For as long as girls and boys have been attending co-ed schools, there has been a perceived gender gap in mathematical abilities that has seemingly led to a deficit in the number of women who will go on to study higher levels of math and to pursue careers in mathematically-related fields. This has always been attributed to an innate biological tendency of men to have the capacity to excel at mathematical reasoning, a tendency that was assumed to be lacking in women. However, a recent report from researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison proposes that the reasons for this disparity are in fact purely cultural, suggesting that it may be possible for our society to lessen or even close the gap completely.

Janet Mertz and Janet Hyde, two Wisconsin professors, were puzzled by the fact that a gender disparity in math skills is not present in certain countries and cultures, particularly those in which a large degree of gender equality exists. In analyzing data from various tests and studies of male and female students at various educational levels, “the Wisconsin researchers document a pattern of performance that strongly suggests that the root of gender disparity in math can be pegged to changeable sociocultural factors. Such factors either discourage or encourage girls and young women in the pursuit of the skills required to master the mathematical sciences.” In other words, society is the cause for any and all disparities in skill level, and the commonly held belief that women are less capable in mathematics is a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Much of the evidence for the argument that boys are naturally inclined to be better at math stems from past studies that show greater variability in the skill levels of males, meaning that they are more likely to exhibit extremely high or extremely low skill levels in the subject. However, Mertz and Hyde prove in their research that this is not the case in some countries, several of which can boast of girls scoring in the 99th percentile in math skills at the same rate that boys do.

In the United States, girls are now performing on par with boys at all levels of math and are just as likely to choose advanced math classes in high school. Moreover, the gap is narrowing between the number of mathematically gifted boys and girls, suggesting that we are perhaps moving closer to achieving the results of those countries with a higher measure of gender equality. The number of female doctoral-level mathematics students has climbed to 30% from 5% in 1950, most likely a result of changing perceptions of the role of women in mathematical and scientific research.

Though hopeful, these results appear dim in comparison to statistics regarding gender disparities as well as overall mathematical skill level in other countries, particularly those of East Asia. Here, girls consistently reach the gifted level just as often as boys do, and both sexes exhibit median scores that are higher than those of the top ten percent of US students. In their report, Mertz and Hyde emphasized that “the future of the U.S. economy depends upon American society doing a better job of identifying and nurturing mathematically talented youth, regardless of gender, race or ethnicity.” Leaving women out of the equation will have devastating effects on the growth and development of the United States and will severely hinder our efforts at achieving global economic competitiveness with those countries which foster mathematical abilities in all their students.

For more information on this research, check out the article Culture, Not Biology, Underpins Math Gender Gap at ScienceDaily.com.

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Image provided by the University of Hertfordshire

According to the Adaptive Systems Research Group, the goal of the project is not to create a robot that is indistinguishable from a human, but rather to teach disabled children how to improve their playing and social interaction skills through a robotic toy:

“Our aim is to study what types of human-robot interactions a minimal set of expressive robot features can afford. The goal is not perfect realism, but optimal realism for rich interaction. KASPAR has 8 degrees of freedom in the head and neck and 6 in the arms and hands. The face is a silicon-rubber mask, which is supported on an aluminum frame. It has 2 DOF eyes fitted with video cameras, and a mouth capable of opening and smiling.”

For a demonstration of KASPAR’s abilities, please click on the video below:

Another interesting feature of KASPAR is the introduction of artificial skin. Researchers hope to install sensor technology in the robot’s skin, which may provide tactical feedback from areas of the robot’s body. This innovation is known as “Roboskin”:

The goal is to make the robot able to respond to different styles of how the children play with KASPAR in order to help the children to develop ‘socially appropriate’ playful interaction (e.g. not too aggressive) when interacting with the robot and other people.

Professor Kerstin Dautenhahn is currently leading a team of researchers at the University of Hertfordshire, who are working on developing the robot skin and embedded tactical sensors. Professor Dautenhahn explains, “Children with autism have problems with touch, often with either touching or being touched. The idea is to put skin on the robot as touch is a very important part of social development and communication and the tactile sensors will allow the robot to detect different types of touch and it can then encourage or discourage different approaches.

*For more information on KASPAR, please visit the original press release from the University of Hertfordshire.

*For a BBC news presentation on KASPAR, please click here.

