scholarly journals The shaping of climate science: half a century in personal perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Barry
Keyword(s):  
Data Center ◽  
Climate Science ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Personal Perspective ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
The Andes ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University ◽  
Early Training

Abstract. The paper traces my career as a climatologist from the 1950s and that of most of my graduate students from the late 1960s. These decades were the formative ones in the evolution of climate science. Following a brief account of the history of climatology, a summary of my early training, my initial teaching and research in the UK is discussed. This is followed by new directions at the University of Colorado, Boulder from October 1968. The history of the World Data Center for Glaciology/National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder from 1977 is described and climate-cryosphere initiatives at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES). International activities and links are then reported, followed by a section on national and international committees. I then describe my activities during sabbaticals and research leaves. The paper concludes with discussion of my "retirement" activities and an epilogue. The paper is based on a lecture given at the Roger Barry Symposium: A Chronicle of Distinction: From the Arctic to the Andes, at the University of Colorado, 10 August 2004 and updated to 2014.

The Unfinished Sexual Revolution

1971 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Revolution ◽  
Editorial Note ◽  
Memorial Lecture ◽  
Human Welfare ◽  
The World ◽  
Control Clinic ◽  
History Of ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

Editorial note. March 17th, 1971 was the fiftieth anniversary of the opening by Marie Stopes of her birth control clinic in Holloway, London, the first of its kind in the UK and possibly in the world. In recognition of this notable event, the Board of the Marie Stopes Memorial Foundation, in conjunction with the University of York, has established a Marie Stopes Memorial Lecture to be given annually for a term of years. The first of the series was delivered on 12th March in the Department of Sociology, University of York, by Mr Laurie Taylor of that department. In introducing the speaker, Dr G. C. L. Bertram, the Chairman, emphasized the great contribution made by Marie Stopes to human welfare and gave a brief history of the clinic, which was soon moved to Whitfield Street. On Marie Stopes' death in 1958 the Memorial Foundation was set up to manage the clinic, still in Whitfield Street, and as a working monument to a great women.Mr Taylor's script is printed below as delivered and it will be seen that the lecture was a notable one. Not only that, but it was delivered with the verve of a Shakespearean actor and the members of the large and appreciative audience will not readily forget the occasion.

HISTORY OF ARCTIC EXPLORATION: A SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHIC REVIEW

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-87
Author(s):  
E.N. Kasyanchuk ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Public Access ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Geographical Society ◽  
History Of ◽  
High Quality Information ◽  
Arctic Exploration ◽  
Northern Territories ◽  
The University

The paper presents the activities of the Scientific Library of the Siberian Federal University on the development and implementation of the project “Creation of a Scientific and Educational Geographical Library in SFU”. This project was launched jointly with the Russian Geographical Society. The goal of the project is to form and provide users with high-quality information and educational resource on the profile and topics of the main directions of development of geographical sciences, popularization of geographical knowledge. The activity of the library in the field of formation of unified information scientific and educational space, in the context of the main directions, reflecting the development strategy of the SibFU is analysed. The study of the Arctic is one of the priority tasks of the university. The Arctic vector plays an important role in creating a new library model, in the context of the formation of information resources: the works of SibFU scientists related to the study of Siberia and the Arctic, and providing public access to the accumulated knowledge. The basis of this collection is a unique collection of documents by S. B. Slevich, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Ecological Academy. The paper discusses the activities for the implementation of the project. The library forms a collection of documents on topics - indigenous peoples, ecology of the Far North, industrial development of northern territories, construction on permafrost and digitizes rare publications. A geographic reading room has been opened to organize access to resources. Together with the Presidential Library. B.N. Yeltsin annually held a scientific and practical seminar “Arctic Day at the Siberian Federal University”. Ways of further work to promote the project have been identified.

scholarly journals Jar-by-Jar: Curation Improvements to the Herpetology Collection at CUMNH

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. e25853
Author(s):  
Emily Braker
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Location Tracking ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
Routine Monitoring ◽  
History Of ◽  
Fluid Collections ◽  
The University ◽  
Collection Program

