Life Sciences Commons^™

Organic Agriculture Teaching And Learning In 2025: Transforming The Future Learning Landscape, Randa Jabbour, Charles A. Francis, Mary Barbercheck, Katharina S. Ullman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

University instructors are compelled to anticipate future changes in farming and food systems that will impact their students. Sixteen educators met in 2018 to envision the future of organic agriculture courses needed by 2025. Likely future global issues include food access, especially for people of limited economic means; climate change; and fossil fuel costs. Changes that will impact education are increasing demand for quality food, more organic production, and globalization of food systems due to consolidation. Probable course content changes are increasing focus on whole farm systems; designing for resilience in changing physical, economic, environmental, and political climates; and increasing …

S1e2: Would You Feed Your Dog Biscuits That Were Made With Green Crabs?, Ron Lisnet, Angela Myracle, Denise Skonberg

The Maine Question

The green crab is a voracious invasive species that is wreaking havoc on many popular types of seafood species and in Maine’s fishing communities. What if a use could be found for this invasive species that turned them into a desirable product? Food scientists at UMaine are attempting to do just that and if they are successful it could mean a special treat for a land-based animal- none other than man’s best friend. Beyond that it could make for some tasty options on the menu the next time you visit your favorite seafood restaurant.

S1e1: What Is Edna And How Will It Change Maine’S Coastal Communities?, Ron Lisnet, Michael Kinnison

The Maine Question

From streams and ponds to the Gulf of Maine, water defines the state of Maine in many ways. For thousands of years, counting or harvesting the plants and animals in those bodies of water has been pretty low-tech, usually involving nets of some sort. Now a new technology can do this counting using DNA and this tool will revolutionize and expand how this work is done. Beyond that it will allow the public, school groups, coastal residents and others to contribute as citizen scientists and it will enhance Maine’s workforce and promote high-tech jobs as well. Michael Kinnison, a professor …

A Scientometric Appreciation Of Robert J. Baker's Contributions To Science And Mammalogy, David J. Schmidly, Robert D. Bradley, Emma K. Roberts, Lisa C. Bradley, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

This article describes Robert James Baker’s academic pedigree and genealogy, his scientific productivity (number of publications), his citations, his students, his contributions to his university and scientific societies, his personality in relation to his scientific achievements, his legacy, and a personal note of appreciation by individuals who worked with him and knew him well. His accomplishments are compared with other dominant personalities in the field of mammalogy, both historical and contemporary. The paper builds on the 2018 obituary authored by Hugh Genoways and others that was published in the Journal of Mammalogy, but includes a much more quantitative and …

Overture [From Field To Laboratory: A Memorial Volume In Honor Of Robert J. Baker], Robert D. Bradley, David J. Schmidly, Hugh H. Genoways, Lisa C. Bradley

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Introduction to the memorial volume of Special Publications / Museum of Texas Tech University in honor of Robert J. Baker.

First paragraph:

Herein, we use the word “Overture” not in its first meaning, but rather in its second—“An introduction to something more substantial” ([Def. 2], Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford University Press 2018). In our current case, this is the overture to a memorial volume in honor of our friend and colleague Robert J. Baker. Here, his former students and colleagues have taken time and effort to write 43 essays and scientific articles and 54 personal encomia in demonstration of their …

Using Ripple Effects Maps To Identify Story Threads: A Framework To Link Private To Public Value, Jane E. Haskell, Barbara A. Baker, Melissa D. Olfert, Sarah E. Colby, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Kendra K. Kattelmann, Adrienne A. White

Health and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Extension professionals must demonstrate organizational value to garner public awareness and support. Measuring and communicating outcomes that have public value can be challenging. In this study, Ripple Effects Mapping incorporating the Community Capitals Framework was used to evaluate a childhood obesity prevention study, iCook 4-H, of youth-adult pairs in Maine. The objective was to describe the process of generating impact statements through story threads about program benefits to the participants and the potential benefits to nonparticipants, such as family members, friends, and other community members. Extension professionals can use storylines, or story threads, as a qualitative research technique to generate …

The Dandy Scroll, Fall 2019, University Of Maine Pulp And Paper Foundation

General University of Maine Publications

The Fall 2019 issue of The Dandy Scroll newsletter produced by the University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation.

Maine Epscor Fall 2019 Newsletter, Maine Epscor

General University of Maine Publications

As the Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network (SEANET) completes its final year, several other National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded grants and activities throughout the state have continued a legacy of positively impacting the state’s capacity for research, development, and STEM education.

Maine EPSCoR’s newest Track-1 grant, Molecule to Ecosystem: Environmental DNA as a Nexus of Coastal Ecosystem Sustainability for Maine (or Maine-eDNA), is no exception. It has had a strong start, and we aim to continue strengthening collaborations among partner institutions, while conducting highly impactful research, education, and outreach of benefit to Maine.

