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Yesterday, President Obama spoke at the National Academy of Sciences to mark its 150th anniversary. Alongside the usual issues, Obama took time to defend "the integrity of our scientific process" and "our rigorous peer review system."  Why? Because they're under attack—from within the halls of Congress.  Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) is preparing legislation that would disrupt peer review at the National Science Foundation (NSF). A draft of the bill—which is called the "High Quality Research Act" (HQRA)— leaked onto the web this week . It includes a new set of criteria for NSF projects: There are all sorts of reasons these developments should be of interest to readers of this blog—not least, the fact that the NSF funds the history of science through its Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Program . Below, I'll fill out a few of the details of what's happened, and suggest some ways HQRA (and its discontents) link up with issues of concern to scien

I have been really busy lately and admit I am behind on my postings.  Having said this, there are many exciting things going on at my school for next year - including a new STEM lab, a restructuring of our instructional day, and more! So I thought that I would repost my favorite lesson for Earth Day from last year.  This is a GREAT activity that really makes its point! I love the Lorax!  I have ever since I was old enough to read it...I remember watching it on TV long before there was such thing as Earth Day (or at least one recognized in schools!) I loved the idea of helping the planet then, and I love the idea of helping the planet now.  So when I saw an article using this book highlighted in  NSTA's magazine Science and Children this month ,(April/May 2012)  I knew I had to duplicated it in my classroom.  The article,  Truffula Tree Troubles,  was written by  Robert Snyder  and addresses the issue of tree harvesting. My class had just finished reading  Owl in My Shower  which is

Secret Science Club goes wild with crocodile expert Evon Hekkala Evolutionary biologist Evon Hekkala of Fordham University has searched for man-eating crocodiles in Madagascar , mined museum collections for DNA locked in ancient animal mummies , and discovered “extinct” creatures surviving right under our noses. Her goal? Finding rare, hidden, and endangered species and saving them from oblivion. At the April edition of the Secret Science Club, Dr. Hekkala discusses: -- genetic sleuthing and the evolutionary origins of rare species --the sacred crocodile , named for the ancient Egyptian practice of venerating, bejeweling, and mummifying crocs --DNA and wildlife conservation --the Nile crocodile, one of the most lethal predators on the planet Before & After --Groove to untamable tunes -- Sink your teeth into the Q&A --Sample the Crocodile Tears , our cold-blooded cocktail of the night. It’ll grab you… This edition of the Secret Science Club meets Tuesday, April 16 ,

What do Jonah Lehrer and Sheryl Sandberg have in common? I think it's productive to see their separate moments in the sun through a shared lens. The way they've been received recently tells us something interesting about the way ideas of structure and agency play out in the popular press, and specifically how science fits into that picture. Sources: http://www.thenextbigdesign.com/2011/12/brief-post-on-jonah-lehrer.html and http://www.newyorker.com/images/2011/07/11/p233/110711_r21057_p233.jpg In Lehrer's plagiarism and Sandberg's "Leaning In," critics have fixated on the relative emphasis the two give to structure and agency. Where Lehrer didn't take enough responsibility for his own agency, Sandberg made too much of hers (or any woman's), at the cost of structural inequalities. Below, I explore how (and why) the two account for structure and agency the way they do, with special emphasis on the role of science in their accounts. Let's start with L