The Scout Report
June 14, 2013 -- Volume 19, Number 24
A Publication of Internet Scout
Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research and Education
National Institutes of Health: Curriculum Supplement SeriesMicroscopy Society of America
Resident-Centered Community Building: What Makes It Different?
National Geographic Education: Ecosystems
Immigrant Assimilation into US Prisons, 1900-1930
National Science Foundation: Current
Nuclear Systems Design Project
William J. Clinton Presidential Library
General Interest
The Nash Collection of Primates in Art and IllustrationDigital Encyclopedia: George Washington's Mount Vernon
University of Washington Yearbooks and Documents
Canada Council for the Arts
Vandermaelen Atlas Universel
Chicago Park District
Ward Morgan Photography, Southwest Michigan 1939-1980
Network Tools
PDF MergyGoogle Scholar
In the News
Mayor Bloomberg announces a bold plan to protect New York's waterfrontCopyright and subscription information appear at the end of the Scout Report. For more information on all services of Internet Scout, please visit our Website: https://scout.wisc.edu/
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Research and Education
http://science.education.nih.gov/customers.nsf/WebPages/CSHome
How might students best learn about science? It's a question that has commanded the attention of many educators. These curriculum supplements are teachers' guides to two weeks of lessons on the science behind selected health topics. On the homepage, visitors can use the Description area to learn a bit more about the basic goal of this series. The left-hand side of the homepage contains the bulk of these supplements and their related materials. Here visitors can find documents that include "Exploring Bioethics," "Cell Biology and Cancer," and "Using Technology to Understand Cellular and Molecular Biology." The site is rounded out by a selection of Webinars that include "Evolution and Medicine: A New Approach for High School Biology." [KMG]
http://www.microscopy.org/
The Microscopy Society of America (MSA) was created at a 1942 meeting in the Sherman Hotel in Chicago. During its first fifty years, the MSA was entirely devoted to the electron microscope. Today, the organization is broadly concerned with a wide range of microscopes, and its website is a great place to learn about this work. First-time visitors should look over the Latest News to get a sense of the MSA's activities. Other sections are widely varied, and include Resources, Membership, Educational Opportunities, and President's Blog. The Resources area is a great find, as it comprises the popular Ask a Microscopist area, along with fun posters and an image gallery. Of course, young scholars shouldn't miss the Awards & Scholarships section, which contains links to materials about fellowship opportunities and the Society's undergraduate research scholarship program. [KMG]
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/sites/default/files/content/docs/pubs/CCLE-Report_3-14-13_Reduced.pdf
How do we build community? How can we learn from each other? What does it mean to create a community responsive to the needs of its occupants? The Aspen Institute recently took on the challenge of thinking about such matters. In 2012, the Institute, along with the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, sponsored a conference on community building. The participants in this exercise included resident activists, community organizers, and additional parties. This 25-page document presents some great findings from their work, along with some basic information on how other organizations might work to include a diverse set of participants in community-building activities. Some of these basic building blocks include "Meet people where they are" and "Be flexible about how people participate." [KMG]
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/topics/ecosystems/?ar_a=1&audiences=1
The National Geographic Education website has a number of sections dedicated to different areas within the natural sciences. This particular section brings together all manner of educational resources related to ecosystems. On the site, visitors can dive in via the Latest Updates for Ecosystems. Here they can learn how to explore the profiled ecosystems via a range of GIS tools. Visitors can use the filters on the site to look over the resources by Type, Grades & Ages, Intended Audience, and Subjects. Visitors shouldn't miss looking over features like the Amazon Gold Mine, Back to the Bottom, and African Savanna. [KMG]
