ABSTRACT Heliospheric imaging has been shown to yield new insight into ICME physics, and to impro... more ABSTRACT Heliospheric imaging has been shown to yield new insight into ICME physics, and to improve greatly space weather prediction at Earth. However, all existing heliospheric imagers are either well past prime mission (SMEI) or soon to be unable to view near-Earth space (STEREO/HI). We present a novel approach to heliospheric imaging, using a constellation of microsatellites in Sun-synchronous LEO. Recent developments in component miniaturization and standardization allow very inexpensive, very small spacecraft, dominated by an optical baffle in the 30cm size range, to image propagating features in the solar wind. Such spacecraft can be produced and deployed as a constellation to improve imaging cadence and reveal new physics of Earthbound CMEs and other solar wind features. Further, using a constellation improves reliability into the operational class (mean time between failures well over 100 years for the network as a whole), for a fraction of the cost of a single traditional operational-class instrument that can monitor ICMEs to predict space weather. Other advantages conferred by using low-cost LEO microsatellites outweigh challenges of designing to the small form factor. Sensitivity analysis shows that such a microsatellite constellation will enable new scientific measurements relevant to ICME evolution, shock formation, and solar wind propagation that are inaccessible from existing heliospheric imagers and conventional instrument designs, answering fundamental questions about how solar effects interact with the heliosphere.
Processing of STEREO/HI-2 heliospheric image data has reached a level where extremely faint struc... more Processing of STEREO/HI-2 heliospheric image data has reached a level where extremely faint structures can be tracked through their entire trajectory to 1 AU. This enables detailed comparison with auxiliary datasets allowing an unambiguous identification of solar wind transient structures from the Sun to 1 AU and beyond. These transients are in the scale range from large CMEs to "puffs"
Heliospheric imaging data have been shown to improve space weather prediction by an order of magn... more Heliospheric imaging data have been shown to improve space weather prediction by an order of magnitude, and heliospheric monitoring by the SMEI and STEREO-HI instruments have proven to be extremely useful for understanding heliospheric conditions near Earth. However, SMEI is approaching end-of-life and the STEREOs are drifting away from favorable Earth-viewing geometry just as the new solar cycle begins. CHIME is an innovative, miniaturized, fully functional space weather heliospheric monitor that fits within the 3U CubeSat envelope and can be flown individually (as a scientific or demonstrator mission) or in a swarm (to attain operational-class reliability) at a small fraction of the cost of a conventional mission. Here we describe the CHIME concept and its use with the automated processing pipeline AICMED to improve space weather prediction.
We present images of solar wind electron density structures at distances of 1 AU, extracted from ... more We present images of solar wind electron density structures at distances of 1 AU, extracted from the STEREO/HI-2 data. Collecting the images requires separating the Thomson-scattered signal from the other background/foreground sources that are 103 times brighter. Using a combination of techniques, we are able to generate calibrated imaging data of the solar wind with sensitivity of a few × 10−17 B ☉, compared to the background signal of a few × 10−13 B ☉, using only the STEREO/HI-2 Level 1 data as input. These images reveal detailed spatial structure in coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the solar wind at projected solar distances in excess of 1 AU, at the instrumental motion-blur resolution limit of 1°–3°. CME features visible in the newly reprocessed data from 2008 December include leading-edge pileup, interior voids, filamentary structure, and rear cusps. “Quiet” solar wind features include V-shaped structures centered on the heliospheric current sheet, plasmoids, and “puffs” that...
Student fixed mindsets about intelligence, reinforced by instructors, can lead to surface engagem... more Student fixed mindsets about intelligence, reinforced by instructors, can lead to surface engagement and an unwillingness to accept constructive feedback. Likewise, a major reason for the attrition of underrepresented groups in STEM is a non-inviting college environment, sometimes referred to as a “weed-out culture”. A weed-out culture potentially rests on a deficit orientation about students and is sustained by faculty and support staff. As an alternative to focusing on student deficits, we propose reorienting towards possible selves and the role future goals play in developing self-regulated learners. We will argue this reorientation has the potential to provide pathways for positively transforming an institutional culture. Discussions during this roundtable will explore 1) what participants see as problems in supporting underrepresented minority groups in STEM, 2) interventions that are being used/planned, and 3) how those interventions can be informed by identifying deficit thinking and highlighting possible selves in student
The Peer Instruction Leader (PIL) program at Columbus State University pairs courses having histo... more The Peer Instruction Leader (PIL) program at Columbus State University pairs courses having historically low success rates with dedicated peer helpers in an attempt to boost student learning and success. PILs are selected from undergraduate students who have demonstrated success in the targeted subject. They attend classes, meet with the assigned instructor periodically, participate in PIL training, and manage course focused discussion groups. The authors analyze data collected in the early stages of the program, which shows that students who attended the discussion groups fared better than those who did not.
