Teaching Science in Middle School

In January 2016, the state of Massachusetts introduced a modified version of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a set of learning goals for science in K-12 education, as the new standards for teaching science in the state. These standards emphasize a more skill based style of student evaluation. Therefore, a project based learning (PBL) approach was proposed as an alternative to meet the new standards. A six-day project based NGSS compliant lesson plan on the topic of ecosystems was developed and tested in Jessica McDermott’s eighth grade science class of Forest Grove Middle School in Worcester, MA. The numerical data and in-class observations by the teacher and us suggested that PBL could be an effective method in teaching ecosystems in middle school based on the new standards

Fetching Interactive Dog Occupier (FIDO)

Dogs are great companions but they require a lot of attention and exercise.The Fetching Interactive Dog Occupier, or FIDO, team has designed a prototype to entertain and exercise dogs that are often left home alone. FIDO is programmed to automatically launch standard tennis to simulate the game of fetch. Safeguards exist to prevent tossing a ball if the dog or child is in close proximity of the discharge tube. The prototype has been successfully field tested

Defect dynamics in growing bacterial colonies

Colonies of rod-shaped bacteria constitute a system of colloidal active matter with nematic properties. As a single initial bacterium multiplies through repeated divisions, the resulting colony quickly loses long-range orientational order, but retains locally ordered domains. At the boundaries of these domains, topological defects emerge, that themselves move around randomly as the colony grows. In both experiments and simulations, we find that these defects are created at a rate that corresponds to the exponential growth of the colony, resulting in a stable defect density. We also characterize the geometric and topological properties of bacterial colonies, from which we find that the aspect ratio of the rod-shaped particles is the main regulator of both the correlation length and the defect density. Moreover, we find that the defect dynamics are well described by a Gamma distribution, which is due to repeated divisions and subsequent re-orientations of the bacteria

The Intellectual Property Implications of the Development of Industrial 3D Printing

This commissioned project/report for the European Commission explores the IP Implications of the Development of Industrial 3D Printing from a European perspective. The report aims to enhance the European business sector and foster innovation. Through a legal and empirical analysis, involving qualitative data drawn from interviews with 41 industry stakeholders, the findings from the project demonstrates the areas which needed to be addressed – and resolved. Being the first large-scale empirical project of its kind, the report delves into the heart of EU IP regulation and makes policy recommendations for all aspects of IP whilst also providing recommendations for industry. The report was authored by a team of national and international researchers including a team of academics and practitioners and consisted of Lead Author, Dinusha Mendis together with partners from UK (Julie Robson, Phill Dickinson), Austria (Maria del Carmen Calatrava-Moreno and Alfred Radeur); Finland (Rosa Ballardini); and Germany (Jan Nordemann and Hans Brorsen)