Robotic mini submarines and seals sporting electronic tags may sound like images straight out of a science fiction film, but these are just two of the many projects completed by scientists as part of the 2007 International Polar Year. This collaborative project, which actually spans two years and covers two full annual cycles of both the Arctic and Antarctic regions, incorporates the work of thousands of scientists from over 60 nations and focuses on the study of the biological, physical and social effects of climate change on the polar regions.

Photo courtesy of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

The diverse array of projects focus on atmosphere, ice, land, oceans, people, and space, as well as the way in which these individual areas of study relate to global warming and to each other. In one experiment, a small submarine was sent on an undersea mission to track changes in ocean temperature and their effect on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, a 2.2 million kilometer sheet of glacial ice that covers the western part of Antarctica. In another study, elephant seals were unknowingly given a mission of their own – they were equipped with special tags used to study their habits as well as to aid in climatic field research.

The main goal of IPY is to draw attention to the urgency of climate change by demonstrating its effects on the environment as well as on society. These consequences are both direct (as in the decomposition of permafrost in the northern hemisphere) and indirect (as in changes to the food systems of inhabitants of Arctic communities), but all are drastically important to the functioning of our planet as whole in addition to that of its polar regions.

The 2007 IPY, which was the fourth of its kind, finished up in the spring of 2009. For more information, check out the International Polar Year web site.

Read: Remote Environmental Monitoring Units: Mapping the Bottom of Sandy Hook Bay, Underwater Robot Competition Generating Interest Among Students, Geoengineering is Cool! ]]> http://blogs.asee.org/engineeringand/going-polar/feed/ http://blogs.asee.org/engineeringand/not-your-average-science-fair/ http://blogs.asee.org/engineeringand/not-your-average-science-fair/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 18:34:53 +0000 Julie Dabrowski http://blogs.asee.org/engineeringand/?p=414 .

Last week, novice and experienced scientists alike flocked to Reno, Nevada to participate in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. This event is the largest of its kind, affording millions of high school students around the world the opportunity to compete for nearly $4 million in prizes and scholarships. These young scientific minds first enter their projects, which may be focused in one of 17 disciplines, in state and regional competitions. Of the winning participants, 1500 were chosen to showcase their projects at the 2009 exposition and to have their work judged by doctoral-level scientists and engineers. Over 500 of these participants received scholarships and prizes for their outstanding work, and the top three winners were each awarded a $50,000 scholarship by the Intel Foundation.

This year’s winning projects included development of a biosensor to detect the presence of contaminants in the water supplies of developing countries; the isolation of a gene that can be used to improve the intelligence of a worm and may someday aid in the prevention and treatment of mental disabilities in humans; and the classification of a complex evolutionary relationship between sweat bees and nematode worms. Past winning projects have focused on everything from hydrogen production to cancer research to “cracking the brazil nut effect.” Toppling the commonly-held belief that male students are more naturally inclined to excel in the sciences, the grand winners of this as well as last year’s competition have all been women.

Clearly, the above are not your typical science fair projects, but neither are we discussing your typical high school students. These are some of the best and brightest young minds the world has to offer, and past winners have gone on to make substantial contributions to their respective scientific fields. But producing a winning project involves a great deal more than brains and in-depth research. The successful participants must gracefully combine many seemingly unrelated skills into one complete package – skills that include writing, statistics and public speaking, just to name a few. Participants learn that science is more than just research and analysis; rather, one’s methodology and purpose must be presented clearly and convincingly in order to be accepted by the scientific community and the general public. The process of completing a science fair project “yields mature, self-confident, skilled, and competitive young leaders who have career goals and the preparation, discipline, and drive to attain them.”

To learn more about entering the competition, becoming a judge, or just to see what else students have to offer, see the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair website.

Each “ledge,” measuring 12 ft long and 10 ft tall with floor space of about 4.5 ft by 10.5 ft, fits between existing columns. Structural frames, strategically hidden behind ceiling and drywall, support the boxes, which are being hung from cantilevered steel frames with no structural elements other than fastening clips, “resulting in an unimpeded view of the city of Chicago and the street below your feet,” says Terry McDonnell, principal at Halcrow Yolles, project engineer.

San Francisco based firm, Environmental Design Services, offered their engineering services to improve the quality of the skydeck. Since the skydeck will be very high and risk more exposure to weather implications, air diffusers are directed toward the glass boxes to increase airflow and decrease condensation. Heat elements were also added to prevent ice from forming on the roof, and ramps were built to create access for those who are in wheelchairs.

