Changing Ocean Chemistry: A High School Curriculum on Ocean Acidification’s Cause, Impacts, and Solutions

This five-lesson curriculum seeks to increase students' understanding of ocean acidification (OA) and help them understand that it is an issue they can address. There are five lessons in the unit and a final Call to Action project. Lesson 1 explores a real-life story about the near collapse of the oyster industry in 2007-2009 along the U.S. west coast. It includes an overview of OA and an exploration of how humans have altered the carbon cycle. Lesson 2 and 3 focus on the chemistry of OA. Lesson 2 looks at PH and how carbon dioxide "acidifies" the water. In Lesson 3, students learn about changes in the carbonate ion concentration, an essential part of calcifying marine organisms that make shells and hard structures made out of calcium carbonate (e.g., shellfish and corals). Students apply what they learn by interpreting water quality data from Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery. In Lesson 4, students research the possible impacts of OA on ecosystems and humans. Lesson 5 examines potential solutions to OA. Students brainstorm ways to reduce CO2, emissions, identify barriers to taking action, and explore household actions that have the most significant impact. Finally, students participate in a Call to Action project where they identify a target audience and try to persuade them to take action

Deep Near-Infrared Observations of L1014: Revealing the nature of the core and its embedded source

Recently, the Spitzer Space Telescope discovered L1014-IRS, a mid-infrared source with protostellar colors, toward the heretofore "starless" core L1014. We present deep near-infrared observations that show a scattered light nebula extending from L1014-IRS. This nebula resembles those typically associated with protostars and young stellar objects, tracing envelope cavities presumably evacuated by an outflow. The northern lobe of the nebula has an opening angle of ~100 degrees, while the southern lobe is barely detected. Its morphology suggests that the bipolar cavity and inferred protostellar disk is not inclined more than 30 degrees from an edge-on orientation. The nebula extends at least 8" from the source at Ks, strongly suggesting that L1014-IRS is embedded within L1014 at a distance of 200 pc rather than in a more distant cloud associated with the Perseus arm at 2.6 kpc. In this case, the apparently low luminosity of L1014-IRS, 0.090 Lsun, is consistent with it having a substellar mass. However, if L1014-IRS is obscured by a circumstellar disk, its luminosity and inferred mass may be greater. Using near-infrared colors of background stars, we investigate characteristics of the L1014 molecular cloud core. We determine a mass of 3.6 Msun for regions of the core with Av > 2 magnitudes. A comparison of the radial extinction profile of L1014 with other cores suggests that L1014 may be among the most centrally condensed cores known, perhaps indicative of the earliest stages of brown dwarf or star formation processes.Comment: Replacement includes revision to mass of core. 22 pages, 6 figures. Accepted by Ap

Promising practices and considerations for RCRV outreach and education

In 2013, NSF selected OSU as the lead institution to oversee the design and construction of three new Regional Class Research Vessels (RCRVs), a new class of research ship designed with advanced capabilities for next generation, interdisciplinary, oceanographic operations. The new RCRVs will increase efficiency and the ability to address stakeholder needs, as they are equipped with advanced technology, such as datapresence capabilities. Simply described, datapresence is a way to communicate data from the ship to the shore. Datapresence will involve the creation of a public data-portal and subsequent outreach and education (O&E) materials and strategies that allow people to access, interpret, and use this data. The datapresence capabilities also provide a unique opportunity to foster equitable collaboration between researchers, teachers and students in order to situate them with the skills they need to support both ocean research and data literacy; critical skills in today’s data-saturated world, where the public has ever-increasing access to data. The overarching O&E goal of the RCRVs is to improve science, the sharing and use of ocean science data between scientists and others, and to facilitate ocean science education and workforce development. Research was conducted to determine the best way to reach this goal. This report shares highlights from this research and lays out the commitment of time and other resources needed to create and implement O&E that is effective (in that it improves understanding and brings together scientists, educators, and students in the pursuit of a more data-literate society) AND inclusive (in that it recognizes that O&E needs to be culturally responsive and employ strategies that engage diverse audiences)

Discovery of a Dusty Ring in the Coalsack: A Dense Core Caught in the Act of Formation?

We present a new infrared extinction study of Globule 2, the most opaque molecular cloud core in the Coalsack complex. Using deep near-infrared imaging observations obtained with the ESO NTT we are able to examine the structure of the globule in significantly greater detail than previously possible. We find the most prominent structural feature of this globule to be a strong central ring of dust column density which was not evident in lower resolution studies of this cloud. This ring represents a region of high density and pressure that is likely a transient structure. For a spherical cloud geometry the ring would correspond to a dense inner shell of high pressure that could not be in dynamical equilibrium with its surroundings since there appear to be no sources of pressure in the central regions of the cloud that could support the shell against gravity and prevent its inward implosion. The timescale for the inward collapse of the ring would be less than 2 x 10^5 years, suggesting that this globule is in an extremely early stage of evolution, and perhaps caught in the process of forming a centrally condensed dense core or Bok globule. Outside its central regions the globule displays a well-behaved density profile whose shape is very similar to that of a stable Bonnor-Ebert sphere. Using SEST we also obtained a C18O spectrum toward the center of the cloud. The CO observation indicates that the globule is a gravitationally bound object. Analysis of the CO line profile reveals significant non-thermal gas motions likely due to turbulence. As a whole the globule may be evolving to a global state of quasi-static dynamical equilibrium in which thermal and turbulent pressure balance gravity.Comment: Contains 21 pages and 5 figures. Due to space limitations in astroph, figures 1, 3 & 5 are submitted as separate .jpg files. Full resolution figures and text can be downloaded from http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/~clada/preprints.htm

