OT: CRC STEM - School of Ants - Coming to a backyard near you! (Fall 2011)

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james...@austin.rr.com

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Sep 9, 2011, 3:19:41 PM9/9/11

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The School of Ants project is a citizen-scientist driven study of the ants that live in urban areas, particularly around homes and schools. Collection kits are available to anyone interested in participating. Teachers, students, parents, kids, junior-scientists, senior citizens and enthusiasts of all stripes are involved in collecting ants in schoolyards and backyards using a standardized protocol so that we can make detailed maps of the wildlife that lives just outside our doorsteps. The maps that we create with these data are telling us quite a lot about native and introduced ants in cities, not just here in North Carolina, but across the United States and, as this project grows, about the ants of the world!

Confusion Research Center (CRC) is working with the School of Ants to provide activities in the Central Texas area. If you want to participate please visit the CRC homepage for contact info. We'll we collecting and submitting samples through at least November 2011. Here's how to make your own kit:

http://confusionresearchcenter.org/HowToMakeYourOwnAntKit.pdf

Dear James,
Thanks for your email! We've been slow to reply because of the deluge
of interest in the project from the public. It's great but much, much
more than we were expecting.

At first I was confused (!) about your research organization, but
after a wander on your website, I see it's great stuff that you all
are involved in! We'd love for you to participate, and hopefully
you've found that our website is up, working and revamped. Check out
the Make Your Own Kit section on the participate page - it's the
timely option right now as we've got a bit of a backlog for filling
kit requests. We'd love to have participation from your outdoor group
(even if you are outside of urban areas).

Thanks again for your interest!
Cheers on behalf of the School of Ants Team,
Andrea

Andrea Lucky, PhD
Department of Biology
North Carolina State University
127 David Clark Labs, Box 7617
Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
www.schoolofants.org

What is STEM?

STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) is a term that has grown in use the last few years to act as a center of focus on the educational and economic impact of these areas of effort. One important observation is that we are not putting enough time, energy, or money into this and our economy and society will be impacted in a negative way as a result. Confusion Research Center tries to participate by focusing on activities for 12 and up using the Socratic Method and non-traditional hands-on methodologies.

What is Confusion Research Center?

In 1984 a hands-on science museum, Discovery Hall, was started in Austin, TX by Dr. Jack Turner and Dr. Karl Trappe operating until 1991. The BBS was called Confusion Research Center. In 2006 it became apparent to some Discovery Hall alumni that it was time for a rebirth and a search for founders and board members was begun. Our mission is to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) using hands-on methodologies. The second aspect of our effort is to be distributed across individuals, groups, and geography. Our primary inspirations are The Exploratorium, the MIT Media Lab, a growing hackerspace community, and our own experience doing STEM.

http://confusionresearchcenter.org/

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