic location. Further down the page, there is a "Research Web Sites" list. The list includes over a dozen sites, including "Brazil Nut-Past, Present, and Future" and "Fungal and Plant Diversity of Central French Guiana". Visitors should not miss the excellent field primers "An Introduction to Ferns" and "An Introduction to Lichens", which can be perused here or printed out for handy reference. [KMG]

http://www.valenciacc.edu/west/mathcenter/resources.asp

Helping students learn about basic and advanced math skills can be a challenging task, so it is nice to learn that a number of community colleges have created online resources for educators. This site was created by the Valencia Community College's Math Center, and it features a number of educational toolkits designed to help both educators and students. Visitors can start by looking through the "Material List", which includes a review of intermediate algebra and a fine selection of additional external websites. Educators may wish to look at the general knowledge math test here created especially for them. An offering of practice tests and even more external links of note round out the site. [KMG]

http://www.brookings.edu/saban.aspx

Launched in May 2002, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy performs original research surveys and studies in order "to promote a better understanding of the policy choices facing American decisionmakers in the Middle East." Visitors to the site will note that the homepage contains four primary sections, including "Research & Commentary", "Events", and "Experts". "Research & Commentary" includes dozens of topical reports and policy briefs organized into thematic categories such as "Middle East Democracy and Development" and "Terrorism". The "Events" area includes information both about upcoming talks and symposia sponsored by the Center and brief synopses of those events that have already occurred. Finally, the "Experts" section provides information on various scholars and fellows who are affiliated with the Center. [KMG]

http://www.semioticon.com/

The field of semiotics is a complex one, and it is generally understood to include the study of sign systems and evolution, texts, information, meaning, and related matters. This particular site, dedicated to the field of semiotics, was founded by Paul Bouissac, and it serves as a dynamic and interactive place where scholars and interested parties can peruse their online semiotics encyclopedia, take a look at virtual symposia, and look through the "Semioticon Commons". Visitors will definitely want to click their way to the "Public Journal of Semiotics" section and also look at their global information bulletin, titled "Semiotix". The site is rounded out by the Semiotic Review of Books and "The Pulse", which serves as a gateway to other semiotic-themed sites. [KMG]

http://www.library.cmu.edu/Libraries/DLColloquia.html

Carnegie Mellon University is well-known for their excellent School of Information Sciences and since 2001 they have sponsored the Digital Library Colloquium lecture series. This site allows users to view the various lectures in their entirety and learn more about the participants through short biographical sketches. The subjects covered run the gamut from digital library initiatives to the intriguing subject of creative commons and machine-readable law. Visitors can browse through the lectures by year, and they will most likely find something that piques their own interest in the field of information science. It's an ambitious effort, and one that will be enjoyed by persons in the field and those who might be thinking about joining the field in the future. [KMG]

http://www.learner.org/resources/series34.html

Would Lewis Carroll have approved of using "Alice in Wonderland" to teach algebra? We may never know, but that exact possibility turns up in episode two of the valuable "Teaching Math" series created by staffers at WGBH Boston. This series shows teachers demonstrating "the fine art of guiding students through reasoning and problem solving." Along the way, students chime in with comments about their experiences, and the overall learning milieu is improved as a result. All told, the series contains twenty episodes which cover patterns, congruence, exponential functions, and the very act of communicating about mathematical ideas. The series is one that will be most intriguing to mathematics educators, and they will want to tell like-minded instructors to take a look at the site and watch a few episodes online. [KMG]

http://www.wfu.edu/physics/demolabs/demos/avimov/videointro.htm

Physics is plenty exciting on its own, but this clutch of physics demonstration videos offered up by Wake Forest University's Physics departments will probably have students running out to learn more about string theory and cosmology. Teachers will definitely appreciate this resource, as they can use these videos in the classroom or just recommend to their students. Visitors can view the videos in their entirety by subject headings, which include "Motion", "Heat", "Optics", and not surprisingly, "Newton". All told there are dozens of videos, including "Bed of Nails", "Cartesian Diver", and the surreal yet appropriately titled "Marshmallow Man". Overall, this resource is a delightful find.
[KMG]