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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTS On  behalf  of  the  Science  Expo  Team,  we’d  like  to  wish  everyone  Happy  Holidays  and  a  Happy  New  Year.  Science  Expo  has  lots  of  exciting  things  planned  for  you  in  the  new  year  and  details  are  soon  to  be  released  via  our  website  and  Facebook  page.  As  the  year  approaches  a  closure,  take  some  time  to  ”‡ƪ‡…– ‘Â? ›‘—” •—……‡••‡• ƒÂ?† accomplishments  in  the  past  year.  For  Science  Expo,  2011  has  been  a  major  milestone.  This  past  May,  we  hosted  the  Second  Annual  Science  Expo  at  the  University  of  Waterloo.  In  the  summer,  we  registered  ourselves  as  an Â Â‘ĆĽÂ…Â‹ÂƒÂŽ ÇĄ ƒÂ?† Š‹”‡†
Â?–‡”Â?• ˆ‘” –Š‡ Ƥ”•– –‹Â?‡Ǥ Â? the  new  school  year,  we  launched  new  programs,  expanded  our  team,  and Â
established  many  new  partnerships.  We  competed  in  the  Aviva  Community  Challenge  and  had  a  tremendous  amount  of  support  from  everyone.  We  like  to  thank  everyone  for  your  continuous  support  in  our  journey  and  we  hope  to  surpass  your  expectations  in  the  New  Year.  When  you  read  through  the  articles  in  the  newsletter,  we  hope  you  are  inspired  to  take  action  to  enrich  your  experience  and  start  your  journey.  Science  Expo  is  here  to  empower  you  with  opportunities  and  help  you  get  to  your  next  milestone.  We  hope  2012  will  be  start  of  something  great.
INTERNAL HIGHLIGHTS -Ââ€?  Conference  Theme  Announced:  Convene  and  Connect ÇŚ ‘Â?ˆ‡”‡Â?…‡ ‡›Â?‘–‡• ‘Â?Ƥ”Â?‡† (One  of  which  is  a  Co-Ââ€?Recipient  of  ‘„‡Ž ‡ƒ…‡ ”‹œ‡ ͚͘͘Í&#x;ČŒ -Ââ€?   Conference  Registration  Opens  Feb  1st!  Only  100  spots  available! -Ââ€?  Science  Expo  launches  2nd  Annual  …‹‡Â?…‡ š’‘ …Š‘Žƒ”•Š‹’ ȋ͆Í?͘͘ Â˜ÂƒÂŽÂ—Â‡ČŒ
INSIDE THIS ISSUE A  Roundup  of  Top  Stories  in  STEM  .....2 2011:  A  Year  in  Quotes...................8 Spotlight  on  STEM:  Students  on  Ice  .....9
ÇŚ —•‹‡ ƒÂ? ĆŹ ‹ŽŽƒ”› Dawkins ”‡•‹†‡Â?–•ǥ …‹‡Â?…‡ š’‘
CONNECT WITH US Twitter  -Ââ€?  @ScienceExpo  http://twitter.com/#!/ScienceExpo  Facebook  -Ââ€?  Science  Expo  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Science-Ââ€?Expo  Linked-Ââ€?in  -Ââ€?  Science  Expo  http://www.linkedin.com/company/science-Ââ€?expo
SCIENCE EXPO
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science expo
WINTER 2011
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A ROUNDUP OF 2011’s TOP STORIES IN STEM Neutrinos travel faster than the speed of light Neutrinos that travel faster than light? That was the conclusion of the measurements performed by an international team, published Friday, Sept. 23, 2011 and released in Geneva, Switzerland. Einstein's theory of relativity had proved back in 1905 that nothing could exceed the speed of light in vacuum, thus, the results were totally unexpected: neutrinos travel Ƥ vacuum. Whether or not this spells the end of Einstein’s theory or the creation of a new one, this experiment has undergone intense scrutiny and will continue to make news in the world of physics.
Taken from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/nov/18/neutrinos-‐still-‐faster-‐than-‐light
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World’s population reaches 7 billion The UN declared the 7 billionth person on planet Earth was born October 30, 2011 in the Philippines. As a symbolic landmark of the world’s growing population, ƪ ǡ Danica Camacho, was born. However, the birth remains more symbolic than realistic, considering we only know the world’s population to within an uncertainty of millions of people. That doesn’t stop the world alike from discussing the implications of rising environmental impacts humans are having on our planet and the sustainability of current population trends. Ƥ ǯ order, plug your birthday in here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-‐15391515 Coleman, Jasmine. “World’s ‘seven billionth baby’ is born.” The Guardian. 1 Dec 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/31/seven-billionth- baby-born-philippines
The 7 billionth person on planet Earth was born October 30, 2011 in the Philippines.