http://www.nber.org/papers/w19083
The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) conducts research on a wide range of topics and its work is frequently cited by scholars around the world. This intriguing piece was authored by Carolyn M. Moehling and Anne Morrison Piehl and released in May 2013. The 39-page paper looks into the statistical patterns behind immigrant assimilation into US prisons from 1900-1930 by drawing on newly released data. Some of the initial findings from this work note that immigrants "rapidly assimilated to native incarceration patterns." The introduction offers a bit of research literature overview which is quite helpful. Also, the report contains helpful figures, along with information on the authors' methodology and statistical analysis. [KMG]
http://www.nsf.gov/news/newsletter/
The National Science Foundation publishes the NSF Current in order to inform the public about its research and education efforts. On this site, visitors can view the newest issue, along with all of the issues dating back to 2005. The material covered here is wonderfully diverse, from work on the South Pole Observatory, to advancements in creating artificial retinas, to a history of the National Medal of Science. Each story contains links to additional resources, including original research papers, visualizations, and data sets. Additionally, visitors can sign up to receive each new edition of the NSF Current by email. It's a great way to stay in touch with all of the great work being done at the National Science Foundation and it may provide a bit of inspiration to young scientists everywhere. [KMG]
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/nuclear-engineering/22-033-nuclear-systems-design-project-fall-2011/
It might be inadvisable to build your own nuclear power plant, but for those looking to learn the basics, this OpenCourseWare course from MIT can help. This course was originally taught in the fall of 2011 by Dr. Michael Short. On the page, visitors can look over the syllabus, the course calendar, the readings, and the lecture videos and class notes. This last area is quite useful, as it contains videos and slides from talks on hydrogen and biofuel production, process heat, and the entire nuclear system design process. Additionally, the site contains links to some of the assignments for the course and information about team projects. [KMG]
http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/
Located
in
Little
Rock,
Arkansas,
the
William
J.
Clinton
Presidential
Library
is
the
official
repository
for
the
documents
and
related
materials
that
narrate
the
life
and
times
of
President
Clinton.
Visitors
to
the
site
will
find
six
separate
sections,
including
Research,
Biographies,
Museum,
and
Education.
In
the
Biographies
area,
visitors
can
find
essays
on
both
President
Clinton
and
his
wife
and
former
US
Secretary
of
State
Hilary
Rodham
Clinton,
along
with
photo
galleries
and
detailed
research
guides.
The
Research
area
contains
a
video
gallery,
a
digital
library,
and
finding
aids
for
the
papers
contained
within
these
collections.
The
video
gallery
is
a
great
resource,
as
it
contains
several
dozen
important
addresses,
including
the
1993
State
of
the
Union
Address
and
the
Transportation
Equity
Act
bill
signing
in
1998.
The
Education
area
contains
lesson
plans
for
those
who
might
visit
the
Library,
along
with
information
for
families
who
may
be
hoping
to
enhance
their
young
people's
experiences
as
well.
[KMG]
General Interest
http://uwdc.library.wisc.edu/collections/PCLArts
Where have all the lemurs gone? Some of them can be found, rendered in rare form, right here within the Nash Collection of Primates in Art and Illustration. Offered as part of the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections, this splendid array of materials represents a collaboration between noted scientific illustrator Stephen Nash and staff at the Lawrence Jacobsen Library at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. There are over 3,200 items here, including drawings of primate skeletons, pen and ink drawings done from live animals, and profile portraits. The collection is wonderfully broad in its scope, as it also comprises renderings of primates that appear in sculpture, paintings, and other artistic media. Finally, visitors can search the collection in great detail and also get more information on the project via the About the Collection area. [KMG]
