Emission of methane and other trace gases from the Amazon Varzea

Researchers measured the distributions and fluxes of methane and other trace gases from the various Amazon floodplain environments. These were determined during both a large scale, quasi-synoptic survey along a 2000 km reach of the Amazon river and an intensive local study (by J. Melack, R. Harriss et al.) covering a six-week period. The environments studied included the major rivers, connecting channels (paranas), floating macrophyte beds, flooded forests, open lakes and recently wetted soils. The results are summarized. Measured rates of methane emission averaged about 300 mg m-2 d-1, but with considerable variance, and were comparable to or higher than previously reported emissions from similar temperature zone environments. In general, areas covered by floating macrophytes showed the highest emissions. Individual hotspots had among the highest rates ever observed, over 10 g m-2 d-1. The high methane emissions appear to result because about 50% of the organic matter fixed on the floodplain (either terrestrial or aquatic) that is oxidized in the water is decomposed anaerobically via methanogensis. Measured fluxes of methane to the atmosphere appear to be significantly correlated with surface water dissolved methane concentrations

Case Study of a Successful Educational Partnership: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

This article describes partnerships between an NCSSSMST member institution and a research university and the use of student-generated survey data as a means of both professional self-reflection and asking further questions. As a chemist, I have been trained to write in the style of scientists, and in fact I teach a course at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy on the methods of science and scientific writing. This article is intentionally not written in a scientific style; rather is written to convey a story of how a partnership between institutions naturally progressed into my current area of research into motivational issues of gifted students

Paying Attention: The Lived Experiences of Female ADHD Graduate Students in Higher Education

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) rates have been increasing, and while adult learners with ADHD have maintained some success to get to college, they still underperform their non-ADHD peers despite having normal intelligence. There is some research on the impact ADHD has on adult learners as they enter college, but there is little research on how ADHD impacts graduate students seeking to continue their education. Given the fact that this population of adult learner is still struggling, it begs the question, why? And what can be done about it? The purpose of this study was to understand the essence of the lived experiences of graduate students with ADHD as they navigate their way through their graduate programs. Using a phenomenological approach, open-ended interviews were conducted with nine female participants via Zoom. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and then analyzed utilizing the phenomenological method used at the University of Tennessee and defined by Thomas and Pollio. This method is based on the philosophy of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and looks at participant experience through the lens of Merleau-Ponty’s concepts of world, body, others, and time. Three global themes emerged from the study: Just a little bit extra, I always felt I was going to fail, and they don’t understand. Findings revealed that despite most participants maintaining high GPAs, the level of struggle they face is not evident through academic measurements. This was not previously known in the research about what it’s like to be a female graduate student with ADHD. The pressure of graduate school appears to be overloading their ability to cope; causing emotional distress, impairment, and poor quality of life; and fear of disclosing their ADHD and seeking support. Despite this, all nine participants have chosen their degree programs to help others in similar situations. This study offers a window into the struggles and perseverance of these participants and others like them, and has implications for higher education, university disability services, policy makers at all levels, and research in how adult learners with ADHD can successfully obtain a graduate education

A Salute to American Opera

Program listing performers and works performe

Session E-2: Sharing Analogies and Demonstrations to Reinforce Chemistry Concepts

Chemistry concepts can often be difficult for students to understand, in part due to the fact that we are discussing with students things that cannot be seen (atoms and molecules!). Analogies that relate chemistry concepts to things that students are more familiar with can be a powerful way to help them understand concepts, as can demonstrations that make concepts come to life visually. We will share a few of our favorite analogies/demos, and ask that each participant share one of their favorite analogies or demos. As we realize it would be difficult for visiting teachers to bring what they need to actually perform a demonstration, it could simply be shared in written form or explained

Scientific Inquiry and Research at IMSA

In this session, we will describe scientific inquiry and research at IMSA. We will describe the requirements for SIR, the SIR structure we have on campus, the modifications we have made during the pandemic, and how we help students develop leadership skills and success through this program. We will also discuss IMSAloquium and disciplines of research

Scientific Research and the Effectiveness of Presentations - The Student Inquiry and Research Program at IMSA

This presentation was selected from one of the four topics Scientific Research and the Effectiveness of Presentation in which we discussed IMSA\u27s SIR program and moderated a workshop where teachers discussed how to encourage their students to do scientific research and present their work