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Emerging Science
Host Amy Seidl visits with Vermont scientists to explore the history of energy in human society, examining how we use energy and the challenges and opportunities associated with adapting to new, renewable sources. Included: how Vermont scientists are contributing to the growth potential of wind energy and helping redefine the electric grid to accomodate alternative energy sources.
More Episodes
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Regenerating Our Future
Cyber Shadows
Out Of This World
Disease Origins & Transmission
Food Pathogens
Ecological Economics
Astronomy
Fresh Water
Transportation
Technology Of Social Science
Food Webs
Energy
Remote Wireless Sensing
Water And The Landscape
Weather And Climate Change
Nanotechnology
Webisodes
Classroom Connections
Classroom Connections are companion pieces to the series. These guides have been assembled by Vermont science teachers and the Vermont Genetics Network at the University of Vermont for use in high school classrooms.
Season Four Classroom Connections
Out Of This World (PDF)
Cyber Shadows (PDF)
Regeneration (PDF)
Season Three Classroom Connections (Download PDF)
Related Lesson Plan Videos
Astronomy
Ecological Economics
Food Pathogens
Disease Origins & Transmission
Season Two Classroom Connections (Download PDF)
Supplemental Materials
Fresh Water
The Landscape Change Program at the University of Vermont has a collection of images that document 200 years of Vermont's changing face. Click here to find images for use with the Fresh Water Engaging Activities, described on pages 19 and 20 of Classroom Connections.
Energy
Materials to accompany the Energy Engaging Activities, described on pages 3 and 4 of Classroom Connections.
Definition of Energy - Frayer Model
Electromagnetic Spectrum - Parts I, II & III
UV Beads Lab
Energy Project Checklist
Electricity Power Point Rubric
Persuasive Essay Idea Sheet
Season One Classroom Connections (Download PDF)
Community Mapping with GIS & GPS (Download PDF)
A lesson prepared by Dan Rosenthal, Mount Anthony Union High School, Bennington, Vt., to accompany the remote wireless sensing episode.
Funding for the Emerging Science project is provided by VT EPSCoR.
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The little skate, a North Atlantic sea creature resembling a ray, has captured scientists' attention for its incredible regenerative abilities. Now, Northeast scientists from Delaware to Vermont to Maine are mapping the organism's genome in hopes of unlocking its secrets of regeneration for the benefit of humans.
As the popularity of social media grows, so does the interest in mining online data for a variety of uses. Today, our digital "fingerprints" can be traced in ways most of us never imagined -- for market research, criminal investigations and more. A handful of Vermont scientists are busy analyzing our online behavior as a tool for spotting trends and, ultimately, measuring our emotional well-being.
Space exploration is happening right under our noses, even in Vermont. With the space shuttle program now ended, scientists at four Vermont institutions are leading the way to cheaper methods of space exploration, constructing a miniature satellite destined to orbit the moon.
Infectious diseases such as SARS and the H1N1 virus seem to be on the rise across the globe. This episode explores the science of disease origins and transmission ? with much of the current research occurring in Africa. University of Vermont professor Arne Bomblies' research models hydrology and entomology factors related to malaria transmission. Jon Erickson and Michel Masozera of UVM?s Gund Institute introduce us to the HALI Project in Tanzania and explain the concept of One Health, which encourages interaction among physicians, veterinarians, ecologists and other health-related professionals in the study of disease transmission.
From tainted spinach to recalled hamburgers to peanut butter, there seems to be a growing incidence of health scares involving salmonella, E. coli and other food-borne illnesses. This episode explores the science of identifying and tracking food pathogens in the U.S. Ken Puzey of QuantaSpec, Inc., in Burlington, Vt., describes how his company is making great strides in early detection, and Dr. Jane Hill at the University of Vermont explains the complex issues of pathogen migration.
With the recent failings of our financial system, new economic models need to be considered. Bob Costanza and Jon Erickson from the University of Vermont?s Gund Institute explain the concepts of ecological economics ? a different framework to answer the age-old economic question: how do we allocate scarce resources to create alternative desirable ends? As a case study, the program explores a new interdisciplinary UVM study in the emerging science of biofuels.
This episode explores the wonders of the cosmos with two of Vermont's leading astronomical physicists. John O'Meara of St. Michael's College is using infrared technology to view galaxy formations 12 billion light years away. Joanna Rankin of the University of Vermont is using radio astronomy to explore one type of celestial body - the pulsar. Also, visits with astronauts Alan Bean and Jerry Carr at the 2009 Stellafane telescope-makers convention in Springfield, Vt..
This episode starts with a lesson in how the combustion engine works, then investigates the challenges of continued dependence on gasoline vehicles in the face of climate change and declining oil reserves. Also, a look at emerging transportation alternatives including electric vehicles and a renewable system called "vehicle-to-grid."
What are the technological tools used by today?s social scientists to understand the behavior of large populations? This episode explains how Vermont scientists are studying child behavior and ?teaching? robots how to learn. Also, a look at how the Internet is affecting our behavior and how data mining enables scientists to understand the collective behavior and emotions of hundreds of thousands of people.
This episode explores two Vermont ?food webs?: the aquatic food web of Lake Champlain and the terrestrial food web in the time since wolves disappeared from the Vermont landscape. While food webs can be relatively simple to understand, Vermont scientists are delving into their complexities by modeling one of the smallest self-contained food webs known: the aquatic habitat in the pitcher plant.