Lichtenberger Engineering Library

Jun 25 2018

Do You Have Your Head In the Clouds?

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Carol Johnk

Vermont Sky. Cirrocumulus Cloud. Photo Credit: Roger Grow, Vermont

Do you remember lying on your back on the grass and looking at the clouds – finding the shapes, marveling at all the differences? The types, the colors? Looking through old family slides and photos I discovered my father took a lot of pictures of clouds – as do I, my brother and my daughter. There is just something endlessly fascinating about them.

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down, and still somehow

It’s clouds illusions I recall

I really don’t know clouds at all

– Joni Mitchell, 1967

Here in the library we have, not surprisingly, a lot of books on the physics and chemistry of clouds (for resources, check the list below). But for this blog, I’m going to draw on the appearance of clouds in arts and culture. Perhaps it is their beauty and majesty that has attracted scientists to the study of clouds, for that has what has drawn poets, painters, songwriters, and photographers throughout the ages. (Interesting fact: The art of seeing shapes in shapeless forms is pareidolia.)

A “Rubber Ducky” Cloud – aka Cumulus. Kari Kozak, Utah

An example of how far back clouds appear in literature, back in the fifth-century, the playwright Aristophanes, “cast a chorus of clouds as the source of ‘airy’ thinking. (pg 7, Clouds). Indeed, there are many sayings about clouds: “head in the clouds,” “nebulous,” “foggy,” and “cloud the issue.” Richard Hamblyn, author of Clouds, wonders if the saying “on cloud nine” might come from a story from the early life of Buddha. The story is that Buddha summoned a small cloud which ferried him over the Ganges, and “the Buddhist cosmology contains a tenfold cloud taxonomy whose stages mirror the tenfold ascent to enlightenment.” The 9^th step is “the great bright clouds of refuge,” hence (perhaps) being on cloud nine! There are also frescoes and paintings as clouds from as far back as the 1200s. The fascination with clouds has a long history!

The 2nd known tornado photograph, taken in Howard City, South Dakota, on Aug. 28, 1884. *Clouds*. pg 152

From the early days of photography, photos have been taken of clouds and storms. We may be used to taking cloud photos with our DSLR cameras, or our phones, but the technology in those early days made taking good photos very difficult. It took minutes, not seconds, to take a photo using the photographic plates, and those minutes often made the sky overexposed. One solution, used by many photographers, was to take extra, under-exposed photos and superimpose them over the overexposed plate. Superimposing one photo over another can be used in digital photo editing programs – there has been some controversy concerning the use – and overuse – of digitally edited photos. However, that practice has been going on a long time!

Talking about clouds and photography wouldn’t be complete with touching on clouds and storms in movies and videos. While we are talking tornadoes (see photo at left!), the famous tornado in The Wizard of Oz was constructed from a muslin wind-sock which was suspended from a metal gantry. It is still considered to be one of the most convincing tornadoes in Hollywood history!

And then there’s the music – see the Joni Mitchell quote above. Music and clouds just seem to go together. In 1867 the French astronomer and science writer Camille Flammarion was floating in his hot air balloon. He drifted into a high, thick cloud and could no longer tell in which direction he was traveling. Suddenly he heard instrumental music “which seem[ed] to come from the cloud itself and from a distance of a few yards only from us.” There was high humidity in the cloud and this helped funnel a band concert which was playing in a town square far below. Recently artists have begun to explore the acoustic resonance of the upper atmosphere. In 2004 Usman Haque launched Sky Ear – a cloud of 1,000 helium balloons with a payload of mobile phones, sensor circuits, and flashing LEDs. The phones picked up the whistles and hums that fill the sky – the phones were set to automatically answer therefore letting observers call the phones and listen to the “music of the spheres.”

Musicians and songwriters have long gotten their inspiration from clouds. Here’s a (very) short list (in no particular order)!

Get Off My Cloud; The Rolling Stones
Both Sides Now; Joni Mitchell
Cloud 9; George Harrison
Kickin’ the Clouds Away; George Gershwin
Small Dark Cloud; Kenny Rogers
Three Piano Pieces, EG 100: Storm Clouds
Floating Clouds; Rick Wakeman
Heavy Cloud No Rain; Sting

And the list goes on and on!!

Iowa Sky. Culumonimbus Cloud. Photo Credit: James M. Cox, Iowa

If you are someone who goes around with your “head in the clouds” most of the time there is The Cloud Appreciation Society. Really! It now has over 40,00 members from nearly 120 countries! The society has recently teamed with NASA and have a Cloudspotter app. The information gathered submitted by the app users (from around the globe) will be used by NASA to help calibrate their CERES cloud-observing satellite instruments! You can continue to look up to the skies and help NASA at the same time!

