“Black Hole Chaos,” Belinda Wilkes and Francesca Civano, CfA
Preparing Today’s Children for Tomorrow’s Creative Society
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| Event Description – Preparing Today’s Children for Tomorrow’s Creative Society | |||||||||
| This discussion will appeal especially to parents and others interested in K-12 and STEM issues. It is co-sponsored by MIT Club of Boston and The Discovery Museums (http://www.discoverymuseums.org/) in Acton, MA. This is a more accessible location for west-of-Boston families. The Museums are kid-focused jewels, engaging close to 180,000 visitors per year.Refreshment and Museum tours will be included in the $12 ticket price. For MIT Club of Boston or The Discovery Museum members, the ticket price is $10 per person. You can register online and pay by credit card *here*. Seating is limited, so early registration is encouraged. Please note that the museum will not be staffed to accommodate children; this is an adult-only event.
Here is a description of the event and brief biography of Prof. Resnick: In today’s rapidly-changing society, people must continually come up with creative solutions to unexpected problems. More than ever before, success is based not on what you know, but on your ability to think and act creatively. In short, we are living in the Creative Society. But there is a problem. Most activities in children’s lives, whether it’s lessons in the classroom or games in the living room, are not designed to help children develop as creative thinkers. In this presentation, Mitchel will discuss new technologies and activities designed specifically to help children learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively, so that they are prepared for life in the Creative Society. He will focus particularly on Scratch, a programming language and online community that enables children (ages 8 and up) to create their own interactive stories, games, animations, and simulations — and share their creations with one another online (http://scratch.mit.edu/). In the process, children develop skills and ways of thinking that are essential for becoming active participants in the Creative Society. Mitchel Resnick, LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research at the MIT Media Lab, develops new technologies and activities to engage people (especially children) in creative learning experiences. His Lifelong Kindergarten research group developed ideas and technologies underlying the LEGO Mindstorms robotics kits and Scratch programming software, used by millions of young people around the world. He also co-founded the Computer Clubhouse project, an international network of 100 after-school learning centers where youth from low-income communities learn to express themselves creatively with new technologies. Resnick earned a BS in physics from Princeton, and an MS and PhD in computer science from MIT. He was awarded the McGraw Prize in Education in 2011. |
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“Nature’s Telescopes,” Matthew Bayliss, CfA
The Science Trivia Challenge is a contest hosted by the MIT Club of Boston that is part of the Cambridge Science Festival, organized annually by the MIT Museum. It’s a live team trivia quiz where contestants are challenged on their knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, astronomy, computer science, earth sciences, inventions, local contributions to science and other subjects. The information might be useful or purely trivial and might test knowledge of scientific methods, theories, or history. Teams have to be ready for anything, and any team can win!
The contest is broken into two divisions: a Youth Division, in which teams must consist entirely of students in 12th grade or lower (High School or Middle School); and an Open Division, in which there are no limits on team composition. In each division, the maximum team size is five players. Prizes are awarded to the top teams in each division.The first annual Science Trivia Challenge was held on Wednesday, April 25, 2007. The sixth annual event is currently scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 2013. We are thrilled that this event will again be moderated by renowned MIT Professor Walter Lewin. Teams are entered on a first-come, first-served basis until the event capacity is reached, so it is best to register early.
The event is organized and run by MIT alumni/ae volunteers, and is funded through the generosity of The Mathworks. If you are interested in volunteering for the event, please e-mail sciencetrivia@mit.edu. We appreciate help in the areas like testing and editing questions, coordinating refreshments for the event, serving as team judges or general staff on the evening of the contest.
We take curiosity to a new level! The Cambridge Science Festival, the first of its kind in the United States, is a celebration showcasing the leading edge in science, technology, engineering and math. A multifaceted, multicultural event every spring, the Cambridge Science Festival makes science accessible, interactive and fun!
From the Stone Age diet plan to Paleo workouts, our culture is rife with pseudo-scientific fads based on a time when we supposedly were more “in sync” with nature. Marlene Zuk dismantles this nostalgia and argues that evolution yields neither perfection nor a final product. Part of the Evolution Matters Lecture Series, supported by a generous gift from Drs. Herman and Joan Suit. Free and open to the public. Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street. Free event parking for evening lectures in the 52 Oxford Street garage.
The promise of Convergence in life science
Denise Herzing, PhD, Founder and Research Director, Wild Dolphin Project | Katy Payne, Co-founder and Researcher, Elephant Listening Project, Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University | Rob Shumaker, PhD, Vice President of Life Sciences, Indianapolis Zoo; Former Biologist, Curator, and Exhibit Designer, Smithsonian National Zoo; and Author of Animal Tool Behavior
The ability to vocalize language and communicate with each other has long been considered the unique domain of humans. Research shows, however, that several species of animals have complex communication systems and can even vary vocalizations in response to others in their species. But can humans and animals learn to “talk” to one another? Stretch your notions about animal behavior and cognition, and find out whether we might someday be able to understand just what animals have to say.
This program is free thanks to the generosity of the Lowell Institute.
Photo © Wild Dolphin Project
Antje Stokman will discuss how, within different cultural contexts, our relationship with water results in very different landscape and city forms. She outlines a vision for reintegrating the dynamics of water into our cities. Free and open to the public. Reception to follow in the HMNH galleries. Supported by a generous gift from Michael Dyett (AB ‘68, MRP ‘72) and Heidi Richardson.
Faculty Works in Progress: Brian Helmuth
Brian Helmuth, Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences and Public Policy, College of Science and College of Social Sciences and Humanities, “Ecological Forecasting: How Science Can Help Society to Proactively Prepare for a Warmer World.”
Lunch will be provided.