Volume VIII Issue 1 Winter 2012 |
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 Apple
Re-imagines Textbooks for the iPad
 Apple
recently announced a partnership with three top K-12 textbook publishers
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill, and Pearson) that opens the
door to students accessing text books on an iPad. But, it won't be your
ordinary textbooks because they'll include video, three-dimensional
graphics, and photo galleries, and much more. An advantage is also that
iBooks textbooks can be kept up to date, don't weigh down a backpack and
never have to be returned. And best of all, most textbooks are expected
to be less than $15. The new iBooks 2 app is available as a free
download from the App Store. Some U.S. districts are already starting to
convert to electronic textbooks. Some of Pearson’s high school textbooks
have already been re-imagined for the iPad. Miller & Levine Biology,
Algebra 1 and Environmental Science: Your World, Your Turn are available
today, with Chemistry, Geometry and Algebra 2 following soon.
And, iBooks Author is also available as a free download from the Mac App
Store so that anyone with a Mac can create iBooks themselves -- whether
it is a textbook, a cookbook, or a photography book -- and publish them
to Apple’s iBookstore.
 Find
out more...
Hydrogel
Helps Third Degree Burns
 Johns
Hopkins researchers have developed a jelly-like material and wound
treatment method that, in early experiments on skin damaged by severe
burns, appeared to regenerate healthy, scar-free tissue. The new
treatment has not yet been tested on human patients. But the researchers
say the procedure, which promotes the formation of new blood vessels and
skin, including hair follicles, could lead to greatly improved healing
for injured soldiers, home fire victims and other people with
third-degree burns.
Third-degree burns typically destroy the top layers of skin down to the
muscle. They require complex medical care and leave behind ugly
scarring. But the Johns Hopkins team reported that their hydrogel
treatment promoted the development of new blood vessels and the
regeneration of complex layers of skin, including hair follicles and the
glands that produce skin oil.
Find
out more about careers in engineering
and technology...
"Rebound
Rumble" Robotics Game Unveiled
 The
21st FIRST (For Inspiration and
Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition season
launched recently with the kickoff of a new robotics game called
"Rebound Rumble." Inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST in 1989 to inspire
an appreciation of science and technology in young people. FIRST designs
accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and
life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in
science, technology, and engineering. The 2012 “Rebound Rumble” robotics
game is played between two Alliances of three teams each. Each Alliance
competes by trying to score as many of the basketballs in the hoops as
possible during the two-minute and 15-second match. Balls scored in
higher hoops score teams more points. Team Alliances are awarded bonus
points if they are balanced on bridges at the end of the match.
Participating in programs and competitions, such as FIRST, is a great
way for precollege students to get hands on experience and explore what
it might be like to be an engineer, mathematician, or scientist.
Find
out more about precollege programs and
projects...
Degree
Profile: Geoscience
 Geoscientists
study the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the
Earth, and the Earth's geologic past and present by using sophisticated
instruments to analyze the composition of earth, rock, and water. Many
geoscientists help to search for natural resources such as groundwater,
minerals, metals, and petroleum. Others work closely with environmental
and other scientists to preserve and clean up the environment.
Geoscientists usually study
and work in one of several closely related geosciences fields, including
geology, geophysics, and hydrology. Geologists study the composition,
processes, and history of the Earth. They try to find out how rocks were
formed and what has happened to them since their formation. They also
study the evolution of life by analyzing plant and animal fossils.
Geophysicists use the principles of physics, mathematics, and chemistry
to study not only the Earth's surface, but also its internal
composition, ground and surface waters, atmosphere, oceans, and
magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces. Hydrologists study the
quantity, distribution, circulation, and physical properties of water
and the water cycle. And, within all these major geoscience fields,
there are numerous subspecialties.
A bachelor's degree is adequate for a few entry-level positions, but
most geoscientists and hydrologists need a master's degree.
Geoscientists hold about 33,600 jobs in the United States, and according
the U.S. Department of Labor, the median income for geoscientists is
$79,160.
Find
out more about a careers in the
geosciences...
Yale
Researchers Find "Extinct" Tortoise
 Dozens
of giant tortoises of a species believed extinct for 150 years may still
be living at a remote location in the Galápagos Islands, a genetic
analysis conducted by Yale University researchers reveals. The analysis
suggests that direct descendants of at least 38 purebred individuals of
Chelonoidis elephantopus live on the volcanic slopes of the northern
shore of Isabela Island -- 200 miles from their ancestral home of
Floreana Island, where they disappeared after being hunted by whalers.