http://www.mountvernon.org/encyclopedia
What was George Washington's life like at Mount Vernon? This frequent question is answered in fine form by this Digital Encyclopedia, compiled by a variety of scholars in collaboration with the Mount Vernon Estate. It is particularly appropriate that there is such a copious compendium of facts on the goings-on at Mt. Vernon, as Washington was enamored of encyclopedias during his life. Drawing on a range of primary sources, this project brings together hundreds of entries divided into over a dozen topics, including Military, Slavery, Food and Drink, and Animals. The Personal area is quite compelling, as it includes entries on Barbados, smallpox and, of course, the celebrated myths surrounding Washington's false teeth. [KMG]
https://content.lib.washington.edu/uwdocsweb/
For many people, purchasing a college yearbook was (and is) an important rite of passage from college life to young adulthood. One could savor football games, an honor society membership, or perhaps a memory of beloved professor, all by turning the pages. The University of Washington has long published such a volume, called Tyee. The work was published from 1900 to 1994, and recently digitized by the University of Washington Digital Collections. Visitors can browse the collection here and also search by keyword. New users may wish to start with the 1904 volume, which contains a droll section titled "Wit, Wisdom and Folly," along with the usual homages to fraternities, faculty, and the campus. [KMG]
http://www.canadacouncil.ca/
The basic mandate of the Canada Council for the Arts is "to foster and promote the study and enjoyment and the production of works in the arts." First-time visitors should click on one of the thematic sections on the site, which include Dance, Writing & Publishing, and Aboriginal Arts Office. Within each of these areas, visitors can read Artist Stories, check out the dedicated blog for each topic, and learn about relevant grants and prizes. In the Research area, visitors can look over fact sheets, take a look at grant statistics, and read recent reports. These reports include offerings like "Arts and Heritage in Canada: Access and Availability Survey 2012" and "The Value of Presenting: A Study of Performing Arts Presentation in Canada." The site is rounded out by a very useful News Room, which contains press releases, interviews, events, and the like. [KMG]
http://libweb5.princeton.edu/visual_materials/maps/websites/vandermaelen/home.htm
Philippe Vandermaelen's 1827 Atlas Universel is a truly remarkable work consisting of 380 conically projected maps and 40 pages of statistical tables in six volumes. It was the first atlas produced by the then novel printing process known as lithography. As part of a special project funded by the Friends of the Princeton University Library, these maps were digitized and placed online here. Visitors can read about the process of digitization and watch a fascinating video of the virtual rotating globe constructed from these fine maps. Additionally, visitors can view individual sheets of the atlas at their leisure. It is a remarkable journey indeed, and one that should be savored via multiple visits over an extended period of time. [KMG]
http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/
The
Chicago
Park
District
is
one
of
the
largest
municipal
park
systems
in
the
United
States,
containing
over
8,100
acres
of
green
space.
All
told,
the
District
has
580
parks,
including
two
city
conservatories,
a
number
of
historic
lagoons,
and
the
iconic
Clarence
Buckingham
Memorial
Fountain.
This
website
allows
visitors
the
opportunity
to
learn
about
the
District's
mission,
history,
and
long-range
planning
for
existing
parks
and
potential
new
sites.
On
the
homepage,
visitors
can
use
the
Find
a
Park
feature
to
learn
about
these
diverse
spaces.
Additionally,
they
can
use
the
I
Want
To
area
to
learn
about
park
permits,
volunteering,
and
reporting
problems
within
the
park
system.
The
Events
area
is
quite
a
find,
as
visitors
can
learn
about
some
of
the
hundreds
of
events
sponsored
each
year
by
the
District.
Finally,
visitors
can
also
use
the
Doing
Business
area
to
learn
about
the
various
entrepreneurial
activities
which
are
possible
via
the
District.
