This is Jasmine – I last wrote about my experience in the field on the Sereno Dinosaur Expedition this summer, and now would like to share another experience from a different Project Exploration student. I had the opportunity to speak with Genesis G, who had the privilege to participate in the Geri Program. This meant she was able to stay at Purdue for a few weeks. Living the college and getting a glimpse at the science world Perdue has to offer.
Although there was no one there to tell her what to do; she woke up early staying on track, to take advantage of the opportunity given to her. Genesis was excited because she was able to meet new people from all over the world, and discover new things while having fun. She was fascinated by the idea of amnesia and said “It’s amazing to see how that stuff actually works”.
Genesis heard about this program from Mikki Brown who is the Youth Development Coordinator at Project Exploration. She is more than grateful that PE exposed her to different types of science. “I was surprised by science. I wasn’t expecting it to be so enjoyable, PE helped me decide what I really wanted to do”. Genesis is hoping to attend Perdue University and major in chemistry or nursing. “Doing something more than watching TV over the summer is important. You’ll have great opportunities. Don’t wait for it. Like me I went out to achieve it what I wanted.”
It was a pleasant Saturday when i went to the Fullersburg Woods in Brookfield with the renown Paleo Artist Tyler Keillor. I had met Tyler before during my work at the fossil lab and i loved what i saw so much that i decided to do my own paleo art project. The field of paleontology is so diverse with so many fields of study incorporated into the work. If the field aspect of paleontology doesnt suit you theres the “behind the scenes” aspect that Tyler works in. I visited Tyler in Brookfield, Illinois to do some work with him photographing some of his models
Tyler brought his models of Tiktaalik the prehistoric fish, a Herrerasaurus bust and a model of Sanajeh the dinosaur eating snake. Taking pictures in an environment like a forest is much better than pictures in a black background, it really brings the models to life.
It was on this trip that i first learned about the dinosaur eating snake Sanajeh, a very interesting creature found in India next to a nest of Sauropod eggs.
It was a very tiring expedition and by the end of the day i was covered in mosquito bites but it was totally worth it. One of the memorable parts of the trip was running into a pleasant lady curious to learn about the work Tyler and I were doing. The woman was riding her bike when she stopped to see the curious model of Tiktaalik. We were both happy to tell her about the work we were doing and we were suprised to find out that she was famliar with the paleontologist Paul Sereno and was going to hear him speak. It’s not everyday that I meet someone who is familiar with Dr. Sereno’s work.
America’s Public Schools fail more than half of its black males.
That’s the data-based story emerging in the fourth-annual report from the Schott Foundation for Public Education. Sometimes called the “Black Boys Report,” it offers access to data on educational achievement by African American males. In the newest report we learn the 2007/2008 graduation rate for Black males in the U.S. was only 47 percent. Half the states in the country have graduation rates for African-American males below the national average. In Illinois, where Project Exploration is based, the graduation rate was a nightmarish 47 percent; Chicago was even lower – 44%. New Jersey is the only state with a significant Black population with a greater than 65 percent high school graduation rate for Black male students, thanks to a targeted state-wide, systemic strategy.
I found the newest version of the Black Boys report in my email this morning when I came in from visiting one of Project Exploration’s newest programs: MACH 10 – the Men’s Aeronautics Challenge. We’re “piloting,” so to speak, a boys’ science program to compliment our girls’ services. It’s a project we’ve been wanting to do for years.
As I write, downstairs in our office building, in an unfinished basement, eight teen-aged men are immersed in the world of aerodynamics. For the past week they’ve met with pilots and engineers, learned the elements of flight, visited Chicago’s Air and Water Show and are today, practicing their own flight techniques with simulators. One of these young men told me he wanted to design planes. I challenged him to design a plane that would also contribute to having a positive impact on global warming…
Nearly all of the participants are African American and have been part of other Project Exploration programs this summer. These young men are America’s future – and based on their curiosity they’re building their own. Vincent, Kamal, Alexander, Jordan, Justice and Nick, Dashawn and Jamal remind us the state-by-state snapshot provided by the Schott State Report on Black Males and Education documents a reality that is mutable.