“This is not just an academic exercise,” said Gisella Caccone, senior
research scientist in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
and senior author of the paper. “If we can find these individuals, we
can restore them to their island of origin. This is important as these
animals are keystone species playing a crucial role in maintaining the
ecological integrity of the island communities.” On his historic voyage
to the Galapagos in 1835, Charles Darwin observed that the shells of
tortoises living on different islands of the chain had different shapes
– one of the observations that inspired his theory of natural selection.
For instance, the shells of C. elephantopus on Floreana were
saddle-shaped while tortoises on other islands had domed-shaped shells.
On Floreana, however, the tortoises disappeared because of hunting by
whalers and workers at a heating oil factory that had been established
on the island.
A team of Yale researchers visiting Volcano Wolf on the northern tip of
Isabela Island in 2008 took blood samples from more than 1600 tortoises
and compared them to a genetic database of living and extinct tortoise
species. An analysis detected the genetic signatures of C. elephantopus
in 84 Volcano Wolf tortoises, meaning one of their parents was a
purebred member of the missing species. In 30 cases breeding had taken
place within the last 15 years. Since the lifespan of tortoises can
exceed 100 years, there is a high probability that many purebreds are
still alive, note the researchers.
Find
out more about degrees in biology...
Students
Name NASA Lunar Spacecraft
Twin NASA spacecraft that achieved orbit around the moon New Year's Eve
and New Year's Day have new names thanks to elementary students in
Bozeman, Montana. Their winning entry, "Ebb and Flow," was selected as
part of a nation-wide school contest. The names were submitted by fourth
graders from the Emily Dickinson Elementary School. Nearly 900
classrooms with more than 11,000 students participated in the contest.
Previously named Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL A
and B, the washing machine-sized spacecraft begin science operations in
March.
"The 28 students of Nina DiMauro's class at the Emily Dickinson
Elementary School have really hit the nail on the head," said Maria
Zuber, GRAIL principal investigator from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. Zuber and Sally Ride, America's first woman in space and CEO
of Sally Ride Science in San Diego, selected the names following the
contest. The contest invited ideas from students ages 5 to 18 enrolled
in U.S. schools. Although everything from spelling and grammar to
creativity were considered, Zuber and Ride primarily took into account
the quality of submitted essays.
GRAIL is NASA's first planetary mission carrying instruments fully
dedicated to education and public outreach. Each spacecraft carries a
small camera called GRAIL MoonKAM (Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle
school students). Thousands of students in grades five through eight
will select target areas on the lunar surface and send requests for
study to the GRAIL MoonKAM Mission Operations Center in San Diego.
Find
out more about careers in science
and engineering...
What
Matters in a Resume?
 What
do employers look for in a resume? Beyond the candidate’s ability to
meet standard criteria --the “right” major or work experience --
employers are most likely to look for evidence that the candidate is
able to work in a team, according to a recent survey conducted by the
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). Nearly 80 percent
of employers taking part in NACE’s Job Outlook 2012 survey said they
search for evidence that the potential employee can work in a team, and
more than three-quarters indicated they want the resume to show the
candidate has leadership abilities and written communication skills.
Evidence of problem-solving skills and a strong work ethic round out the
top five “soft skills” employers seek on resumes. In fact, says Edwin
Koc, NACE director of research, “Overall, results show that the ability
to work in a team is the number one soft skill employers seek in their
new hires.” Consequently, job candidates need to showcase that ability
in their interactions with employers, not just on the resume, but in the
interview as well. According to NACE, on a resume, employers look for
evidence of: 1. the ability to work in a team; 2. leadership skills; 3.
written communication skills; 4. problem-solving skills; and 5. a strong
work ethic.
Career Cornerstone News is a publication of the
Sloan Career Cornerstone Center. Click here
to subscribe.
The Sloan Career Cornerstone Center has a
limited number
of endowment and sponsorship opportunities for organizations,
foundations, or corporations who wish to support those
considering career paths in science, technology, engineering,
mathematics, or healthcare.
Find out more...
This newsletter may be reproduced in other
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the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
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