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Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin
November 1, 2007
Volume 13, Number 42

Published by the
Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education

Issue Sponsor:
3M and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

This Week's Topics:

  1. GERMAN TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT DARMSTADT WINS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S 2007 SOLAR DECATHLON
  2. K-12 ENERGY LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES
  3. BIOTECHNOLOGY NETWORK OF WOMEN
  4. TEACHERS SURPRISED WITH $25,000 MILKEN NATIONAL EDUCATOR AWARDS
  5. "OPERATION: MONSTER STORMS" TAKES CLASSROOMS TO EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
  6. DAVIDSON INSTITUTE SEEKS EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVERS TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS
  7. ENCOURAGING GIRLS IN MATH AND SCIENCE
  8. INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH
  9. PREVIOUS ISSUES

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GERMAN TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT DARMSTADT WINS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S 2007 SOLAR DECATHLON
Germany's Technische Universität Darmstadt has earned top honors in the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon competition, which was held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The 2007 Solar Decathlon challenged twenty university-led teams from the U.S. and as far away as Puerto Rico, Spain, Germany, and Canada to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home. Students competed in ten areas, ranging from architecture, livability and comfort to how well the homes provided energy for space heating and cooling, hot water, lighting, and appliances. Technische Universität Darmstadt earned 888.45 points out of a possible 1,200 to win the competition, followed by University of Maryland (College Park, MD) with 872.45 points, and Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, CA) with 860.80 points.

"I want to congratulate this year's Solar Decathlon champion Technische Universität Darmstadt and the 19 other teams for their innovative designs and application of solar technologies. The Solar Decathlon is a great demonstration of the ways in which technology, science, and design can be blended in the production of net-zero-energy homes," Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman said. "Promoting the early commercialization of solar and other energy efficient technologies will help secure America's clean energy future." The Solar Decathlon's homes are net-zero-energy, yield zero carbon, and include the latest high-tech solutions and money-saving benefits to consumers, without sacrificing comfort, convenience, and aesthetics. Each house must also produce enough "extra" energy to power an electric vehicle. Many of the solar power and building technologies showcased on the National Mall are available for purchase and use. Teams have worked for more than two years designing, building, and testing their homes; the Solar Decathlon is the culmination of that work. The application process for the next Solar Decathlon, to be held in fall 2009, has already begun. Find out more at www.solardecathlon.org.

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K-12 ENERGY LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES
A new website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy offers 350 lessons and activities on energy efficiency and renewable energy. The site, "K-12 Energy Lesson Plans and Activities" organizes the materials by grade level and topic. A wide range of topics are available, including biomass, geothermal, hydrogen and fuel cells, ocean energy, solar power, transportation fuels, wind energy, and energy efficiency and conservation. Site visitors can learn about passive solar buildings, advanced photovoltaics, or basic wind turbines. They can also take an energy awareness quiz, estimate their carbon footprint, and then find ways to reduce it. Find out more online.

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BIOTECHNOLOGY NETWORK OF WOMEN

The Biotechnology Institute is partnering with Nektar, a biopharmaceutical company based in San Carlos, CA, to deliver a leadership training program for women biotechnology professionals. BioNOW (Biotechnology Network of Women) will allow participants to develop skills that can lead to executive level industry positions as research scientists, business managers, human resource officials, and other types of senior management roles. Participants will undergo facilitated training in the areas of interviewing techniques, case study management, and networking skills. Over the course of each training activity, participants will have an opportunity to practice career-building skills and learn more techniques on how to create competitive resumes, meet critical decision-makers, and attract and retain career mentors. The program is available to any woman who is currently employed in a biotechnology or biopharmaceutical company and is interested in professional development training from career pathways to executive management. All selected applicants will receive up to $500 dollars in reimbursement for food and lodging. The application deadline is November 15; find out more online.

Triangle Coalition member, the Biotechnology Institute, is dedicated to educating teachers, students and the public about the promise and challenges of biotechnology. Through year-round programs, the Institute is creating a base of understanding and awareness about biotechnology among teachers and students, and building the next generation of leaders in the industry. Founded by the biotechnology community in 1998, the Biotechnology Institute is an independent, national nonprofit organization based in Arlington, VA.  

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TEACHERS SURPRISED WITH $25,000 MILKEN NATIONAL EDUCATOR AWARDS
Scores of our nation's most exemplary middle and senior high educators have recently had their work recognized and rewarded in a most deserving and extraordinary manner! Starting in October, the Milken Family Foundation began its 21st year crisscrossing the country to name -- during surprise notification ceremonies -- the recipients of this year's prestigious Milken Educator Awards. The Award, which provides public recognition and an unrestricted financial award of $25,000 to teachers, principals, and specialists who are furthering excellence in education, alternates each year between elementary and secondary educators. New recipients are taken completely by surprise during school assemblies overflowing with proud students, colleagues, and an entourage of distinguished officials and media.

Research has shown that the single most important school-based factor driving student performance is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. The most effective teachers produce as much as five times the learning gains of the least effective teachers. Including this year's selections, the Milken Educator Awards have recognized more than 2,300 educators with over $58 million since the Award's inception. Unlike most teaching awards, the Milken Educator Awards have no formal nomination or application process. Educators are recommended for this prestigious honor without their knowledge by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state's department of education. For more information, visit www.mff.org.