Research put forth by the initiatives like A Broader Bolder Approach to Education helps explain why the gap in achievement – particularly by students of color and students who are poor- is so entrenched. Much of the differences in aspiration and achievement are in large part due to the disparity of opportunities and experiences in out of school time. Summer learning loss and a dearth of readily-accessible, free, high-caliber, interest-based enrichment activities serve to widen the gap; disadvantage compounds over time. Based on Project Exploration’s decade of experience providing youth science programs we also know that when these kinds of opportunities are available, young people – including African American males – will take advantage of them.
It’s absolutely possible to launch the spirits and aspirations of young African American men; but they’re going to need a runway. We need to build it.
On Thursday, August 12, 2010, the Junior Paleontologist of 2010 has retured to Chicago. This was a great experience for everyone. All of us students consider each other family and have made lasting memories with each other. Even though nobody found any bones this year, we still had a lot of fun together. From throwing the Atl’latl, to going on hikes, to eating at Dale’s, everything was great. We already can’t wait to see eachother again. I hope that the next group of Junior Paleontologist will have as fun as a time as we did and create such a strong bond as we had this year. Thank yoiu for reading this have a great day.
Where am I going? To an invitation-only conference at Google in Mountain View, California… It’s right near Sunnyvale, California. (As a Buffy fan it’s not lost on me that we’re essentially at the proverbial Hellmouth.)
Google's headquarters, the Googleplex. (Of COURSE they call it that!)
So into the belly of the beast I’m headed with stories and snapshots of Project Exploration’s scientists-in-the-making (AKA our students) in tow.
Sci Foo is conference held yearly at Google since 2005. Three guys –Tim O’Reilly of O’Reilly Media, Timo Hannay of Nature and Chris DiBona of Google. (Note: Chris Rocks!!) – invite about 200 or so “thought leaders” involved with science in one way or another to come together for a two and a half-day free-for all for folks to learn from each other and share big (and small) ideas in a great space while being well fed.
There’s a video intro to the conference that was made in 2009 that will give you a feel for what it’s all about.
After you watch the video, you might not need to read any more of my blog posts but that’s your call.
That said, the video is somewhat misleading–it’s polished and well produced. Sci Foo is messy, frenetic even, with ideas and snippets and conversations, demonstrations, arguments, happening at once. The only thing that is really produced is the food – and HOW! (I’ll give a flavor for the food when I’m actually there; I’m a big fan of food!)
How it works
The conference gets planned the first night in a kind of free-for-all. Attendees propose sessions; if they’re brave, self-centered, or prepared enough they write their session proposals into a slot on the big paper conference “board.”
Sci Foo Omniscient Conference Board
Then, for the rest of the time people go to sessions, hang out talking in the halls, or or on the Google campus. Or they’re eating. (Have I already mentioned I’m looking forward to the food?)
How I know…
At the 2007 SciFoo Conference.
I was lucky enough to be at the 2007 conference, covered in detail by my buddy Bora Zivkovic on Blog Around the Clock.
Gleaning from the Grist
The conference wiki for invitees gives glimpse of what’s to come. The invitee list includes writers, inventors, artists, economists, graduate students and scientists galore from the States as well as a few from Europe and Latin America. Though it’s called “sci” foo – as in “science” – the invitees have their toes in design, technology, data, social science (behavior, learning, imagination), law, and there are even a few outliers like me who root themselves in education.
We have been encouraged to post session suggestions and get the conversation going in advance of arrival at the Googleplex. Here’s a sampling of what’s been posted so far:
How to feed 9 billion people in 2050
Can the human brain be built by humans?
How do people get interested?
Fast forward/SloMo (sneak peek at a new cool camera –and a chance for people who come to the session to brainstorm neat experiments it could be used for)
Star Trek Transporter: Coming Soon?