The Fate of Nuclear Energy The nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi, Japan on March 11, 2011 has turned heads around the world to the debate of nuclear energy. Germany announced it will phase out nuclear energy, following Japan’s reversal of policy from increasing the energy share from nuclear to completely phasing it out. However, the London-‐based World Nuclear Association predicts a 30 percent increase in global nuclear generating capacity over the next decade. As pressure from climate change policies increases on coal and other green-‐house gas polluting energy sources, the debate will continue on nuclear energy’s Ǧ Ƥ Ǥ Cooke, Stephanie. “After Fukushima, Does Nuclear Power Have a Future?” The New York Times. 1 Dec 2011. http://www.nytimes .com/2011/10/11/business/energy-environment/after-fukushima-does-nuclear-power-have-a-future.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
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Physics Saul Perlmutter, Brian P. Schmidt and Adam G. Riess "for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae." Peace Prize Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman "for their non-‐violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-‐building work."
NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS 2011
Chemistry Dan Shechtman "for the discovery of quasicrystals." Economic Sciences Thomas J. Sargent and Christopher A. Sims "for their empirical research on ơ Ǥ̺
Literature Tomas Tranströmer "because, through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality."
Physiology or Medicine Ǧ Ǥ Ǥ ơ ̺ concerning the activation of innate immunity." -‐ Ralph M. Steinman "for his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity." “All Nobel Laureates”. Nobelprize.org. 1 Dec 2011 http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all/all_laureates_c.html
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World average temperature predicted to rise by 2 degrees The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced this year that the planet is rapidly moving towards an average increase in World temperature of 2 degrees Celcius. "Our science is solid and it proves unequivocally that the world is warming and that this warming is due to human activities," said WMO Secretary-‐General Michel Jarraud. Reports have begun to attribute ƪ and the wettest monsoon season on record in Pakistan.
The end of the Higgs Boson?
“World moving towards 2 degree rise in temperature: UN.” Daily News and Analysis. 1 Dec 2011. http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_world-‐moving-‐ towards-‐2-‐degree-‐rise-‐in-‐temperature-‐un_1619083
An elementary particle called the Higgs boson that is thought to give all matter mass has been searched for at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. Experiments so far have ruled out 95% of the range of masses the Higgs boson could have, leaving only a miniscule span of mass that the elusive particle could have. Scientists have sped protons around a 27 km ring and smashed them together, to recreate ǡ ƪ Ǥ such particle is detected, physicists will be left scratching their heads as to the fundamental nature of matter itself. ǡ Ǥ Dz Ǥdz Ǥ Ǥ ͙ ͚͙͙͘Ǥ ǣȀȀ Ǥ Ǥ Ȁ Ȁ͚͙͙͘Ǧ͘͡Ǧ Ǧ Ǧ Ǥ
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A new branch to the tree of life New results from gene sequencing are challenging the conventional view of the tree of life. Giant viruses, adept at exchanging genes and inserting them into other cells, have not historically been considered alive, due to their inability to replicate without a host. However, a team of French scientists found that the genes in a group of giant viruses were so distinct they formed a separate branch on the evolutionary tree of all life. Another group at UC Davis sequenced all the genes within a scoop of seawater, and compared versions a gene common to all living things. Those belonging to viruses were intermixed with all other living things on a phylogenetic tree. These results are forcing scientists to reconsider viruses as life forms. Zimmer, Carl. “Glimpses of the Fourth Domain?” Discover Magazine. 1 Dec 2011. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2011/03/18/glimpses-‐ of-‐the-‐fourth-‐domain/
Cloud computing Cloud computing is all the new buzz in the Ǥ Ƥ of Internet servers all over the Internet to perform tasks, and more broadly the access to all Internet Ƥ Ǥ revolutionizing how business is done around the world, where subscriptions and pay-‐per-‐use services can increase capacity and capabilities without training new personnel and licensing new software. Knorr, Eric & Gruman, Galen. “What cloud computing really means” Info World. 1 Dec 2011. http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-‐computing/what-‐cloud-‐computing-‐really-‐means-‐031
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Six degrees of separation shrinks to four Facebook recently released results from research when they partnered with the Università degli Studi di Milano in Italy and looked at all 721million of its active users, equivalent to 10 per cent of the world’s population and a total of 69 billion friendships. They found that now, only an average of 4.74 links, or mutual connections, is required to connect somebody with every other person in the world, down from 5.28 in 2008. As social media usage increases, the degrees of separation between people shrinks, and Earth is much smaller now than it used to be. Bates, Daniel. “Forget ‘six degrees of separation’ -‐ thanks to Facebook it’s now just Four.” Daily Mail Online. 1 Dec 2011. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ sciencetech/article-‐2064746/Facebook-‐shrinks-‐degrees-‐separation-‐just-‐ FOUR.html
Fractals solve ancient math problem In a paper hosted by the American Institute of Mathematics, Emory University mathematicians published their discovery of a new pattern. Their work describes the Ǣ Ƥ Ǥ key to their discovery was a fractal, a pattern that has the same mathematical structure ơ Ǥ discovery help solve similar problems in number theory, but closes a longstanding chapter in mathematical history. Mosher, Dave. “Hidden Fractals Suggest Answer to Ancient Math Problem.” Wired Science. 1 Dec 2011. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/01/partition-‐numbers-‐fractals/
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2011: A Year in Quotes
“
Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things.”