Engineers have worked diligently to ensure that this structure is not only impressive, but safe as well. A series of tests were done on a mock model of the skydeck, which included adding 2 1/2 times the alloted code for pedestrian loads. All sides of the glass box also have redundant laminate to ensure safety. After testing, it was concluded that each skydeck will be able to hold 5,000 lbs and withstand wind pressures of 125 lb per sq ft. Construction on the skydeck began in January of 2009 and should be completed by June 2009.

The group of engineers, led by Assistant Professor Lupita D. Montoya, was one of four student teams nationally to win a highly competitive Summer Engineering Experience in Development (SEED) grant from nonprofit volunteer organization Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW).

The project aims to help the Langui and Canas community in southern Peru by developing affordable, solar-powered pasteurization equipment. Many families in the region have dairy cows and produce milk, yogurt, and cheeses on a small scale, but cannot obtain certification to market these products because they lack proper sanitation equipment. The new pasteurization systems will allow these families to meet governmental regulations and begin selling their dairy products and earning additional income.

“Currently farmers make dairy products for personal consumption and trade with neighbors. During our first trip people told us that they were looking to sell products beyond their town but needed certification,” said team member Tara Clancy, an environmental engineering major at Rensselaer who graduates this week. “Obtaining certification will enable farmers to strengthen their economic independence, but they won’t be able to be certified without direct access to water, energy, and sanitary facilities. That’s where we can start to implement appropriate technologies.”

This summer, Montoya, Rensselaer mechanical engineering doctoral student Erin Lennox, and rising junior Anna Cyganowski will volunteer their time in Langui and Lima, Peru. Along with working on the design and engineering of pasteurization devices, they will partner with students from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) to investigate the social and economic aspects of creating a dairy enterprise. This effort will include examining how the community currently produces dairy products, looking into local manufacturing regulations, and studying the local marketplace. The student team also plans to work with microfinance experts in Peru to make small loans to families to purchase the equipment and improve facilities. A student supported by the Office of the Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship at Rensselaer will also join this team.

Lennox said. “It will be exciting and challenging for us to apply our engineering know-how to help them attain this important goal.”

“It’s rewarding to be involved with a real-world project and know that your hard work can have a direct positive impact on not just one person, but an entire community,” Cyganowski said.

The project builds on past humanitarian engineering work by Montoya to challenge students to develop new, affordable technologies to help improve the quality of life in rural Peru. These student innovations are currently installed or housed in the project flagship Ecological Home for the Andes, which serves as a community training site in Langui and aims to showcase the technologies for nearby communities.

Founded in 2001, the ESW is “an engaged technical community with the vision of changing the world through engineering education, innovation, and practical action,” and seeks to stimulate and foster an increased and more diverse community of engineers, as well as infuse sustainability into the practice and studies of every engineer.

Read more about the efforts.

Read: Engineering a Better World - High School Inventor Teams @ MIT - Engineers Without Borders - Kiva Fellows Blog: Nepalese Entrepreneur Success - The PlayPump System

Engineers at the University of Southampton are part of a team developing new “green” power cables which can be recycled at the end of their lives.

The project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is being undertaken by a multidisciplinary team drawn from the University of Southampton’s School of Electronics and Computer Science, GnoSys UK at the University of Surrey, National Grid and Dow Chemical Company.

It is in response to a move in the UK and across Europe to place more of the power network that provides electricity to our homes and industry underground, particularly in areas of outstanding beauty and in major cities.

It is also in response to questions such as whether such cables could ever be considered to be environmentally friendly or have a low carbon footprint.

“Moreover, with the emphasis on ensuring security of supply and improving the amount of power that can be transported around the country with a cable that must operate reliably for 40 years or more, the challenge is to meet these needs and have an environmentally clean cable that can be recycled at the end of its life,” said Professor Alun Vaughan of the University’s School of Electronics and Computer Science.

Issues like these are being addressed in this new project which is developing new power cable materials and the tools to evaluate the complex and often competing factors which need to go into a full life-cycle assessment.

The aim is to determine the performance of a new design of plastic insulated cable and its impact on the environment over its complete life from raw materials, through manufacture and years of service, and finally recycling at the end of life. The outcomes of the project will allow utilities to choose the best solution for the environment and the power system.