In this newsletter, you’ll learn more about:
• …

Green Club After School Program Curriculum, Megan Willburn

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

Green Club is an after school program which encourages students to develop environmental empathy, passions for environmental sustainability, and knowledge about the workings of environmental systems.

About Maine Edna, Maine Epscor, University Of Maine

General University of Maine Publications

Maine-eDNA is a 5-year research, education and outreach program that seeks to transform our understanding and sustainability of Maine’s coastal ecosystems via environmental DNA (eDNA) innovations that unlock new scales of inference and new scales of collaboration.

Suddenly, after thousands of years, it’s like we have new nets: With cutting-edge Environmental DNA methods the Maine-eDNA program aims to revolutionize monitoring and ecological understanding of our coastal ecosystems.

Collecting eDNA samples will be as simple as filling a bottle with water — no nets needed.

Click the blue download button for an unedited, machine-generated English language transcript for this recording.

Smaller Classes Promote Equitable Student Participation In Stem, Cissy J. Ballen, Stepfanie M. Aguillon, Azza Awwad, Anne E. Bjune, Daniel Challou, Abby Grace Drake, Michelle Driessen, Aziza Ellozy, Vivian E. Ferry, Emma E. Goldberg, William Harcombe, Steve Jensen, Christian Jørgensen, Zoe Koth, Suzanne Mcgaugh, Caroline Mitry, Bryan Mosher, Hoda Mostafa, Renee H. Petipas, Paula A.G. Soneral, Shana Watters, Deena Wassenberg, Stacey L. Weiss, Azariah Yonas, Kelly R. Zamudio, Sehoya Cotner

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

As science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms in higher education transition from lecturing to active learning, the frequency of student interactions in class increases. Previous research documents a gender bias in participation, with women participating less than would be expected on the basis of their numeric proportions. In the present study, we asked which attributes of the learning environment contribute to decreased female participation: The abundance of in-class interactions, the diversity of interactions, the proportion of women in class, the instructor's gender, the class size, and whether the course targeted lower division (first and second year) or upper division …

Lotka-Volteraimpulsive Model Control Or How Not To Fish, Vladyslav Bivziuk

English Language Institute

Human intervention in nature often destroys the equilibrium that has been established in it. It is very important to find controls that would not destroy the stability of the natural equilibrium in the ecosystem. The impulsive systems theory allows us to investigate such effects on a biological system with a simpler example that do not destroy its equilibrium.

Photo Elicitation Study 2018-2019, Lisa Armstrong, Kaela Edwards, Violetta Feshchenko, Kimberly Kullmann, Alexandre Martinez, Rebecca Mercier, Nicole Murray, Pamela Myers, Priyanka Prasad, Victoria Ramos, Nicholas Salter, Madalene Zale, Amy Henderson Riley, Drph, Rosemary Frasso, Phd, Adrea Cope, Nataki Duncan, Rachel Ewalt, Catherine Freeland, Nichole Holmes, Laura Slifer, April Smith, Sabina Spigner, Simal Thind, Eliza Whiteman Kinsey, Phd

JCPH at APHA 2019

Photographer and researcher John Collier first named photo elicitation in a paper published in 1957. Photo elicitation involves a qualitative interview stimulated and guided by participant photographs. This method can help break down barriers between researchers and participants and can promote rich and collaborative discussions (Harper, 1994).

Student Perspectives on Work-Life Balance: A Photo Elicitation Study

Each student in Qualitative Research Methods (PBH 512, Summer 2018) recruited a study participant (n=12) from across the colleges of Thomas Jefferson University. Students trained participants in the appropriate and ethical use of this method. Study participants were asked to define and explore the …

Mad Scientist Club | Experiments, Nora Husein

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

After school club that teaches the basics of different branches of science through hands-on activities and experiments.

Open Textbook Project [Poster], Sue Ann Gardner

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Conference Presentations and Speeches

Details of a porject undertaken to collaboratively write and produce an open access parasitology textbook for undergraduate and graduate students. The book will be published by Zea Books at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2020 and be available in English and Spanish both online and print-on-demand through lulu.com.

Co-Executive Editors: Sue Ann Gardner and Scott L. Gardner, University of nebraska-Lincoln. Copyeditor: Linnea Fredrickson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Spanish Translator: Yoanna Esquivel Greenwood, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Project Coordinator: Sue Ann Gardner.

Project website: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/parasittext/.

