2009 Research Class Descriptions

TBA – Environmental Field Geology/Biology

Unfortunately, we have had two courses cancelled in the past few weeks, so we are in the process of seeking a new instructor for a Field research class in either Geology or Biology (or some combination). We will announce the course as soon as possible on the SV website.

Proposed field-based course description:

Students will practice the skills of an environmental scientist and may investigate some of the impacts on rivers and streams, with possible focus on: stream sediments and solid wastes, natural and human-derived changes in stream water chemistry, and flooding hazards. Some field laboratories will focus on issues of environmental concerns while identifying problems that serve as models for a variety of research designs. Biological topics may include population theory and estimation, biogeographical models and sampling, biodiversity, plant/animal interactions, and others. As a field course, students will visit sites in Boone and surrounding areas to take advantage of the unique local geology and topography. Therefore, appropriate shoes and clothing that can get wet/muddy are needed. Each student will develop a research hypothesis, collect the necessary data to test this hypothesis, provide a written report of their project, and present their findings at the closing symposium.

Exploratory Data Analysis

Analysis of data necessitates knowing which statistical tests to apply (quantitative) or triangulation (qualitative) and understanding statistics requires additional study beyond learning measures of central tendency or passing an Advanced-Placement exam. In this course, we will examine the processes of data generation, collection, and analyses to support the process of research conjectures and hypotheses that aid decision-making. We will explore a variety of statistical techniques and the philosophy behind dissecting data sets as well as various models and graphics involved in interpreting data. Students will either generate their own data or use available data sets to develop a research project that includes writing a paper and oral presentation. Completion of AP Statistics or another pure statistics course is not a prerequisite.

Flight Science

The first rockets ever built, the fire-arrows of the Chinese, were not very reliable. Many just exploded on launching! Today, rockets are much more reliable. They fly on precise courses and are capable of going fast enough to escape the gravitational pull of Earth. How is this done? We will investigate the fascinating scientific theories involved with rocketry, including physical principles such as Newton’s Laws, the aerodynamic forces that operate on objects in flight (weight, lift, drag, and thrust), different propellants and various engineering concepts such as stability and optimal mass. Applying this knowledge will allow us to design, construct, and test various models to investigate the aerodynamic capabilities and challenges of rocketry. Students will complete investigations by designing, flying and refining actual model rockets. Finally, they will present their findings via a written descriptive research paper and oral presentation.

Image Processing and Visualization

This course will integrate two areas of study in computer science. First, students will have the opportunity to learn about some digital image processing techniques. Explorations will include image acquisition and display, properties of the human visual system, sampling and quantization, color image representations, image enhancement, transformations, compression and restoration. Second, students will investigate the role of visualization in science, engineering, medicine, and education and will have opportunities to learn different visualization techniques that can be applied to solve problems. Emphasis will be on visualization of data, using available tools to build and understand computational models, and understanding/visualizing solutions to proposed problems. MATLAB, ImageJ, and Excel will be used extensively, but prior knowledge is not required. Students will have daily hands-on activities and will conduct an inquiry-based research project, produce a written paper and oral presentation.

Mathematics and Science Pre-Service Education

Students enrolled in this course will be participants in a Burroughs-Welcome Sustained Science Education Program (SSEP) Research Grant in conjunction with mathematics teacher leaders who are enrolled in a Mathematics Education Leadership Training (MELT) course July 7 - 11. In this research course, students will learn about teaching science and mathematics for understanding, professional development opportunities for teachers, research-based pedagogies and methodologies which support conceptual development of curricular topics, and qualitative and quantitative methods of conducting education research. Additional information about enrolling in this course is provided elsewhere and includes descriptions of the year-long component, stipends, and other aspects about the research project participation.