University of Southampton (2009, April 27). New ‘Green’ Power Cables On The Horizon. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 5, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2009/04/090427075557.htm

Current Group aims to improve the communication between consumers and energy suppliers using a broadband network. Current’s Senior Vice President, Jay Birnhaum explains that the old grid system is inefficient and does not allow consumers a chance to be rewarded for cutting back on their energy usage: “Utility companies are deaf, dumb and blind to the problems on hundreds of thousands of lines in local distribution areas. These are extremely old grids, and the technicians don’t know how to measure what is going on.”

How the new smart-grid works is pretty fast and simple: “In the front yard stands a utility pole hooked up to a special transformer that connects the power lines to high-speed Internet. Hundreds of sensors attached to the lines monitor how power flows through the home. That information is then sent back to the utility company.” Also, since the electricity distribution will be automated, this new method would possibly make the grids more reliable and efficient.

Current Group hopes that by partnering with the utility companies and offering effective results for energy consumption, they would be able to receive funding from the government’s recent stimulus.

Current’s chief executive, Tom Casey, explains that this smart-grid technology would be beneficial for the government’s initiative to rely more upon renewable resources as well (such as solar panels and wind farms): “A smart grid’s system… can be paired up with renewable resources so that when the renewable source is varying, the overall load can be varied as well. This will reduce or eliminate the need for backup coal or gas-based power generation plants.

To read more about Current Group’s smart-grid technology, please visit the following article: Engineering a Smart Grid For Energy’s Future by Kim Hart of The Washington Post.

A recent report from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching suggests that U.S. engineering schools need to change their curricula and teaching methods from an emphasis on theory to one that prepares students for a changing world filled with new and far-reaching challenges.

At Purdue University’s College of Engineering, we not only agree but are aggressively altering our engineering education format to address this very issue and share our model with others. The new model emphasizes problem-solving and teamwork across a wide range of expertise, from that of builders and designers to sociologists and communicators.

The importance of forward-looking training of engineers cannot be overestimated. These women and men will incorporate cutting-edge technology into products we depend on every day, from food to computers. They will build our roads and bridges. They will help design the cars and trucks we drive and help develop the energy sources that power them.

In November, we presented a new strategic plan to the university’s trustees that has as its No.1 goal producing engineers who are prepared to take leadership roles in responding to the global, technological, economic and societal challenges of the 21st century.

To accomplish that, we are revamping much of how we teach our future engineers, beginning with our first-year students during their first weeks on campus.

Last fall our School of Engineering Education opened the Ideas to Innovations Learning Laboratory, which takes first-year students out of a massive lecture hall and immerses them in the entire engineering design process. The five lab spaces — Design Studio, Innovation Studio, Rapid-Prototyping Studio, Fabrication and Artisan Laboratories, and Demonstration Studio — allow the students to take a problem from concept to completion.

Faculty work with students in the state-of-the-art lab designed specifically to promote critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and a multidisciplinary approach. This lab is a role model for one of the keystones of Purdue President France Córdova’s plans for student success: transforming huge, beginning lecture classes into more exciting learning experiences.

But the lab is just the start. The students who complete the first-year program will have a good foundation and an understanding of what is expected of them as engineers, what it means to be an engineer in the 21st century.

That base will help them as they discover how engineering relates to other disciplines, learn the ethics and accountability of their chosen profession, and consider how they can help deal with the societal challenges facing engineers.

As one example, our School of Biomedical Engineering, located in Purdue’s innovative Discovery Park, turns multidisciplinary research into workable products and procedures. Much of the work of biomedical engineering is done in collaboration with the medical disciplines at Indiana University. Again, it’s a way of teaching our young engineers to think outside their discipline.

All of this builds on a long-standing co-op program that lets students incorporate industry experience into their engineering education.

In 2008, Purdue University graduates ranked as the No. 1 target of aerospace and defense industry recruiters, according to an Aviation Week and Space Technology survey. A primary reason our engineering grads are so attractive to these industries is that they have learned not only how to design and build, but also how to lead.

Leadership is one of the important outgrowths of our Engineering Projects in Community Service program, founded at Purdue in 1995. Teams of undergraduates earn academic credit for multiyear, multidisciplinary projects that solve engineering and technology-based problems for community and educational organizations.