Noninvasive Neural Prosthetics and Beyond…
These might not actually end up being sessions but they’re the kind of things people are thinking about leading up to the conference.
Putting SciFoo to Work for Me. (And You.)
I suggested a session on the wiki yesterday. If I still feel brave enough, and can make it to the session board while there are still slots available, I’m hoping to get some help with a big problem I’ve been chewing on in my work to change the face of science. Here’s what I proposed:
WANTED! A NEW METAPHOR (AKA ‘The Pipeline is the Problem’)
The dominant metaphor used to talk about becoming involved with science is the “pipeline.” This metaphor – which is used to describe the development of science skills through high school, college, graduate school and into the ranks of research and industry – leaves out MOST people. If you CAN do science but choose not to professionally you’ve “leaked out;” if you’re curious about science-y things but don’t want to be a scientist, science isn’t for you. And, I’d argue, worst of all this metaphor has served to entrench the gap in participation and achievement by students of color, students who are poor, and girls. The pipeline concept as been in place since the late 1950s – it’s time for a new one. Let’s do it at SciFoo! Brainstorm, draw, sketch, build a metaphor that can engage a broad and diverse public, capture people’s imagination and help change who gets to do science!
What better way than amidst a bunch of well-fed, geeked-up, super-brainiacs who are designers, engineers, artists and writers to come up with a solution to THIS problem?!
I always complain about never having been chosen to become a Junior Paleontologist, but I believe that I took more away from this Sereno Dinosaur Expedition than any JP trip I could’ve ever been on. The day before I went into the field, my anticipation level was extremely high. Being in Chicago can be so routine, which is why flying to Billings, Montana was something I looked forward to eagerly. And I was especially excited because I had been to Montana and Wyoming before, but this time was different – I wasn’t going to pay Yellowstone a visit; I wasn’t going to stay in a hotel and wake up the next morning to see a geyser shoot to the sky; this time I was going to Shell, Wyoming to stay at The Kedesh Ranch as a PE Field Assistant alongside Paleontologist Elena Schroeter, Jason Moore, and none other than Dr. Paul Sereno, to dig up dinosaur bones.
I was ready to dig up all these amazing bones that I had been hearing about. Being in the blazing sun for hours at a time didn’t make my heart twinkle but I knew being a paleontologist was nothing fancy. But I was in it for the experience.
This was an experience that I needed. I enjoyed the responsibilities of keeping up with our g
uests, most of whom had taken up this life-changing experience for the first time. At some points I thought I couldn’t handle it. At times it did get overwhelming and I would second-guess the right things, and explain things as best as I knew how. But my ultimate courage came oozing out when some of the other team members would say “You‘re doing a great job.” And for them to notice my efforts, that gave me the extra nudge I needed. I also appreciate that the PE staff were very open and honest with me about everything that was going on behind the scenes, and everything it took to run an expedition.
I didn’t know what to expect in the beginning once we got to the field; as soon as Paul showed us some of the dinosaur bones peeking out of the ground, I was amazed. And we
all got started, not sure of what to do exactly. Most went to work on the femur. Others of the adult guests who were teachers mainly dug around in hopes of discovering their own bone to be excavated, giving them something to tell their students about. Even though one day got cut short due to a few rain clouds, the team knew we were getting the real deal. Some of the younger team members would just relax in the evening and play ping-pong, and Elena and I would run a few brain-teasers sessions, although there was just one day left in the field.
Once we got word that Paul wanted the femur to come out of the ground before the end of this expedition, people started to work together and chisel quickly. It was a delightful scene to watch and be a part of. Everyone was getting dirty and enjoying the hard work of being a paleontologist. And as soon as the femur bone was ready to be flipped and plastered on the other side, no one stopped helping. The excitement was sky-high.
