http://link.library.utoronto.ca/insulin/

Insulin was developed into a commercial form at the University of Toronto from 1920 to 1925. This digital collection from the University of Toronto Libraries brings together approximately 7,000 images of original documents, including laboratory notebooks and charts, correspondence, writings, and published papers. On the homepage, visitors can view selected highlights from the collection and also learn about what the discovery of insulin meant from a patient's point of view. Visitors won't want to miss the biographies of Frederick Banting and J.J.R. Macleod, the two scientists who received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1923 for this key scientific discovery. Moving on, the Interactive Timeline brings together key documents and images associated with the process of inquiry, discovery, and subsequent medial use of insulin. Finally, visitors can view Banting's original scrapbooks, which contain reports, photographs of Banting and his family, and items related to the opening of the Banting Institute. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13396

What is the state of America's universities? That is a vast question, and it was posed to the National Academies by the U.S. Congress. Specifically, Congress asked the National Academies to assess the competitive position of America's research universities over the coming decades. The results of the Academies' findings are in this 227-page report issued in 2012. Visitors to the site can download the entire report, although those looking for something a bit more brief may wish to download the 24-page executive summary. The summary offers some terse advice in the "Ten Strategic Actions" area, including the suggestion that states may wish to provide greater autonomy for public research universities so that these institutions may "leverage local and regional strengths to compete strategically and respond with agility to new opportunities." Some of the other suggestions include improving university productivity and reducing regulatory burdens. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://wac.colostate.edu/journal/vol20/bahls.pdf

For young people, mathematics can be terribly frightening, boring, or confusing. It can be hard to break through to individuals who may have had a difficult first experience with the subject. That's why Professor Patrick Bahls of the University of North Carolina, Asheville decided to try something a bit different. In the fall of 2007, he began to have math students write short poems offering some insight into their experiences with mathematics. The results were quite intriguing, and his article on what he learned is well worth a read. In this 15-page article, he shares experiences from the classroom, several of his students' poems, and information on how metaphors can be used to assist with the process. For those people actively involved with teaching math, this article is quite a find. The work is rounded out by the survey questions that he used with students to have them reflect on the process of writing poetry. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://science360.gov/series/Profiles+of+Scientists+and+Engineers/711d5cab-8416-40f7-9297-099c1f37a9bd

The Science 360 Knowledge Network works to bring visitors "the latest wonders of science, engineering, technology and math." Among other things, the Network encourages young people to get involved in STEM careers, and these profiles are an important part of that mission. This site includes a dozen profiles of various individuals, including a virtual reality scientist, a biogeoscientist, and a marine biologist. Each short film features these scientists in their working environments. Each video is done with a bit of good humor, which makes the whole thing quite enjoyable. First-time visitors to the site shouldn't miss the profile of Yael Maguire, an electrical engineer who clearly has a great deal of fun on the job. After watching the videos, visitors can also sign up to receive notices when new profiles are added to the site. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://stateofthemedia.org/media-ownership/

Who exactly owns the news media? It's a compelling question, and one that has intrigued the folks at the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. This site presents the Center's findings as an interactive database of companies that own news properties in the United States. Visitors can use the site to explore each media sector or read profiles of individual companies. The site is divided into categories that include Newspapers, Online, Network TV, Cable TV, and several others. Clicking on each of the categories will bring up a list of companies and some basic data (such as audience reach and revenue), along with an option to compare multiple companies. Also, visitors can use the Dashboard tab to look over the top companies in each sector, ranked by audience. Scholars and the like will appreciate the Methodology area, which includes information on how they created the database. [KMG]

http://www.djo.harvard.edu/

The Digital Journal of Ophthalmology (DJO) is a peer reviewed journal based at Harvard University designed to serve as "a valuable resource for ophthalmologists, other health care providers, vision scientists, and patients throughout the world." On the site's homepage, visitor can look over Grand Rounds, Original Articles, and Case Reports. The Grand Rounds area brings together reports from the world of ophthalmology, which can be most useful to those in the field. The site also contains a range of editorials, and visitors are encouraged to register with the DJO to receive personalized updates. The Knowledge Review section provides a series of quizzes for ophthalmologists on relevant topics such as glaucoma or pathology. Finally, the Patient Information area contains materials for laypeople on topics such as laser vision correction. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://libraries.umd.edu/mdmap/