- Steve Jobs
“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.”
- Jack Layton
“The term ‘social networking’ makes little sense if we leave out the objects that mediate the ties between people. The fallacy is to think that social networks are just made up of people.”
- Jvri Engeström
“The inventors will invent, for that is what inventors do. The technology will come first, the products second, and then then needs will slowly appear.”
- Don Norman
“The long silence – the interruption of the human conversation – is coming to an end. On the Internet, markets are getting more connected and more powerfully vocal every day.”
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SPOTLIGHT ON STEM: STUDENTS ON ICE
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Ƥ experiential learning that are usually used in tandem with phrases such as “problem-‐based learning” and “hands-‐on experience”. One of the best ways to learn about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is through this type of learning that truly takes you on a journey from formulating predictions, to performing tasks, and Ƥ Ǥ on Ice is one exemplary organization that is striving to bring experiential learning, and gave me the chance to experience STEM opportunities in a way I never had before. My journey began in August of 2010, when I participated in an expedition to the Canadian Arctic with Students on Ice. It was truly one of the best experiences of my life! The Students on Ice experience involved a fourteen day voyage of complete submersion into learning, networking, documenting, and exploring. There was a technology ban which meant that we were no cell phones, iPods, television, or computers allowed on the trip. Many people found it hard to adjust to this change, but it was extremely helpful in allowing us to be fully engaged in the learning process. On the expedition, there were students from multiple countries which Ǥ ǡ ơ members were on board from a variety of backgrounds and shared invaluable knowledge about topics including science, exploring, art, writing, history, and the environment. It was often in personal conversations over a meal where memorable learning experiences occurred. We participated in many zodiac cruises and also landings that involved hikes. However, what made these experiences unique was that before we participated in them we learned about what we would experience. (continued on next page)
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SPOTLIGHT STEM: STUDENTS ON ICE, cont. ǡ ơ members, who was an Ƥ ǡ and experience. While we were participating in the ǡ constantly learning from the ơ Ǥ common sight to see all of ơ Ǥ Ƥ Ǥ ǡ ƪ ǡ ǡ Ǥ Ǥ ơ ǡ ǯ Ǥ
ǡ others. (continued on next page)
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SPOTLIGHT STEM: STUDENTS ON ICE, cont. Students on Ice encompassed all STEM topics in their curriculum. We learned about new types of technologies that are being engineered to help to improve life in the Arctic and research methods as well. Mathematics was often incorporated into biological discussions on population and talks about emissions and temperature changes in regards to climate change. My experience with Students on Ice helped me to appreciate experiential learning so much Ǥ Ƥ ǡ ǯ ơ ǡ that I loved. I also found that by experiencing and living in the environment I was learning ǡ Ǥ ǯ ǡ interact together. One of the main facets I gained from my experience with Students on Ice is the importance of communicating and recording knowledge. We had the opportunity to share our daily experiences by writing a blog entry at the end of each day. (The only time we were allowed to ǨȌ ǡ us to share our experience with everyone who was following our journey at home. Photos and ǡ Ǥ ǯ ơ ǯ ǡ ǡ ǡ Ǥ My Arctic expedition was a literal journey above the ͞͞ ǡ Ǥ ǡ ǡ ǡ Ǥ essential in communicating your knowledge to others so that they can learn from your experiences. Finding ƥ ǡ Ǥ ǯ choose one that you are passionate about and Ǥ ǡ small steps and bring a journal and an open mind along with you. Ǧ ơ
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Thank you for reading STEM Connect! Pass this on to your friends who are interested in STEM. For article submissions or any questions or comments, contact newsletter@science-‐expo.org. -‐ Science Expo Youth Empowerment Group Produced and edited by Brian Krug and Stephanie Chan. ǣ ơ ǣ ơ
STEM
science - technology engineering - mathematics
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