This trip was more then digging up bones, studying astronomy, and taking a few night hikes. This trip was about knowing your limits, meeting new people and having a thirst for hands-on-knowledge
Hey everybody, this my very first post on the Project Exploration blog. Some things about myself: I am very friendly, helpful, and fun. I love sports and making new friends. When I grow up I’m going to be an archeologist and right now I’m going to be a junior in high school. For project exploration I am going to be a Junior Paleontologist team leader for the 2010 students. I’m very excited and hope to learn a lot.
As you can tell I’m quite a dinosaur fan. Anything pertaining to dinosaurs I’m probably going to be all over it. Like this offer I received for the summer of 2010 to work in the fossil lab at U of C, which to me is a golden ticket. It’s the candy store of paleontologists with all the gorgeous yet fragile fossils. Charlie has the chocolate factory while I have the Fossil Lab at U of C.
But, there is more to me then just dinosaurs, I’m a kid at heart but I do when to be serious and get the job done I do. My music choice is odd. It varies from rock, metal, to classical and opera music. The places I choose to go and hang out is different from where people who like to hangout. For instance, I like to hang out at the Field Museum and I would love to live there as well.
Project Exploration staff arrived at the Garfield Park Conservatory’s Jensen Room at 3:00 p.m. In this beautiful building of exotic plants, blooming trees, and exquisite humidity the room itself was a blank slate ready to evolve into something more. The large windows let in the sunlight but there were no tables, no chairs, and no students. In a little under two hours the Jensen Room would magically transform into a welcoming area filled with laughter, food, students, and science.
More than 70 people gathered together on the evening of Thursday, June 9, 2010 to recognize the academic achievements of the 2010
Keynote speaker and PE alum Tanya addresses Senior Celebration attendees.
graduating high school senior class. This year 10 of the 79 graduating seniors bought their family and friends out to Senior Celebration. The evening included a welcome from Senior Director of Teaching and Learning, Christian Greer and a rousing speech from Project Exploration alumna Tanya James. Tanya recently finished her first year of college at Jarvis Christian College and spoke to students about the necessity of staying focused while in college.
Perhaps one of the most moving parts of the evening were the student testimonies about how they had changed over the past four years. When most people think about Project Exploration they immediately think about a science education organization that works with minority youth and girls. However, when several graduating students spoke they clearly took so much more from their experiences. Many stated they had grown either from becoming passionate about science or the world around them, some students made life-long friends through the experience, others learned something new about themselves. There were several PE alum who were also present at the event who had come back to support the upcoming students and also to provide words of wisdom. Kit Cabello who was in the first Junior Paleontologist program in 1999 encouraged students to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them.
PE alums Gerald, Kit, Devethia, and Kris pose together at the Garfield Park Conservatory.
While at the celebration, students were able to meet working scientists. At the beginning of the evening Mike Davis, chair of the science department at Harold Washington Community College, wowed students with cryogenics and it’s effects on everyday items. At the conclusion of the event, students were able to either explore the conservatory or participate in some hands-on research. Women in Science member, Melissa Custic, and colleague Kellen Marshall led the students and families in an activity to test the effects of climate change on plant life. It was a great way to close the evening out. As graduating students sally forth into the horizon their climate and environments will definitely change. Be it they are going away to school or working a full-time job. Just as the Jensen room had underwent a change that evening these students will also grow and change. As they continue to evolve they will definitely make huge impacts on the world just as they have with Project Exploration.
Dr. Jane Goodall (http://davidkiyokawa.com/blog/?p=6258)
Last Friday, May 7, Dr. Jane Goodall delivered a memorable lecture at the University of Chicago’s Rockefeller Chapel. Dr. Jane (as she is known) is a world-renowned primatologist, conservationist, and United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 1960, she started studying chimpanzees in Tanzania. Over the course of 50 years, she has worked to show how people, the environment, and animals are all interconnected. A large focus of her work has been to develop a youth program called Roots & Shoots.
As Dr. Jane reflected upon her experiences, I thought about the valuable work we do at Project Exploration.
