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G.I.R.L.S. (Girls In Real Life Sciences)

                                                                           

    


      
  

    

            

    	
		

        

    
  


    	
 
G.I.R.L.S., a program of Cincinnati Museum Center, is supported by Ashland Inc. Advised Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation 


About GIRLS

	May 2013 Events
The Science of Butterflies!
Real G.I.R.L.S.: Feature Female Scientist of Today



	About GIRLS


Girls are getting excited about science with a little help from Cincinnati Museum Center!


G.I.R.L.S. (Girls In Real Life Sciences) inspires girls ages 8 to 18 years old and of all backgrounds to explore science, technology, engineering and math – and consider science as a career! By making science accessible, fun and engaging like only Cincinnati Museum Center can, participants in the G.I.R.L.S. program will be encouraged, supported, and cheered on as they join in STEM activities inside and outside of the museum all year long! All three of our museums will highlight exciting, hands-on STEM activities each month – and create an environment that specifically welcomes girls.


However, these programs are not exclusive; boys are more than welcome to participate! (And parents, too!) Girls and boys who register for the program will receive a notebook to record their experiences throughout the activities.


Throughout the year, G.I.R.L.S. partners will present lectures, lead discussions, engage girls in science activities representing their career choices and encourage girls to strive to become 21st century scientists. Sound like fun? Join us! You can sign up the next time you visit the Museum of Natural History & Science. 



	May 2013 Events


What are you doing in May? Here is a list of things future scientists can do!


Hydro Power – Museum of Natural History & Science 

	Content partnership with the Duke Energy Foundation. Learn about renewable energy solutions from Earth’s aquatic resources while discussing the pros and cons of each.
May 2 and May 30 at 2 p.m.


Butterflies! – Museum of Natural History & Science 

	Explore the history, life, science and art of butterflies in one of our hands-on programs!
May 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28 at 3 p.m.


	Caves…A Living Laboratory – Museum of Natural History & Science 

	Take a guided tour of our Cave, with the lights out, to learn how they’re formed, what lives in a cave and why caves are protected.  Tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis to visitors 7 years and older accompanied by an adult.  Sign-up starts at 10 a.m. at the Mastodon in the Museum of Natural History & Science.
May 4 from 3-5 p.m. and May 5 from 4-6 p.m.


Ion Impact – Museum of Natural History & Science 

	Discover how the presence of ions impacts conductivity.
May 9, 23 at 2 p.m.


	Spectroscopy – Museum of Natural History & Science

	Learn the colors of light and how astronomers and other scientists use them to learn more about the universe.
May 10, 24 at 2 p.m.


Green Gardening – Museum of Natural History & Science 

	Learn about sustainable gardening techniques which will improve your landscape, save you money and save the planet.
May 12 at 2 p.m.


	Bridges – Museum of Natural History & Science 

	Explore the fields of engineering and architecture as you try your hand at some bridge building.
May 15, 17, 21 at 11 a.m.


	Oil Spill! – Museum of Natural History & Science 

	Learn how historic oil spills and modern approaches of containment and dispersal impact our environment today. Use various tools, methods and chemicals to clean up an aquatic oil spill.   
May 16, 27 at 2 p.m.


	Lightning – Museum of Natural History & Science 

	Learn about lightning safety in this hair-raising demonstration of the power of electricity.
May 22 and May 24 at 11:00 a.m.


Explorers University: Fetal Pigs - Museum of Natural History & Science 

	Learn about mammal anatomy by dissecting a fetal pig; one of the best animals to study to learn about humans.  Ages 9 to 15. $5 for Members; $7 for Non-Members.
May 25 at 2 p.m.

	 



	The Science of Butterflies!



				


	Did you know that although some butterflies wings get their color from pigments others get their color from nanoscale structures on their wings? A nano is equal to one billionth of a meter or 50,000 times smaller than the diameter of a piece of hair.



				


				Magnified view of nanostructures in Blue Morpho butterfly wing

The Blue Morpho’s wings have very small overlapping scales covered with tiny "ribs." The size and arrangement of these nanostructures makes the wings look blue—but they’re actually transparent! There’s an air space of a few nanometers between the ribs.


	Light waves bouncing off the top and bottom surfaces of neighboring ribs interfere with each other.  Most light waves are cancelled by the interference and only certain wavelengths—seen as colors—bounce back to your eyes. So when you look at the front of the butterfly, it’s a beautiful, iridescent blue.


When the bright light passes through the Blue Morpho’s wings, the effect is lost and you see the wings’ brown undersides. The back side of the wings is colored by pigment—so the brown side always looks brown.



				

				


				Light reflecting off the wings of a Blue Morpho butterfly wing

				Light passing through the wings of a Blue Morpho butterfly wing

Some nanotechnology and nanomaterials are inspired by nature. Scientists are working on new nanotechnologies that mimic the Blue Morpho’s wings. They’ve already invented low-energy smartphone displays, paints, and fabrics that change color by changing the spacing between materials. (NISE Network. Rep. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.)