[KMG]
http://digitalcollections-wmich.cdmhost.com/cdm/search/collection/p124301coll2/page/2
Ward Morgan spent decades documenting life in and around Kalamazoo, Michigan. He went into interiors of women's shoe stores, took photos of students in classrooms, and photographed folks gathering for a society meeting. Most of his work took place in the middle decades of the 20th century, and these everyday photos eventually found their way to Western Michigan University. Visitors can browse these 500 photos randomly or look through the list of available topics, which include Advertising, Religious, Education, and Business Scenes. [KMG]
Network Tools
http://pdfmerge.w69b.com/
Merging pdf files just got much easer with PDF Mergy. This application gives users the ability to just drag and drop files that need to be merged into a handy window. Users move the documents into the desired order, click Merge, and download the single-file version. This Web app is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]
http://scholar.google.com/schhp?hl=en
For scholars young and old, Google Scholar is a great way to find key academic resources from all over the world. The homepage features a basic search engine, along with the ability to look through millions of patents and legal documents. Visitors can use the My Citations area to craft their own set of resources and they are also welcome to use the Metrics area for rigorous data. The advanced search options, links to articles citing the pieces users find, and connections to pdfs and local university libraries make Google Scholar an indispensable aid in conducting literature reviews. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]
In the News
Bloomberg's Brilliant Waterfront Defense Plan
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/06/bloombergs-brilliant-waterfront-defense-plan.html?mid=google
Bloomberg's race to protect NY from climate change
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-bloombergs-race-to-protect-ny-from-climate-change/2013/06/11/5f06265c-d2d9-11e2-a73e-826d299ff459_story.html
Bloomberg unveils sweeping disaster protection plan for New York
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-bloomberg-climate-change-20130611,0,7933233.story
Cities 'Must Lead Climate Initiatives'
http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/environment/cities-must-lead-climate-initiatives-1.1528390
New York City Panel on Climate Change: Climate Risk Information 2013
http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/downloads/pdf/npcc_climate_risk_information_2013_report.pdf
World Bank: Guide to Climate Change Adaptation in Cities
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTURBANDEVELOPMENT/0,,contentMDK:23026256~menuPK:337198~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:337178~isCURL:Y,00.html
This
Tuesday,
New
York
Mayor
Michael
Bloomberg
announced
a
$20
billion
proposal
that
will
help
protect
New
Yorkers
from
the
rising
water
levels
associated
with
climate
change.
Concern
about
this
ongoing
matter
has
increased
since
Hurricane
Sandy
moved
across
the
city's
520
mile
coastline,
leveling
houses
and
destroying
key
pieces
of
the
urban
infrastructure.
The
plan
calls
for
the
construction
of
a
series
of
new
floodwalls,
levees,
and
surge
barriers,
as
well
as
the
construction
of
a
new
"Seaport
City"
to
protect
the
coastline
along
the
East
River.
The
possibility
of
more
frequent
and
severe
storms
and
damage
is
becoming
apparent,
and
insurance
providers
continue
to
discuss
the
possibility
of
regular
flood
and
hurricane
damage.
Much
of
this
work
is
informed
by
a
panel
of
experts
who
have
crafted
a
massive
policy
report
that
estimates
that
New
York
could
see
its
waters
rise
as
much
as
31
inches
by
2050.
Commenting
on
the
situation,
Mayor
Bloomberg
noted
that
"We
can't
completely
climate-proof
our
city.
That
would
be
impossible.
But
we
can
make
our
city
stronger
and
safer
-
and
we
can
start
today."
[KMG]
The first link will direct interested parties to a fine piece from New York magazine about the Mayor's plan, along with a bit of commentary on the proposal. The second link will whisk users away to a thoughtful editorial from the Washington Post's Dana Milbank on the proposal and how it might serve as a clarion call for other cities. Moving along, the third link will take visitors to a piece from Tuesday's Los Angeles Times about Bloomberg's proposal, complete with a few links to additional resources. The fourth link leads to a recent piece from the Independent which offers perspective from climate change protection chief Debra Roberts about the lack of initiative on climate change from the United Nations. The fifth link will take users to the complete report recently released from the New York City Panel on Climate Change. The last link will take visitors to the World Bank's guide to climate change adaptation in cities. [KMG]
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Internet Scout Team | |
---|---|
Max Grinnell | Editor |
Carmen Montopoli | Managing Editor |
Edward Almasy | Director |
Rachael Bower | Director |
Andrea Coffin | Information Services Manager |
Autumn Hall-Tun | Internet Cataloger |
Sara Sacks | Internet Cataloger |
Tim Baumgard | Web Developer |
Corey Halpin | Web Developer |
Zev Weiss | Technical Specialist |
Evan Radkoff | Technical Specialist |
Debra Shapiro | Contributor |
Holly Wallace | Administrative Assistant |
Michael Penn II | Administrative Assistant |
For information on additional contributors, see the Internet Scout staff page.