It turns out that Dr. Jane wasn’t the student with the highest grades in school or science. However, she (like all children) had a curious mind full of wonder about the natural earth. What’s under those rocks? Why is the sky blue? Why does that animal behave like that? Dr. Jane wanted to explore and discover the answers to her questions. She spoke about how she patiently hid in a hen house to figure out where eggs come from. It took her five hours and was effectively her first animal observation experiment.
What’s important is that this is the same curiosity that all scientists and students share. It doesn’t matter if you are a Noble Prize winner or a middle school girl in a public school on the South Side of Chicago. We’re all curious. We want to know why. Arguments made about the need to get kids interested in science assume that they never had that curiosity in the first place. That’s not the case. The question is, what happens to that curiosity?
Here’s where Dr. Jane comes in again. When she returned from the hen house after five hours, her mother didn’t scold her for disappearing. Instead, Dr. Jane’s mother validated the experience by asking questions, supporting her, and telling her to search more. When Dr. Jane got older, she decided that she was going to travel to Africa and study animals. The problem was that girls’ didn’t do that type of thing. Everything in culture was telling Dr. Jane to give up on the idea of exploring Africa. But she didn’t. Why? Dr. Jane had her mother, who encouraged her to save up money. In fact, Dr. Jane’s mother joined her for part of the trip! In Africa, Dr. Jane worked with the famous Dr. Louis Leakey who not only encouraged her to study but assigned her the project of observing chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania.
This is another important piece of effective science programming in out-of-school time: caring and nurturing adults. Positive relationships with adults can foster engagement and interest in science. At Project Exploration, we believe that learning is based in relationships. Learning is not something that happens in a vacuum, but is connected to the people from whom we learn. This is why we provide opportunities in all of our programs and events for students to interact in meaningful ways with scientists.
Finally, what happens to the students that don’t follow the cookie-cutter path to a career in science? There’s a great deal of emphasis on girls moving through a “pipeline.” On one end, they are self-motivated learners who take advantage of science programs in their communities. On the other end, they come out as research scientists. The reality is that a great deal can happen in between. More importantly, what if you never entered the pipe? How do you get in? There’s talk about a “leaky pipeline” being a bad thing for our young women. Even if we go with the pipeline metaphor, don’t we want multiple entry points?
Dr. Jane’s experience sheds lights on how we can define a successful path (as opposed to a pipe) towards science. She never went to college to get her bachelor’s degree. Instead, Dr. Jane studied chimpanzees and had to jump straight into a doctorate program in England. Talk about not following the pipeline!
The reality is that there are students who are not academically successful, who don’t have all the resources to attend the best science programs that money can offer, or who have something going on in their lives (Pregnancy? Babysitting siblings? Work?) that takes a higher priority than marching into the pipeline. This is our work at Project Exploration: to provide meaningful science opportunities that are free, staffed by caring adults, built by design to introduce kids to real scientists and, most importantly, that support students to naturally wonder and be curious about the world.
This is Jasmine – I last wrote about my experience in the field on the Sereno Dinosaur Expedition this summer, and now would like to share another experience from a different Project Exploration student. I had the opportunity to speak with Genesis G, who had the privilege to participate in the Geri Program. This meant she was able to stay at Purdue for a few weeks. Living the college and getting a glimpse at the science world Perdue has to offer.
Tyler brought his models of 
dinosaur eating snake. Taking pictures in an environment like a forest is much better than pictures in a black background, it really brings the models to life.
ent into the field, my anticipation level was extremely high. Being in Chicago can be so routine, which is why flying to Billings, Montana was something I looked forward to eagerly. And I was especially excited because I had been to Montana and Wyoming before, but this time was different – I wasn’t going to pay Yellowstone a visit; I wasn’t going to stay in a hotel and wake up the next morning to see a geyser shoot to the sky; this time I was going to Shell, Wyoming to stay at The Kedesh Ranch as a PE Field Assistant alongside Paleontologist Elena Schroeter, Jason Moore, and none other than Dr. Paul Sereno, to dig up dinosaur bones.
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