Check out this cool video from NISE network (Nanoscale Informal Science Education) about the naturally occurring nano structures on a Blue Morpho butterfly that change the way we view color.





Zoom into a Blue Morpho Butterfly (Narrated) from NISE Network on Vimeo.

	 



	Real G.I.R.L.S: Feature Female Scientist of Today


Dr. Ruzena Bajcsy was born in Czechoslovakia in 1933.  At the age of 11 all of her adult relatives were killed by the Nazis and she was taken in as an orphan by Red Cross.  This tragedy did not dissuade Ruzena from her love of learning as she went on to get her Masters and PhD in electrical engineering from Slovak Technical University.  In 1967 she was invited to study at Stanford University where she received a PhD in computer science. 


Since then she has continued her work in the United States by teaching at different universities, authoring 225 articles, 25 book chapters and 66 technical reports, heading the Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate at the National Science Foundation and winning the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Comparative and Cognitive Science in 2009.


Currently, Dr. Bajcsy is a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California in Berkley and Director of Emeritus for the Center of Technology Research in the Interest of Science (CITRIS).  She continues to do research on machine perceptions, robotics and artificial intelligence and is considered the leader in creating world class robotics labs.

	 
Watch an interview with Dr. Bajcsy as she talks about her work, accomplishments, inspiration and advice for young women.





	 


 



    	
 

	G.I.R.L.S. news


To sign up to receive our monthly G.I.R.L.S. newsletter, click here!



	Our scientists


Museum Center is proud to have several inspiring women scientists on staff lending their expertise to Girls in Real Life Sciences:


Tonya Matthews, Ph.D., Vice President of Museums: Dr. Matthews received her undergraduate degrees in biomedical and electrical engineering from Duke University and completed her doctoral work in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University. She has taught and created curriculum in the biological sciences for Stevenson College, Morgan State University and Project Lead the Way. Dr. Matthews also worked as a biomedical engineer for the Food and Drug Administration reviewing products and research on neurological devices. She began her career in museums as the project manager for the biology and biotechnology department at the Maryland Science Center.


Brenda Hunda, Ph.D., Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology: Brenda Hunda received her Bachelor of Science with honors in paleontology from the University of Alberta in 1997 and her Master’s of Science in earth sciences from the University of Alberta in 1999. She received her Ph.D. in earth sciences from the University of California, Riverside in 2004. She is currently the curator of invertebrate paleontology at Cincinnati Museum Center, adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati and part-time lecturer at Northern Kentucky University. Working within the Museum setting, she has extensive experience in communicating science to the public, working with the community and developing outreach programs specifically targeting earth sciences.


Regina Hall, Director of the Museum of Natural History & Science: Regina Hall creates STEM-related programs and experiences for Cincinnati Museum Center visitors and educators. Even though she always found museums, science and math fascinating, she majored in psychology with the goal of becoming a child psychologist. However, she never lost her passion for science, education and museums. Her position as director of the Museum of Natural History & Science allows her to engage visitors in new science experiences while empowering them with problem-solving skills that last a lifetime.


Ann Wegman, Animal Resource Coordinator: Ann Wegman has a zoology degree from Miami University. She has worked at Cincinnati Museum Center as outreach coordinator, bringing science programs to schools, and currently as animal resources coordinator providing care for the animal collection. She has also worked for the City of Forest Park as environmental education specialist developing and delivering programs related to environmental issues to the Winton Woods school district. In her spare time, Wegman volunteers in a red-shouldered hawk research study in suburban Cincinnati and the Hocking Hills region.


Tabitha Sellers, Exhibit Program Specialist in the Museum of Natural History & Science: Tabitha Sellers is physical anthropologist with an area of concentration on evolution. She studies the skeletal remains of early hominids and modern humans. At Cincinnati Museum Center, you can find her leading hands-on science programs in the Museum of Natural History & Science.


Karen Venetian, Director of School Programs: Karen Venetian has a Bachelor of Fine Art in industrial/graphic design from Rochester Institute of Technology. Upon graduation, she worked as a creative toy designer for Fisher-Price Toys where each designer was required to construct their designs using all of the STEM methods. She is the creator and holds the patent for the Fisher-Price School House toy. Currently, as the director of school programs at Museum Center, Venetian has created STEM workshops for Head Start teachers and is working on a STEM-based Fundamental of Inquiry Teacher Workshop Series to be given in the building as well as off site.


Jennifer Bishop, Manager of Learning Labs: Jennifer Bishop received her Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from Hanover College. At Cincinnati Museum Center, she develops and teaches Learning Labs. Learning Labs are special classes that schools participate in to further expand on their museum experience by focusing in on a topic which includes STEM-related programming.


	Amanda Bishop, Coordinator of School Programs: Amanda Bishop has a degree in earth and space science education. In her role as coordinator of school programs at Museum Center, she develops exciting STEM-based Learning Labs for visiting school groups and home school students, creates the educator guides for our special exhibits and even helps out with our Dinosaur Field School and Bat Flight programs.