A Multi-Institutional Analysis Of Instructional Beliefs And Practices In Gateway Courses To The Sciences, Joseph J. Ferrare

Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation Faculty Publications

This paper builds on previous studies of instructional practice in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses by reporting findings from a study of the relationship between instructors’ beliefs about teaching and learning and their observed classroom practices. Data collection took place across six institutions of higher education and included in-depth interviews with 71 instructors and more than 140 hours of classroom observations using the Teaching Dimensions Observation Protocol. Thematic coding of interviews identified 31 distinct beliefs that instructors held about the ways students best learn introductory concepts and skills in these courses. Cluster analysis of the observation data suggested that …

Opportunities For Self-Evaluation Increase Student Calibration In An Introductory Biology Course, Jennifer L. Osterhage, Ellen Usher, Trisha A. Douin, William M. Bailey

Biology Faculty Publications

Accurate self-evaluation is critical for learning. Calibration describes the relationship between learners’ perception of their performance and their actual performance on a task. Here, we describe two studies aimed at assessing and improving student calibration in a first-semester introductory biology course at a 4-year public institution. Study 1 investigated students’ (n = 310) calibration (the difference between estimated and actual exam performance) across one semester. Students were significantly miscalibrated for the first exam: their predicted scores were, on average, significantly higher than their actual scores. The lowest-performing students had the most inaccurate estimates. Calibration improved with each exam. By …

Interview Of Alice L. Hoersch, Ph.D., Alice L. Hoersch Ph.D., Selena Bemak

All Oral Histories

Alice Lynn Hoersch was born in 1950 in Abington, PA to Albert and Alice Hoersch. She moved to Honey Brook, located in Chester County, PA at two-years-old. Hoersch lived in Honey Brook until she finished graduate school in 1977. She attended Honey Brook Elementary School. She graduated as valedictorian from Twin Valley High School in 1968. Hoersch studied geology at Bryn Mawr College, graduating in 1972. She received both her master’s and Ph.D. in metamorphic petrology from Johns Hopkins University in 1974 and 1977, respectively. The same year she obtained her Ph.D., Hoersch began teaching as an assistant professor of …

Establishing Enhanced Learning Outcomes In Science For First Generational Undergraduate College Students, Marianna Burks

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

First-generation students represent an increasing percentage of the demographic for college and university enrollment at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Since 2001, results from the National Center for Education Statistics Longitudinal Study, indicates ‘higher percentages of first-generations college students attended public postsecondary institutions-76 vs. 72%’ (Redford & Hoyer, 2017). There is insufficient research, however, concerning how first-generation students’ needs are different, even unique, from those students who are second- generation and beyond attending college (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2017). Since this increase of students enrolling in post-secondary education, ‘understanding the needs of first-generation students is imperative more now …

The Dandy Scroll, Spring 2019, University Of Maine Pulp And Paper Foundation

General University of Maine Publications

The Spring 2019 issue of The Dandy Scroll newsletter produced by the University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation.

Putting The I In Science, Naomi Kirkvold

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

This club gets kids interested in science in ways that they may not have experienced in a classroom by doing weekly experiments.

Concept Inventories As A Resource For Teaching Evolution, Robert E. Furrow, Jeremy L. Hsu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding evolution is critical to learning biology, but few college instructors take advantage of the body of peer-reviewed literature that can inform evolution teaching and assessment. Here we summarize the peer-reviewed papers on tools to assess student learning of evolutionary concepts. These published concept inventories provide a resource for instructors to design courses, gauge student preparation, identify key misconceptions in their student population, and measure the impact of a lesson, course, or broader curriculum on student learning. Because these inventories vary in their format, target audience, and degree of validation, we outline and explain these features. In addition to summarizing …

The Case For Clt Manufacturing In Maine, Advanced Structures & Composites Center, University Of Maine, Maine Mass Timber Commercialization Center

General University of Maine Publications

The Maine Mass Timber Commercialization Center (MMTCC) was founded in 2017 in direct response to a 2017 Department of Commerce federal interagency Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT) report on the Maine forest-based economy, specifically Priority “E” of the EDAT report stating: “Invest in the research, development and commercialization of emerging wood technologies”. In particular, the EDAT report singled out the unique opportunity that exists for development of Mass Timber (e.g. cross laminated timber) production in Maine:

“Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) research at the University of Maine is linked to several potential manufacturing facilities seeking east coast locations. Immediately form a …

Student Led Area Measurement Assessments Using Virtual Globes And Pictometry Web-Based Interface Within An Undergraduate Spatial Science Curriculum, David Kulhavy, I-Kuai Hung, Daniel Unger, Yanli Zhang

Faculty Publications

The use of Virtual Globes and Pictometry continues to expand and develop in undergraduate spatial science education. Spatial science undergraduates measured the area of 30 rectangles on the earth’s surface and compared them to Pictometry hyperspectral imagery measurements within a web-based interface and the Google Earth interface compared to ArcGIS Explorer, Map Developers and ArcMap using the ArcMap 10.5.2 interface. An analysis of variance of the absolute mean area errors (p-value of 0.009271) concluded the accuracy of the five area measurements were statistically different at the 95% confidence interval. A Tukey pair-wise test found that the Pictometry and Google Earth …