It's not hard to find great maps of the Old Line State, especially if you take advantage of the offerings on this wonderful site. Created by the University of Maryland University Libraries, this collection brings together a selection of the Libraries' 2,500 maps that depict Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay, and the surrounding region from 1590 to the present day. The site features a number of great finds, including a 1920 "Automobile Touring Map of Maryland, with Inset of Baltimore City" (which notes "good roads" as well as "secondary roads") and the 1676 south-up map titled "A Map of Virginia and Maryland." Those with interest in conducting further research may find the Guide to Maryland Maps link useful, as it provides an overview of the non-digitized portion of the collection.[KMG]

http://www.womeninscience.org/series.php?seriesID=1

This compelling radio feature from WAMC offers an inside look into efforts to increase the role of women with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The program is divided into two parts, each of which includes profiles of women who have succeeded and flourished in their respective fields. Each of the programs is divided into smaller sections, including Powerful Signals, The Sounds of Progress, Out Loud, and Access to Advancement. Taken as a whole, these stories are tremendously powerful in terms of encouraging women to get involved in these vocations, and they can be used in the classroom or other informal settings. Visitors should also explore the other programs in the series, all of which can be accessed on the left-hand side of the page. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/home/home.shtml

Started in 2007, PlaNYC was an effort spearheaded by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to strengthen the economy, enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers, and combat climate change. This ambitious initiative brought together 25 different city agencies, and the fruits of their labors can be seen on this website. The sections of the site include The Plan, Outreach, News and Events, and Publications. In The Plan area, visitors can make their way through two dozen topical areas, which include energy, air quality, solid waste, food, and natural systems. Each of these areas includes a brief overview, along with links to more detailed technical reports and white papers. In the Outreach area, visitors can learn more about specific initiatives, such as GreeNYC, which is designed to help New Yorkers learn how to lead more sustainable lifestyles. The site is rounded out by the Publications area, which includes timely updates on the long-term progress of PlaNYC's work. [KMG]

http://www.wgbh.org/995/index.cfm

Classical New England is a public service provided by WGBH in Boston with affiliate stations in Nantucket and Providence, Rhode Island. The cornucopia of music here can be explored via the Topics section on the right-hand side of the page. Here visitors can look through programs like "The Bach Hour" and "Classical Music With Cathy Fuller." Not surprisingly, there's an entire section dedicated to Tanglewood, which is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in western Massachusetts. One notable feature here is the last interview with celebrated music director and conductor Erich Leinsdorf, in which he ruminates on his time working with the BSO. Additionally, users can look over the Most Popular list to learn about what other classical music fans are enjoying. Finally, the site also includes videos of various performances from around New England and beyond. [KMG]

http://www.crimesolutions.gov/

Created by the Department of Justice, the Crime Solutions website "uses rigorous research to inform practitioners and policy makers about what works in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services." First-time visitors can use the site to learn about how these programs work via an easily understandable system that includes ratings such as effective, promising, and no effects. Visitors can look at Recently Posted Programs to see the website's reviews, along with further details. For those looking for a bit more assistance, the "I would like to" area can help users search for a program, view a list of all programs, or recommend a program for review. The site also features an Announcements area that includes updates about new services and programs from around the country. Finally, if they so desire, visitors can sign up to receive new updates via RSS feed. [KMG]

http://digitalmedia.fws.gov/

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a rather impressive collection of images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video available at no charge. The items are all contained within twelve thematic sections, which include Migratory Birds, Connecting People with Nature, and International Affairs. Visitors will note that the sections contain a wide mix of items, all of which can be searched by format, date, creator, and so on. The site also contains a keyword search area that allows visitors to look for specific images, videos, or audio clips. It's worth noting that visitors can perform advanced searches and also make a list of their favorite items. The Landscape Conservation area shouldn't be missed, as it contains great photographs of people at work restoring natural habitats all around the United States. [KMG]

http://changetheequation.org/

Started in 2010, Change the Equation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, CEO-led initiative designed to mobilize the business community to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning in the United States. The group's stated goals include working to increase the impact of corporate philanthropy and working to "capture the imagination of young people." On the site, visitors can look through the STEMistics area, along with the Igniting Learning and News & Events sections. STEMistics section includes some basic facts on the importance of STEM-related fields and some data on the people working in these fields. Moving on, the Igniting Learning area includes resources for those interested in inspiring young people in their classrooms. Finally, users can take advantage of the Current News area to learn more about developments in the field. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at http://amser.org.