Ethnic Inequalities in Mortality: The Case of Arab-Americans

BACKGROUND: Although nearly 112 million residents of the United States belong to a non-white ethnic group, the literature about differences in health indicators across ethnic groups is limited almost exclusively to Hispanics. Features of the social experience of many ethnic groups including immigration, discrimination, and acculturation may plausibly influence mortality risk. We explored life expectancy and age-adjusted mortality risk of Arab-Americans (AAs), relative to non-Arab and non-Hispanic Whites in Michigan, the state with the largest per capita population of AAs in the US. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Data were collected about all deaths to AAs and non-Arab and non-Hispanic Whites in Michigan between 1990 and 2007, and year 2000 census data were collected for population denominators. We calculated life expectancy, age-adjusted all-cause, cause-specific, and age-specific mortality rates stratified by ethnicity and gender among AAs and non-Arab and non-Hispanic Whites. Among AAs, life expectancies among men and women were 2.0 and 1.4 years lower than among non-Arab and non-Hispanic White men and women, respectively. AA men had higher mortality than non-Arab and non-Hispanic White men due to infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and homicide. AA women had higher mortality than non-Arab and non-Hispanic White women due to chronic diseases. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Despite better education and higher income, AAs have higher age-adjusted mortality risk than non-Arab and non-Hispanic Whites, particularly due to chronic diseases. Features specific to AA culture may explain some of these findings

Stimulant Reduction Intervention using Dosed Exercise (STRIDE) - CTN 0037: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a need for novel approaches to the treatment of stimulant abuse and dependence. Clinical data examining the use of exercise as a treatment for the abuse of nicotine, alcohol, and other substances suggest that exercise may be a beneficial treatment for stimulant abuse, with direct effects on decreased use and craving. In addition, exercise has the potential to improve other health domains that may be adversely affected by stimulant use or its treatment, such as sleep disturbance, cognitive function, mood, weight gain, quality of life, and anhedonia, since it has been shown to improve many of these domains in a number of other clinical disorders. Furthermore, neurobiological evidence provides plausible mechanisms by which exercise could positively affect treatment outcomes. The current manuscript presents the rationale, design considerations, and study design of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network (CTN) CTN-0037 Stimulant Reduction Intervention using Dosed Exercise (STRIDE) study.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>STRIDE is a multisite randomized clinical trial that compares exercise to health education as potential treatments for stimulant abuse or dependence. This study will evaluate individuals diagnosed with stimulant abuse or dependence who are receiving treatment in a residential setting. Three hundred and thirty eligible and interested participants who provide informed consent will be randomized to one of two treatment arms: Vigorous Intensity High Dose Exercise Augmentation (DEI) or Health Education Intervention Augmentation (HEI). Both groups will receive TAU (i.e., usual care). The treatment arms are structured such that the quantity of visits is similar to allow for equivalent contact between groups. In both arms, participants will begin with supervised sessions 3 times per week during the 12-week acute phase of the study. Supervised sessions will be conducted as one-on-one (i.e., individual) sessions, although other participants may be exercising at the same time. Following the 12-week acute phase, participants will begin a 6-month continuation phase during which time they will attend one weekly supervised DEI or HEI session.</p> <p>Clinical Trials Registry</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov, <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01141608">NCT01141608</a></p> <p><url>http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01141608?term=Stimulant+Reduction+Intervention+using+Dosed+Exercise&rank=1</url></p

From Dissolution to Solution: New approaches to teaching ocean acidification

The high school module outlined in this article builds on the strengths of existing resources by incorporating many of their approaches. However, lesson designers intentionally avoided the most common ocean acidification lab (placing shells in vinegar and watching them dissolve) because they found evidence that this experiment reinforces misconceptions about pH and the effects of ocean acidification. Instead, they consider solutions to ocean acidification and encourage students to maximize and expand their impact. The lesson developers hope to help teachers demonstrate that ocean acidification is a large environmental issue that we can address if we work together. While these lessons relate to ocean acidification, they could be incorporated into a larger unit on climate change or human environmental impacts. This article provides a brief overview of the Changing Ocean Chemistry module. The complete curriculum will be made available online later in 2019 and provide numerous resources for teachers including a downloadable PDF (with lesson plans, sample scripting, teacher answer keys, educator background information, standards addressed, student handouts, video clips, and PowerPoint presentations)

Stream Webs Student Stewardship Network : Final report NOAA B-WET Program

This report summarizes the StreamWebs program, curriculum development and testing. The StreamWebs program provides students, teachers and project partners with hands-on field and classroom training; access to field sampling equipment; curriculum materials and open-source, web-based tools for watershed data analysis. The program launched a number of new partnerships and added to the existing cohort of teachers and community partners

Students as scientists : using immersive experiences and near-peer mentoring to build stem identity and community

Giving students an opportunity to undertake field work, learn about data collection and analysis, and work and live as part of a team of diverse individuals is a unique experience that can influence and shape future careers and lives. Engagement of young science enthusiasts in a rural community is a key goal of the Journey for Aspiring Students Pursuing Ecological Research (JASPER) program run by Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute that focuses on gray whale foraging ecology research. This unique project integrates research with STEM education by bringing together a team of graduate students, undergraduate students, and high school students for a six-week intensive field season each year where students conduct research, hone teamwork and leadership skills, and build their STEM identity. Over the course of this internship, students learn how to use diverse technology to collect data, engage with the local community, and gain an understanding of marine ecology and the scientific process. Additionally, interns develop science communication skills in both formal and informal settings, including a community presentation and a blog post. Over seven years, JASPER has given 25 students a chance to interact with scientists and to be a real scientist for a short while. We have been able to track 88% of these students; all are in STEM-related fields and reported that this program profoundly impacted their lives and careers. Whether or not students continue STEM career paths, the experience broadens their horizons and skill sets, and helps engage the local community in current marine research