The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History (CUMNH) Herpetology Collection is comprised of over 65,000 fluid-preserved specimens representing over 2,500 taxa from more than 70 countries. Despite its active use, a history of irregular topping up schedules and a decades-long dearth in rehousing projects due to budgetary constraints left the collection in substandard conditions. A 2015 survey of roughly 10% of the collection revealed average ethanol concentrations far below desired levels, with only 15% of specimen jars surveyed containing optimal preservative strengths of 70% (+/- 2.5%). In Fall 2017, CUMNH secured an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant to holistically address shortcomings in the micro- and macro-storage environments within the Herpetology Collection. Program activities include jar-by-jar ethanol remediation using a digital density meter and a topping up algorithm proposed by Notton 2010, collection-wide replacement of faulty jars and lids, and installation of new static and mobile compactor shelving. Updates to nomenclature and a full specimen inventory including condition and location tracking in Arctos also fall within the project scope. This talk will cover progress thus far, our approaches to moving a collection in place, and systematic remedial topping up as a valuable counterpart to routine monitoring in fluid collections.

Erin Espelie

2019 ◽  
pp. 275-294
Author(s):  
Scott MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Cornell University ◽  
Avant Garde ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
Lanthanide Series ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Short Films ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University

Artist/scientist Erin Espelie was trained at Cornell University as a biologist, but turned down opportunities to study biology at the graduate level at Harvard and MIT in order to explore the New York City theater scene, before finding her way into independent, “avant-garde” filmmaking, first exploring her interests in biology and the history of science in a series of short films, then producing the remarkable essay-film The Lanthanide Series (2014), which explores the importance of the “rare earths” (the elements with atomic numbers 57–71) for modern communication and informational technologies. The imagery for The Lanthanide Series was recorded, almost entirely, off the reflective surface of an iPad. In her work as a moving-image artist, Espelie combines poetry, science, environmental politics, and modern digital technologies within videos that defy traditional knowledge categories. She is currently editor in chief for Natural History magazine and a director of the NEST (Nature, Environment, Science & Technology) Studio for the Arts at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

scholarly journals Web-Based Reanalysis Intercomparison Tools (WRIT) for Analysis and Comparison of Reanalyses and Other Datasets

2014 ◽  
Vol 95 (11) ◽  
pp. 1671-1678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Smith ◽  
Gilbert P. Compo ◽  
Don K. Hooper
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Climate Science ◽  
Data Access ◽  
Physical Sciences ◽  
Web Based ◽  
University Of Colorado ◽  
Standard Pressure ◽  
Climate Analysis ◽  
The University ◽  
Reanalysis Intercomparison

While atmospheric reanalysis datasets are widely used in climate science, many technical issues hinder comparing them to each other and to observations. The reanalysis fields are stored in diverse file architectures, data formats, and resolutions. Their metadata, such as variable name and units, can also differ. Individual users have to download the fields, convert them to a common format, store them locally, change variable names, regrid if needed, and convert units. Even if a dataset can be read via the Open-Source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (commonly known as OPeNDAP) or a similar protocol, most of this work is still needed. All of these tasks take time, effort, and money. Our group at the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado and affiliated colleagues at the NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory Physical Sciences Division have expertise both in making reanalysis datasets available and in creating web-based climate analysis tools that have been widely used throughout the meteorological community. To overcome some of the obstacles in reanalysis intercomparison, we have created a set of web-based Reanalysis Intercomparison Tools (WRIT) at www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/writ/. WRIT allows users to easily plot and compare reanalysis datasets, and to test hypotheses. For standard pressure-level and surface variables there are tools to plot trajectories, monthly mean maps and vertical cross sections, and monthly mean time series. Some observational datasets are also included. Users can refine date, statistics, and plotting options. WRIT also facilitates the mission of the Reanalyses.org website as a convenient toolkit for studying the reanalysis datasets.