Total increase in STEM majors by minimum of 7.84%, up to a maximum of 66.18% • Increase in A/B/C ... more Total increase in STEM majors by minimum of 7.84%, up to a maximum of 66.18% • Increase in A/B/C rates in biology (1.4%), chemistry (3.0%), mathematics (1.1%), and physics (1.5%) • Increase in STEM degree completion: 1.71% (with controls); 19.71% (without controls)
This includes contentious shareholder issues such as fraud, conflicts of interest, improprieties ... more This includes contentious shareholder issues such as fraud, conflicts of interest, improprieties in financial statements, breaches of fiduciary duties and investigations of executives. It also includes any claim asserted or commenced by, on behalf of or in the name of, against or otherwise involving the Company, the Board of Directors and/or officers relating directly or indirectly to the Company.
The Columbus Region Academy of Future Teachers of STEM (CRAFT-STEM) is a Robert Noyce Teacher Sch... more The Columbus Region Academy of Future Teachers of STEM (CRAFT-STEM) is a Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program awarded by the National Science Foundation to Columbus State University (grant 1136356). The program incorporates summer internships to recruit academically strong students into secondary STEM teaching programs and increase participation by underrepresented groups. We look at results from student surveys and course enrollments to examine the influence of the internship program on decisions about going into teaching
The Peer Instruction Leader (PIL) program at Columb s State University pairs courses having histo... more The Peer Instruction Leader (PIL) program at Columb s State University pairs courses having historically low success rates with dedicated peer helpers in an attempt to boost student learning and success. PILs are selected from undergraduate stud nts who have demonstrated success in the targeted subject. They attend classes, meet wi th the assigned instructor periodically, participate in PIL training, and manage course focu sed discussion groups. The authors analyze data collected in the early stages of the program, which shows that students who attended the discussion groups fared better than those who did n ot. Across the country, higher education institutions are struggling to improve success rates in introductory STEM courses. “At University System of Georgia (USG) institutions, the lack of appropriate student preparation is manifested in DWF (drop, withdrawal, and fail) rates for introductory level science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses ranging from 30% ...
is a new, innovative program involving mathematics, science and education faculty at Columbus Sta... more is a new, innovative program involving mathematics, science and education faculty at Columbus State University and teaching experts in local schools. Together, these faculty and teaching practitioners prepare CSU students for an exciting career teaching mathematics or science. This program allows participating students to acquire a deep understanding of their fields of study; explore mathematics or science teaching as a career; and develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for teaching. Upon completion of the program, students will earn a CSU degree in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, or mathematics and be qualified to teach in a middle school or high school after passing the appropriate state certification examinations. The first graduates of this program are expected in May 2014.
We provide an update on institutional programs undertaken as part of the STEM-II Initiative at Co... more We provide an update on institutional programs undertaken as part of the STEM-II Initiative at Columbus State University and describe additional programs that have grown out of the STEM Initiative. Current STEM Initiative projects include a peer instruction leader program for core math and science courses, a faculty mini-grants program to promote scholarship on teaching and learning and awareness of best practices models, and a service learning course. Offshoots of the STEM Initiative include a Math and Science Teaching Council, a Math & Science Learning Center to support student success and promote studies of math and science, a $1.4 million UTeach replication grant, and a $1.2 million Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program grant
The Columbus Region Academy of Future Teachers of STEM (CRAFT-STEM), a Phase I Robert Noyce Teach... more The Columbus Region Academy of Future Teachers of STEM (CRAFT-STEM), a Phase I Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, combines internships and scholarships, an exciting summer STEM Honors Camp, a new Teaching Connections Seminar, and an impressive array of existing resources to recruit, prepare, and graduate an increasing number of STEM teachers committed to serving high need high schools. STEM Education at CSU • Currently, CSU educates at least 60% of the area’s teachers. • However, Georgia produces very few teachers in certain areas of STEM, consistent with national trends. • CSU has mirrored this trend. • High teacher attrition rates exacerbate the problem: over half leave within 5 years. • What can CSU do to change this equation?
The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program offers academic and financial support for students p... more The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program offers academic and financial support for students pursuing secondary teaching certificates in STEM fields. In return, students commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts. The Noyce Program has had uneven results in increasing the number of teachers in high needs schools. Large scale studies of its impact indicate the program is not likely to influence decisions to teach but may persuade participants to initially teach in high needs schools. To better understand the influence of the Noyce Program, we offer case studies of two Noyce scholarship recipients at different stages: (1) a former scholarship recipient who has graduated and is currently teaching, and (2) a second-year recipient who is currently pursuing a teaching certificate. This qualitative analysis provides insights that may have implications for optimizing scholarship programs for recruiting and retaining highly qualified STEM teachers.