http://www.masshist.org/photographs/atkins.cfm?queryID=27

In the late 19th century, noted Boston merchant Edwin F. Atkins was a dominant player in the U.S.-Cuba sugar market. His firm helped established sugarcane plantations along the southern coast of Cuba near the cities of Cienfuegos and Trinidad. For over 60 years the Atkins family continued to operate their sugar business on the island, even as Cuba won its independence from Spain and went through a number of other momentous events. This digital collection from the Massachusetts Historical Society tells the story of the Atkins family's endeavors during this period. The full collection has 419 photographs, but this is a fine sample. The images here are divided into areas such as Snapshots of Cienfuegos, Cuba and Life and Work at the Soledad Plantation. It's an arresting look at Cuba during this time period and historians and students of the West Indies will find much to enjoy here. [KMG]

http://professorevans.net/SWAG.html

Professor Stephanie Evans of Clark Atlanta University has created this very compelling website to tell the travel stories of a wide range of African Americans. Using a mapping tool, Professor Evans worked with 200 different travel narratives to create an interactive map of visited locations. Visitors can use the site to learn about the travelers' impressions of different places, with the hope that this resource will "enhance youth empowerment." A good place to start here is with the places visited by Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, who visited Canada, England, France, Germany, and many other countries. The site gives users the opportunity to search the database, view the entries by traveler, and look at specific locations around the world, such as Algeria, Accra, and Amsterdam. The list of people covered by the database is extensive, and it includes Alice Walker, Amiri Baraka, and Althea Gibson. The site is quite fascinating, and it can be used in a variety of classroom settings. [KMG]

http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MNYO28_2

This remarkable collection was created by the Museum of the City of New York to celebrate the fashion design masters Charles Frederick Worth and Mainbocher (Main Rousseau Bocher). Worth was an Englishman who founded a Parisian atelier and Chicago-born Mainbocher did much of his work in Paris as well. The funding for the exhibition came from The Coby Foundation and it explores the work of these two individuals by looking at the history, details, and construction of 119 different garments. On the site, visitors can make their way through five sections, including Exhibition, Biographies, and Discussion. The Exhibition area includes an interactive timeline of the works profiled here. First-time visitors may wish to start with Worth's wonderful 1876 "Afternoon Dress" or Mainbocher's 1936 "Evening Dress." The Essay offers a nice bit of reflection on the relationship between the works of these two designers, and it's well worth a look. [KMG]

http://kitestack.com/taskbadges/

This application is quite simple and is designed to keep life's tasks in order. Billed as "plain-text todo list kung fu," Task Badges adds the number of open tasks in your plain-text todo list to the file's icon so that it shows up in Finder and on the desktop. It's easy to use and it is compatible with Macs running Snow Leopard or Lion. [KMG]

http://viewshare.org/

Viewshare is a free web application that can be used for "generating and customizing unique, dynamic views through which users can experience cultural heritage digital collections." The site is administered by the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program at the Library of Congress. On the homepage, visitors can watch a demonstration of the program, look through some sample views, and then get started. This version of Viewshare is compatible with all operating systems. (For a great example of Viewshare in action, check out "Swag Diplomacy" in this issue of the Scout Report: [KMG]">http://professorevans.net/SWAG.html)[KMG]

Architecture and the Lost Art of Drawing [Registration may be required]
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/02/opinion/sunday/architecture-and-the-lost-art-of-drawing.html?pagewanted=all

Drawing Architecture
http://drawingarchitecture.tumblr.com/

Architect Philip Johnson's Glass House
http://www.architecturaldigest.com/architecture/2012-09/architect-philip-johnson-glass-house-modernism-article

Architectural Drawings of Willis and Lillian Leenhouts
https://www4.uwm.edu/libraries/digilib/leenh/index.cfm

Hugh Ferriss: Architectural Drawings
http://library.columbia.edu/indiv/avery/da/collections/ferriss.html

A primer for architectural drawing for young students
http://books.google.com/books/about/A_primer_of_architectural_drawing_for_yo.html?id=AxRNAAAAMAAJ

Once upon a time, many products were made by hand. The Industrial Revolution changed this forever, and as a result, many items became increasingly affordable. But what of the learned professions? How have they been changed by technology? Architecture is certainly one of the professions that has been changed by a number of "revolutions," and the use of computers for creating architectural drawings has been a key change in this human endeavor. But has something been lost? This week, the noted architect Michael Graves sounded off in an article for the New York Times in which he talked about the importance of drawing to the discipline. In the piece, he notes that "architecture cannot divorce itself from drawing, no matter how impressive the technology gets. Drawings are not just end products: they are part of the thought process of architectural design." It's a passionate piece and one that will spark discussion about the practice of architecture. [KMG]

The first link will take users to the piece by Michael Graves from this Saturday's New York Times. The second link leads to a wonderful trove of architectural renderings culled from museums around the world and other sources. Moving along, the third link leads to a great piece from the September 2012 issue of Architectural Digest about Philip Johnson's iconic Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut. The fourth link leads to a delightful collection of architectural drawings from the Milwaukee architects Willis and Lillian Leenhouts. The fifth link will take interested parties to a wonderful digital archive of architectural drawings by Hugh Ferriss, the celebrated architectural illustrator. The final link will lead to a very interesting "Primer of Architectural Drawing for Young Students," first published in 1910.