PINHEAD IN ACTION: 2013 SCHOLARS IN THE SCHOOLS

03 Feb PINHEAD IN ACTION: 2013 SCHOLARS IN THE SCHOOLS

The Pinhead Institute is proud to contribute to exciting new learning experiences year in and year out through one of a number of exciting, ongoing programs.

Dr. Michael Otte (MIT) with students from Telluride Mountain School on his last visit.The Pinhead Institute is proud to contribute to exciting new learning experiences year in and year out through one of a number of exciting, ongoing programs.

Scholars in the School is all about bringing outstanding scientists from around the world into our regional schools to teach students, grades K-12, about the wonders of scientific discovery. The unique program enables young people to interact with PhD scientists about everything from nanoscience, to chemistry, biology, tclimatology, and much more. Visiting scientists lead labs, workshops, and field expeditions designed to inspire  young people to make inquiries about the world around them. The hope is they will continue to investigate on their own, and for some, consider establishing a career path in science.

In January, Pinhead welcomed astronomer Dr. Christopher Crockett from the U.S. Naval Observatory to teach about the wonders of the night sky. Through classroom visits in the Telluride Public School and Telluride Mountain School, as well as nighttime stargazing opportunities, Dr. Crockett reached nearly 500 attendees over the course of his two-day visit.

This month Pinhead is thrilled to welcome back chemist, Dr. Ron Estler from Fort Lewis College. Dr. Estler will be talking with students in Telluride and the West End about the wonder world of magnetism. They will learn what a magnet is, how magnetic fields work, which metals are magnetic and which aren’t, how the Earth’s core relates to magnetism, and much more.

Also in February Pinhead will welcome archeologist Dr. John Steinberg from the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Steinberg will teach students about the exciting project he is working on in Northern Iceland, all about understanding how property rights came about starting in the Viking Age and after, AD 874-1700.

Buildings from the Viking Age in Iceland were constructed out of turf, now buried in deep wind-blown deposits, thereby making them almost impossible to identify – except through remote sensing. Dr. Steinberg uses GIS and shallow geophysics to study settlement patterns to understand broad trenches over the landscape.

In March, Pinhead welcomes Dr. Michael Otte from MIT. His research on the application of artificial intelligence to robotics, with a focus on path planning algorithms and multi-robot systems. Dr. Otte will have robots on hand to show students how he programs their “paths.” He will also touch upon how he uses brain waves to control some of his other robots.

Dr. Matthew Porteus from Stanford University also visits in March, when he will teach high school students more about his research in dna damage in pediatric patients. Dr. Porteus works extensively in pediatric stem cell transplantation and will discuss the cutting-edge research in his field and the ethics behind the work.

In May, Dr. Joseph Francisco from Purdue University returns to town. Dr. Francisco wowed students  in 2009 with presentations about his research in atmospheric chemistry. No one is sure what Dr. Francisco will talk about in May, probably not even Dr. Francisco himself,  but during his last visit he encouraged students to hypothesize on ways we might warm up the cold climate on one of Jupiter’s moons to make it human friendly for universal expansion. Can he top that?

“This season’s line up of visiting scholars is great. And please remember, these people are taking time out of their own research and teaching schedules to work hands-on with the students in our area,” notes Sonchia Jilek, Pinhead’s executive director. “We are thrilled to work with such high caliber scientists this spring and can’t wait for their presentations.”

The Telluride Foundation, CCAASE, Just for Kids, and a network of generous donors support Scholars in the School and other Pinhead programs.

To learn more about Scholars in the Schools and other programs visit www.pinheadinstitute.org or call 970-708-7441.