Place of History in the History of Science

This article aims to reflect on the place of history in the history of science from the perspective of Brazilian historiography of science, mainly according to the thought of the Brazilian physicist and historian of science, Carlos Alvarez Maia. Since the 1990s, Maia (2013) began to question why the history of science became (and still largely remains) a “history of absent historians” in the face of the predominance of history of science in the Natural Science Departments and the absence in History Departments. The dynamic and changing historiography of science itself reaffirms the lack of historical analyses using history’s methodological and conceptual apparatus. Thus, epistemological aspects appear interrelated to political-institutional issues. Consequently, one has a political-epistemological perspective for discussing the place – or non-place – of history in the history of science. The thought of Maia (2013) acts as an essential starting point for reflection. It constitutes a possible opening in constructing a consolidation of discussions about the impacts (of the absence and the presence of the conceptual apparatus of history) in developing new historiography of science conceptually historical.

Perceptions of animal welfare and animal welfare curricula offered for undergraduate and graduate students in Animal Science departments in the United States

While perceptions of animal welfare have been assessed in veterinary students and students internationally, there remains a gap in research concerning undergraduate and graduate student perspectives of animal welfare in animal science programs at colleges and universities across the United States. A survey was developed to assess current animal science student perspectives of the importance of animal welfare as part of their education, their knowledge of available educational opportunities, and resources they think should be included in animal welfare curricula. An online survey was distributed to a national listserv of university administrators of animal science programs in the United States. A total of 624 survey responses were statistically summarized. Most respondents were undergraduate students (78.0%, n = 487), between the ages of 18 and 24 (85.9%, n = 536), and female (86.1%, n = 537). Results indicated that despite most respondents not taking an animal welfare course previously (60.7%, n =379), most students strongly agreed that the inclusion of an animal welfare course is an important part of the animal science curriculum (72.0%, n=449), that animal welfare is an important component of their education (63.1%, n =394), and that animal welfare courses would be helpful for their future careers (70.0%, n =437). When asked what attributes would be most important in an animal welfare class, students identified many different types of information and resources. The majority of respondents answered that discussing current hot topics in animal welfare (76.1%, n=475), ethical discussions (76.0%, n=474), and practical, applied questions (75.3%, n=470) were important course components. Suggestions for future research include investigating how animal science student perceptions change before and after taking an animal welfare course and exploring opportunities to expand formal welfare education in animal science departments. Inclusion of animal welfare into the curriculum is critical as many of the students currently enrolled in animal science departments will become the future stakeholders in animal-focused industries.

The Skill of Making a Decision and its Relationship of Academic Achievement Among Students

This research aims to know the essence of the correlative relationship between decision-making skills and academic achievement among students of computer science departments in the colleges of education in the Baghdad governorate. The size of the research sample of students in the two colleges amounted to (200) male and female students distributed by (104) male and (96) female students. To measure the decision-making skill and academic achievement, the researcher built two tests, the first to measure the decision-making skill, and the second an achievement test in the numerical analysis subject prescribed for second-year students, Department of Computer Science, and the validity and reliability of each test was verified. After collecting and analyzing the data, the researchers concluded that the students of the computer science departments in the colleges of education in the province of Baghdad possessed the decision-making skill compared to the hypothetical average that was compared, while the female students outperformed the male students in the decision-making skill test that was prepared for this research. And their achievement is good compared to the hypothetical average that was compared, while the female students outperformed the male students in the achievement test for the subject of numerical analysis. There is a correlation between the decision-making skill and the academic achievement of the students as a whole. However, there is no correlation between the decision-making skill and the students' academic achievement, while there is an inverse correlation between the decision-making skill and the student's achievement. The research reached several recommendations.

Proceedings NSEC 2015 National Conference

2015 SMTI/NSEC National Conference Program Guide with abstracts and presentations.Theme: STEM Education Centers NetworkDates: June 3-4, 2015Start time: 8:00 am CT on June 3, 2015End time: 3:30 pm CT on June 4, 2015Location: Hotel Monteleone in New OrleansSpeakersKeynote: Susan R. Singer, Division Director for Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation and the Laurence McKinley Gould Professor, in the Biology and Cognitive Science Departments at Carleton College.

Biological Data Standards – A primer for data managers

While a bevy of standards exist for managers of biological data to use, biological science departments or projects could benefit from an easy to digest primer about biological data standards and the value they confer. Moreover, a quick visual breakdown comparing standards could help data managers choose those that best serve their needs. The Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) is a nonprofit that enables and supports high quality virtual and in-person collaborations between cross-domain data professionals on common data challenges and opportunities, and is supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The ESIP Biological Data Standards Cluster has been developing a primer on existing biological data standards for managers of biological data who may be unaware of existing standards but need to improve management, analysis, and use of the biological observation data. The goal of this primer is to spread awareness about existing standards in a simple, aesthetically pleasing way. Our hope is that this primer, shared online and at conferences, will help increase the adoption of existing biological standards and help make data more Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR).

Female computer science students: A qualitative exploration of women’s experiences studying computer science at university in the UK

The under-representation of w omen in computer science education courses is well documented, and the social and commercial need to address this is widely recognised. Previous literature offers some explanation for this gender imbalance, but there has been limited qualitative data to provide an in-depth understanding of existing quantitative findings. This study explores the lived experiences of female computer science students and how they experience the male dominated learning environment. Female computer science students from eight universities were interviewed (n = 23) and data were analysed using template analysis. Whilst these women have not been troubled by their sense of fit at university, a combination of stereotypical assumptions of male superiority in this field, and a masculine, agentic learning environment, has left them feeling less technologically capable and less motivated. The findings are discussed in terms of Cheryan et al.’s tripartite model for women’s participation in STEM (2017) and we recommend that computer science departments should consider feminist pedagogy to ensure that all learners can be well supported.

A Cradle of Chinese Physics Researchers

This chapter explores the development of the department of physics at Yenching University, an American-funded missionary institution in Beijing, China during the Republican period. It shows how the department evolved from a primitive premedical teaching program to a major center of physics education and research. It also reveals the significant role of the Rockefeller Foundation in this development, partly as the sponsor of the Premedical School of Peking Union Medical College. Founded in 1917, the Premedical School shared with Yenching’s science departments its advanced facilities and in 1926 became part of the university. In 1927, the department created a Master of Science program in physics, the first of its kind in China, promoting original research among its faculty and students. Before the Japanese army shut down the university in December 1941, more than ninety Chinese young men and women had completed their study in this department with a research thesis. A considerable number of Yenching graduates went on to earn their doctorates in America or Europe and subsequently returned home, becoming leading physicists in China in the twentieth century. Among them, Kun Huang (黃昆‎, Class 1941) and Chia-Lin Hsieh (謝家麟‎, Class 1943) even won the State Preeminent Science and Technology Awards, the highest scientific honor in China, in 2001 and 2011 respectively.

Oxford Studies in Political Philosophy Volume 7

This is the seventh volume of Oxford Studies in Political Philosophy. Since its revival in the 1970s political philosophy has been a vibrant field in philosophy, one that intersects with jurisprudence, normative economics, political theory in political science departments, and just war theory. OSPP aims to publish some of the best contemporary work in political philosophy and these closely related subfields. The chapters in this volume address a range of central topics and represent cutting-edge work in the field: the philosophy of work; political epistemology and social critique; the duty to save; politics, truth, and respect; perfectionist duties; public reason; autonomy-based arguments for democracy; and strict compliance.