scholarly journals Skraelings by R. & S. Qitsualik-Tinsley

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Oral Storytelling ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
History Of ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
The University ◽  
Blue Eyes

Qitsualik-Tinsley, Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley.  Skraelings. Illus. Andrew Trabbold. Iqaluit, NU:  Inhabit Media, 2014. Print.This volume is the first in the Arctic Moon Magick series.  In it writing duo, Rachael and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, have recreated an Inuit world at the time of Viking contact, presented through the eyes of a young Inuit hunter, Kannujaq.  In his travels, he comes across people of the Tuniit culture, of whom he has only heard legends.  He meets Siku, a boy-shaman, whose name means “ice” and is named for his blue eyes.  The Tuniit have been attacked in the past by Vikings from Greenland.  They return each spring and Kannujaq finds himself in the middle of a battle, where he becomes a reluctant warrior. The title Skraelings, which means “Weaklings”, is a Viking taunt to the Tuniit.This is a well written chapter book for ages 12 and older and the language is age-appropriate. There are a few black and white drawings that complement the text.   While much of the story proceeds logically along the plot line,  occasionally, the authors break in, not as narrators, but simply to give the reader additional information.  For example:  "Oh, we forgot to tell you:  Shamans were pretty clever when it came to the things that plants and other natural materials could do" (p. 26). While this is unusual in a novel and breaks the flow of the story, it is completely in keeping with oral storytelling and is rather endearing.  However, this book should not be mistaken for simple story.  It is an engaging read, culminating in a final plot twist that demonstrates the authors’ broad and compassionate understanding of the regional history of the Eastern Arctic. This is an excellent work and unique in young adult Arctic literature.  It should definitely be included in junior high and middle school libraries and public libraries everywhere.Recommendation:  4 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give. 

scholarly journals 'You've been frameworked': evaluating an approach to digital and information literacy at the Open University

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine Reedy ◽  
Robin Goodfellow
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Cultural Change ◽  
Middle Managers ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Digital Skills ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University ◽  
Staff Engagement

This article explores the effectiveness of the Open University's (OU's) Digital and information literacy (DIL) framework (Reedy and Goodfellow, 2012) in promoting the integration of digital skills into modules and qualifications - a key strategic priority for the university - and in contributing to cultural change in the digital practices of teachers and learners - a key aim for the UK HE sector as a whole. We trace the history of digital and information literacy in the OU curriculum and elsewhere, leading up to the development of the framework. Four sets of interviews tell the story of academic and library staff engagement with it. These case studies are supplemented by two further interviews giving the perspective of OU middle managers responsible respectively for learning design and digital and information literacy development. We evaluate the success of the framework, and suggest how it might be further developed in future. Conclusions point strongly towards the need to involve students in shaping their own skills development, as found in other recent research (for example, Jisc, 2011a; 2011b).

Quality Processes in Distance Education

2011 ◽  
pp. 1728-1733
Author(s):  
Alistair Inglis
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Failure Rates ◽  
Broadcast Media ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Type ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

Practitioners and providers in distance education owe a great debt to the founders of the UK Open University (UKOU). The history of distance education can be broken into two eras, each separated by the successful establishment of the UKOU. The UKOU had as strong an incentive as any institution to improve quality — its very survival is dependent on its success. Prior to the establishment of the UKOU, distance education (or correspondence education, or extramural studies or external studies, as it was then known) was characterized by high attrition and high failure rates (White, 1974). The UKOU planners recognized this fact. They realized that, for the University to succeed, the causes of the high attrition and high failure rates had to be addressed. The fact that the University continues to this day is testament to its success. The way in which the UKOU tackled the issue of quality, carries some lessons for distance education providers today. It did so, not by targeting one key area, but by tackling the range of factors that affect the quality of a student’s experience of studying at a distance: by investing heavily in the presentation quality of materials; by making innovative use of media, (particularly the broadcast media); by putting in place a new type of organisational structure to support teaching staff in the work of course design, teaching, and assessment; and by building up a range of other support functions: establishing local study centres, employing local tutors, and instituting a program of residential schools.

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