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"OPERATION: MONSTER STORMS" TAKES CLASSROOMS
TO EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

"Operation: Monster Storms," the new science curriculum from The JASON Project, is now transporting students to the center of Earth's most extreme weather events. The curriculum teaches students how powerful storms form and how advanced technology is used to better understand and forecast weather. The five- to nine-week core science unit for weather is designed for 5th through 8th grade classrooms, with the flexibility for teachers to adapt to higher or lower grades. It covers key middle school National Science Education Standards for Physical Science, Earth Science, and Science and Personal Social Perspectives, and can be readily aligned to all state standards. "Operation: Monster Storms," the first product in JASON's new curriculum line, has been in development and field-testing since 2005 and was developed by the National Geographic Society (JASON's parent organization) in partnership with Triangle Coalition members, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA.

"Operation: Monster Storms" is free online for the 2007-2008 school year, and connects classrooms with cutting-edge research by some of the world's leading scientists as they explore the mechanics of weather to improve forecasting and help communities avoid their destructive potential. Working alongside researchers like a National Geographic tornado-chaser or a NOAA hurricane-hunter, students in the classroom and an online global community are challenged to apply their knowledge to its compelling, real-world scenarios. To join the expedition, go to www.jason.org and register.

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DAVIDSON INSTITUTE SEEKS EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVERS
TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS
The Davidson Institute for Talent Development is offering high achieving young people across the country the opportunity to be named as 2008 Davidson Fellows, an honor accompanied by a $50,000, $25,000, or $10,000 scholarship in recognition of a significant piece of work in the categories of Science, Technology, Mathematics, Music, Literature, Philosophy, or Outside the Box. To be eligible, applicants must be under the age of 18 as of October 1, 2008, and a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident residing in the United States. There is no minimum age for eligibility. Applicants must submit an original piece of work recognized by experts in the field as significant and it must have the potential to make a positive contribution to society. The scholarship must be used at an accredited institute of learning. The deadline to apply is March 26, 2008. For more information on the Davidson Fellows scholarship, or to download an application, visit www.DavidsonFellows.org.

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ENCOURAGING GIRLS IN MATH AND SCIENCE
The National Center for Education Research (NCER) has released "Encouraging Girls in Math and Science," the second in a series of guides about education. Developed by a panel of experts, this guide brings together the best available evidence and expertise to provide educators with specific and coherent evidence-based recommendations on how to encourage girls in the fields of math and science. The objective is to provide teachers with specific recommendations that can be carried out in the classroom without requiring systemic change. Other school personnel having direct contact with students -- such as coaches, counselors, and principals -- may also find the guide useful. The guide offers five recommendations and indicates the quality of the evidence that supports the recommendations:

1. Teach students that academic abilities are expandable and improvable.

2. Provide prescriptive, informational feedback.

3. Expose girls to female role models who have succeeded in math and science.

4. Create a classroom environment that sparks initial curiosity and fosters long-term interest in math and science.

5. Provide spatial skills training.

Together, the recommendations make a coherent statement: To encourage girls in math and science, educators need to strengthen girls' beliefs about their abilities in math and science, spark and maintain greater interest in these subject areas, and build associated skills. The guide is available as a PDF online. 

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INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH

Since 1942, Triangle Coalition member, Science Service, has made dreams come true through the Intel Science Talent Search (STS). Each year, this national science contest encourages talented high school seniors to pursue careers in science, math, engineering, and medicine. Eligible students include high school seniors in the United States and its territories, and American students attending school abroad. Each year, over 1500 students accept the challenge of completing an entry for the Intel Science Talent Search, with finalists competing for the top prize, a $100,000 scholarship. The 40 Intel Science Talent Search Finalists receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the Intel Science Talent Institute. Their week-long stay will include the final in-depth judging process, visits to historic sites and cultural institutions, meetings with national leaders and prominent scientists and engineers. The deadline for Intel STS 2008 is November 14, 2007; details are online.

STS is America's oldest high school science competition. Its alumni include six Nobel Laureates, three National Medal of Science winners, 10 MacArthur Foundation Fellows, and two Fields Medalists. Intel assumed the title sponsorship of Intel STS nearly a decade ago to spotlight the need to improve math and science education in the United States, increasing the competition's annual awards and scholarships from $207,000 to $1.25 million. Founded in 1921, Science Service's mission is to advance public understanding and appreciation of science among people of all ages. For 85 years, Science Service has encouraged students, parents, teachers, and communities to explore the vast world of science. For its work, Science Service was honored by the National Science Board in 2000. More details are at www.sciserv.org.

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TCEB Sponsors

This issue of the TCEB is made possible by grants from:

3M

3M is a diversified technology company committed to providing practical
and ingenious solutions to help customers succeed.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)'s Education Programs office
serves the education and research missions of NREL and the Department of Energy
in several major areas including K-12 student competitions and programs,
undergraduate research internships, teacher research internships, teacher
professional development workshops, and consumer outreach.

To find out how your organization can sponsor the TCEB or support the Triangle Coalition in other ways, visit www.trianglecoalition.org/support.htm __________________________________________________________________________

The TCEB is a newsletter provided to members of the Triangle Coalition. Triangle Coalition members may forward individual articles or the issue in its entirety to internal member lists, providing that credit is given to the Triangle Coalition, and contact information is included in any republication.
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Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education
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