ABSTRACT Heliospheric imaging has been shown to yield new insight into ICME physics, and to impro... more ABSTRACT Heliospheric imaging has been shown to yield new insight into ICME physics, and to improve greatly space weather prediction at Earth. However, all existing heliospheric imagers are either well past prime mission (SMEI) or soon to be unable to view near-Earth space (STEREO/HI). We present a novel approach to heliospheric imaging, using a constellation of microsatellites in Sun-synchronous LEO. Recent developments in component miniaturization and standardization allow very inexpensive, very small spacecraft, dominated by an optical baffle in the 30cm size range, to image propagating features in the solar wind. Such spacecraft can be produced and deployed as a constellation to improve imaging cadence and reveal new physics of Earthbound CMEs and other solar wind features. Further, using a constellation improves reliability into the operational class (mean time between failures well over 100 years for the network as a whole), for a fraction of the cost of a single traditional operational-class instrument that can monitor ICMEs to predict space weather. Other advantages conferred by using low-cost LEO microsatellites outweigh challenges of designing to the small form factor. Sensitivity analysis shows that such a microsatellite constellation will enable new scientific measurements relevant to ICME evolution, shock formation, and solar wind propagation that are inaccessible from existing heliospheric imagers and conventional instrument designs, answering fundamental questions about how solar effects interact with the heliosphere.
Processing of STEREO/HI-2 heliospheric image data has reached a level where extremely faint struc... more Processing of STEREO/HI-2 heliospheric image data has reached a level where extremely faint structures can be tracked through their entire trajectory to 1 AU. This enables detailed comparison with auxiliary datasets allowing an unambiguous identification of solar wind transient structures from the Sun to 1 AU and beyond. These transients are in the scale range from large CMEs to "puffs"
Heliospheric imaging data have been shown to improve space weather prediction by an order of magn... more Heliospheric imaging data have been shown to improve space weather prediction by an order of magnitude, and heliospheric monitoring by the SMEI and STEREO-HI instruments have proven to be extremely useful for understanding heliospheric conditions near Earth. However, SMEI is approaching end-of-life and the STEREOs are drifting away from favorable Earth-viewing geometry just as the new solar cycle begins. CHIME is an innovative, miniaturized, fully functional space weather heliospheric monitor that fits within the 3U CubeSat envelope and can be flown individually (as a scientific or demonstrator mission) or in a swarm (to attain operational-class reliability) at a small fraction of the cost of a conventional mission. Here we describe the CHIME concept and its use with the automated processing pipeline AICMED to improve space weather prediction.
We present images of solar wind electron density structures at distances of 1 AU, extracted from ... more We present images of solar wind electron density structures at distances of 1 AU, extracted from the STEREO/HI-2 data. Collecting the images requires separating the Thomson-scattered signal from the other background/foreground sources that are 103 times brighter. Using a combination of techniques, we are able to generate calibrated imaging data of the solar wind with sensitivity of a few × 10−17 B ☉, compared to the background signal of a few × 10−13 B ☉, using only the STEREO/HI-2 Level 1 data as input. These images reveal detailed spatial structure in coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the solar wind at projected solar distances in excess of 1 AU, at the instrumental motion-blur resolution limit of 1°–3°. CME features visible in the newly reprocessed data from 2008 December include leading-edge pileup, interior voids, filamentary structure, and rear cusps. “Quiet” solar wind features include V-shaped structures centered on the heliospheric current sheet, plasmoids, and “puffs” that...
Student fixed mindsets about intelligence, reinforced by instructors, can lead to surface engagem... more Student fixed mindsets about intelligence, reinforced by instructors, can lead to surface engagement and an unwillingness to accept constructive feedback. Likewise, a major reason for the attrition of underrepresented groups in STEM is a non-inviting college environment, sometimes referred to as a “weed-out culture”. A weed-out culture potentially rests on a deficit orientation about students and is sustained by faculty and support staff. As an alternative to focusing on student deficits, we propose reorienting towards possible selves and the role future goals play in developing self-regulated learners. We will argue this reorientation has the potential to provide pathways for positively transforming an institutional culture. Discussions during this roundtable will explore 1) what participants see as problems in supporting underrepresented minority groups in STEM, 2) interventions that are being used/planned, and 3) how those interventions can be informed by identifying deficit thinking and highlighting possible selves in student
The Peer Instruction Leader (PIL) program at Columbus State University pairs courses having histo... more The Peer Instruction Leader (PIL) program at Columbus State University pairs courses having historically low success rates with dedicated peer helpers in an attempt to boost student learning and success. PILs are selected from undergraduate students who have demonstrated success in the targeted subject. They attend classes, meet with the assigned instructor periodically, participate in PIL training, and manage course focused discussion groups. The authors analyze data collected in the early stages of the program, which shows that students who attended the discussion groups fared better than those who did not.