A recent example: A group of engineering students is working with Habitat for Humanity to design and build a “green” house. The special challenge is that students will have to come up with a design than can be built by a volunteer work force.

We also are determined to produce engineers with a global background. Our study-abroad programs have grown from less than 20 students 10 years ago to nearly 200 during the 2007-2008 academic year. These are students who spread the word about Purdue and its engineering program around the world. But more importantly, they are working on projects to help solve global problems, often for our planet’s neediest people.

Whatever engineering was in the past, it is now a profession with a laser-like focus on solving society’s problems, thinking with a global perspective, and bringing passion to its theories and techniques.

As educators, we must instill these values in those who will practice our profession long into the future. That means rethinking our teaching methods, resizing our classes, and reworking our curricula from the very beginning. We our squarely on that path, and we won’t stray from it.

Related: Engineering for a Changing World - Leah Jamieson on the Future of Engineering Education - Duderstadt Urges Revolution in Engineering Education - Geoffrey Orsak on Engineering Education

America’s economy is in crisis. We can either drown under the weight of the problem, or we can surf the wave of opportunity that it brings - to put science, engineering and innovation back in their rightful place in our economy. If every cloud has a silver lining, the financial crisis may benefit America if we respond by taking steps to once again lead the world by innovating new industries, businesses and products.

As the only Senator holding an engineering degree, I remember when engineering ranked far ahead of business administration as the premier college degree for those who had ambition and the determination to succeed. After the Soviet Union’s 1957 surprise launch of Sputnik 1, American leaders spurred the nation to catch up and improve our commitment to science. The Sputnik crisis led to the creation of NASA and other government research agencies, as well as an increase in U.S. government spending on scientific research and higher education. I was one of the young students who were drawn by “Sputnik” and our leaders’ call to seek an engineering degree.

More recently, an inordinately large percentage of America’s best and brightest college students opted instead to take their “quant” skills in math and analysis to Wall Street. During the go-go years on Wall Street, America’s engineering and innovation class declined. And it wasn’t just that engineers were choosing finance over traditional engineering careers; fewer students were choosing to study engineering, period. Back in 1986, engineering and engineering technology students earned close to 10 percent of U.S. bachelor’s degrees. Despite attractive starting salaries, often above $50,000 a year, the percentage today is only about 5 percent. Only about 121,000 people earned degrees in engineering in 2007 – and that includes bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees.

Today’s financial system meltdown gives our young people a new opportunity to take a hard look at where they want to spend their lives. And it gives America’s political and education leaders the opportunity to ensure that our educational pipeline is producing students skilled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 80 percent of the new jobs created in the next 10 years will require these critical “STEM” skills. While America must remain a leader in finance, it’s clear we need a renewed dedication to leadership in engineering breakthroughs in energy, biotech, biomed and other many other technically based industries.

Here is what we should do right away:

Find more and better ways to marry public policy and engineering. Many universities have begun to do this, but we also must act on the government level. Beyond the current economic situation, our nation, and indeed the world, is facing a potential crisis in the supply and demand for clean energy and water. How these issues are resolved will define our children’s future. These problems require technical solutions, designed by scientists and engineers who also have a basic understanding of cultures, religions, and policy.

Develop programs that allow students to “make a difference.” Create an engineering jobs corps – similar to the Peace Corps or Teach for America – to help channel the young talent emerging from our engineering schools. The fields of bio-tech and bio-med, energy and environment should attract socially conscious students who want to improve the quality of life.

Prior to graduating, engineering students typically must write a final paper addressing a problem to solve. Let’s publish those papers and make them available to government and to the business community, with authors’ rights kept secure.

Reach out to women and others who have traditionally been under-represented in engineering. The United States cannot maintain its position as a technological leader nor can we solve the problems we face without the perspectives and participation of all members of our society.

When I went to college I wanted to be an engineer, in part because 52 years ago the United States was supporting science and engineering on an unprecedented level. America’s competitive spirit helped us meet the challenges of those times. Thousands of innovations created myriad new opportunities for growth and development.

We can do this again. The financial crisis should cause a cultural shift back to the strong foundations of innovation and know-how that have always been the American way. And the federal government should again invest strongly in supporting the basic scientific, medical and engineering research that will spur the discovery and innovations to create millions of new jobs and shape a bright American future.

Related: Scientists and Engineers in Congress