Total increase in STEM majors by minimum of 7.84%, up to a maximum of 66.18% • Increase in A/B/C ... more Total increase in STEM majors by minimum of 7.84%, up to a maximum of 66.18% • Increase in A/B/C rates in biology (1.4%), chemistry (3.0%), mathematics (1.1%), and physics (1.5%) • Increase in STEM degree completion: 1.71% (with controls); 19.71% (without controls)
This includes contentious shareholder issues such as fraud, conflicts of interest, improprieties ... more This includes contentious shareholder issues such as fraud, conflicts of interest, improprieties in financial statements, breaches of fiduciary duties and investigations of executives. It also includes any claim asserted or commenced by, on behalf of or in the name of, against or otherwise involving the Company, the Board of Directors and/or officers relating directly or indirectly to the Company.
The Columbus Region Academy of Future Teachers of STEM (CRAFT-STEM) is a Robert Noyce Teacher Sch... more The Columbus Region Academy of Future Teachers of STEM (CRAFT-STEM) is a Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program awarded by the National Science Foundation to Columbus State University (grant 1136356). The program incorporates summer internships to recruit academically strong students into secondary STEM teaching programs and increase participation by underrepresented groups. We look at results from student surveys and course enrollments to examine the influence of the internship program on decisions about going into teaching
The Peer Instruction Leader (PIL) program at Columb s State University pairs courses having histo... more The Peer Instruction Leader (PIL) program at Columb s State University pairs courses having historically low success rates with dedicated peer helpers in an attempt to boost student learning and success. PILs are selected from undergraduate stud nts who have demonstrated success in the targeted subject. They attend classes, meet wi th the assigned instructor periodically, participate in PIL training, and manage course focu sed discussion groups. The authors analyze data collected in the early stages of the program, which shows that students who attended the discussion groups fared better than those who did n ot. Across the country, higher education institutions are struggling to improve success rates in introductory STEM courses. “At University System of Georgia (USG) institutions, the lack of appropriate student preparation is manifested in DWF (drop, withdrawal, and fail) rates for introductory level science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses ranging from 30% ...
is a new, innovative program involving mathematics, science and education faculty at Columbus Sta... more is a new, innovative program involving mathematics, science and education faculty at Columbus State University and teaching experts in local schools. Together, these faculty and teaching practitioners prepare CSU students for an exciting career teaching mathematics or science. This program allows participating students to acquire a deep understanding of their fields of study; explore mathematics or science teaching as a career; and develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for teaching. Upon completion of the program, students will earn a CSU degree in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, or mathematics and be qualified to teach in a middle school or high school after passing the appropriate state certification examinations. The first graduates of this program are expected in May 2014.
We provide an update on institutional programs undertaken as part of the STEM-II Initiative at Co... more We provide an update on institutional programs undertaken as part of the STEM-II Initiative at Columbus State University and describe additional programs that have grown out of the STEM Initiative. Current STEM Initiative projects include a peer instruction leader program for core math and science courses, a faculty mini-grants program to promote scholarship on teaching and learning and awareness of best practices models, and a service learning course. Offshoots of the STEM Initiative include a Math and Science Teaching Council, a Math & Science Learning Center to support student success and promote studies of math and science, a $1.4 million UTeach replication grant, and a $1.2 million Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program grant
The Columbus Region Academy of Future Teachers of STEM (CRAFT-STEM), a Phase I Robert Noyce Teach... more The Columbus Region Academy of Future Teachers of STEM (CRAFT-STEM), a Phase I Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, combines internships and scholarships, an exciting summer STEM Honors Camp, a new Teaching Connections Seminar, and an impressive array of existing resources to recruit, prepare, and graduate an increasing number of STEM teachers committed to serving high need high schools. STEM Education at CSU • Currently, CSU educates at least 60% of the area’s teachers. • However, Georgia produces very few teachers in certain areas of STEM, consistent with national trends. • CSU has mirrored this trend. • High teacher attrition rates exacerbate the problem: over half leave within 5 years. • What can CSU do to change this equation?
The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program offers academic and financial support for students p... more The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program offers academic and financial support for students pursuing secondary teaching certificates in STEM fields. In return, students commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts. The Noyce Program has had uneven results in increasing the number of teachers in high needs schools. Large scale studies of its impact indicate the program is not likely to influence decisions to teach but may persuade participants to initially teach in high needs schools. To better understand the influence of the Noyce Program, we offer case studies of two Noyce scholarship recipients at different stages: (1) a former scholarship recipient who has graduated and is currently teaching, and (2) a second-year recipient who is currently pursuing a teaching certificate. This qualitative analysis provides insights that may have implications for optimizing scholarship programs for recruiting and retaining highly qualified STEM teachers.
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