If signing up with the Cloudspotter app isn’t your thing, but you still want to know which clouds are which and what differentiates one cloud from another, The Cloud Book : How to Understand the Skies, has a wealth of information about clouds accompanied by stunning, full-color photographs of each type of cloud.

Here’s a Sky Watcher Chart. Go out – look up! How many different types of clouds can you see?

Resources:

Hambly, Richard. 2017. Clouds. London, UK : Reaktion Books, Ltd. Engineering Library QC921 .H35 2017

Lohmann, Ulrike. 2016. Introduction to Clouds, Aerosols and Precipitation. Cambridge University Press. Engineering Library QC921 .L74 2016

CloudSpotter : Your virtual guide to the wonders of the sky. The Cloud Appreciation Society. Date accessed: June 14, 2018.

Hamblyn, Richard. 2008. The cloud book : how to understand the skies. Cincinnati, Ohio : D&C David & Charles : In association with the Met Office. Engineering Library QC921 .H348 2008.

Qiu, Meikang; Keke Gai. 2017. Mobile cloud computing : models, implementation, and security. Boca Raton : CRC Press, Taylor & Francis. Engineering Library QA76.585 .Q58 2017

More Resources:

Randall, David A. 2012. Atmosphere, Clouds, and Climate. Princeton : Princeton University Press. Engineering Library QC981 .R36 2012

Lohmann, Ulrike. 2016. Introduction to Clouds, Aerosols and Precipitation. Cambridge University Press. Engineering Library QC921 .L74 2016

Baianov, I. M. 2011. Cloud Formation. New York : Nova Science Publishers. Engineering Library QC921.6 D95 B35 2011

I am, obviously, not talking about the vast field of cloud computing – that is beyond the scope of this blog. However, if you’d like more information about cloud computing, check the resources below!

Ruparelia, Nayan. 2016. Cloud Computing. Cambridge, Massachusetts : The MIT Press. Engineering Library QA76.585 .R87 2016

Foster, Ian. Dennis B. Gannon. 2017. Cloud Computing for Science and Engineering. Cambridge, Massachesetts : The MIT Press. Engineering Library QA76.585 .F67 2017

May 24 2018

May the F=mA Be With You!

Posted on May 24, 2018July 2, 2018 by Carol Johnk

The next chapter in the Star Wars^© franchise will be released at the end of this week. Have you ever wondered about physics in that galaxy far, far away?

How did Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon make the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs, when a parsec is a unit of distance and not of time? Is it possible to build a podracer with our current technology? How about lightsabers – are they laser (i.e, light) or contained plasma? Could we possibly live in a cloud, like Cloud City on Bespin? And, in my mind at least, the ultimate question – is there actually a Force, a field what surrounds and penetrates all beings?

Author Patrick Johnson explores these and oh, so many more fascinating topics in The Physics of Star Wars. In sections ranging from Space, Planetary Science, Space Travel, Handheld Weaponry, Heavy Weaponry, the Force, Robotics, and other tech, Johnson provides a brief introduction, and then the backstory, before delving into the actual physics. He then progresses into “the physics of real life.”

Photo Courtesy: CT Cooper/Wikimedia Commons

Let’s look at the climates on various planets. For example, Hoth is an “ice planet.” The fact that Hoth is an ice planet is consistent with its distance from its star – that’s what we see in our own solar system. A big difference, however, is that Hoth has snow and frozen planets are generally made up of frozen nitrogen or methane, and not water. No water, no snow. Also, the temperatures would be so low that surviving in a tauntaun would be impossible…. Tatooine, on the other hand, is very hot and dry – consistent with having two suns. And that leads us to moisture farming. If an environment doesn’t provide easy access to water, organisms (in this case, humans) are inventive and find other ways to distribute the water necessary for life. Thus, moisture farming is developed on Tatooine. Luke Skywalker’s Uncle Owen’s moisture farm uses moisture vaporators. Basically, ambient air flows into the vaparator, the air comes into contact with a coiled pipe using some sort of coolant, which causes some of the moisture in the air to turn into water which is then collected and saved for later. Possible here on earth? Peru’s University of Engineering & Technology has combined atmospheric water generation and advertising. Yes, advertising. They designed a billboard which pulls water from the air, filters it, then delivers it to a cistern. Moisture farming on earth? Possible and happening!

Now. The Millennium Falcon. How can it make the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs when a parsec is a unit of distance? Johnson explains it using an ant analogy. Two ants are walking at the same pace and moving from point A to point B. In the direct path is an antlion (think sarlacc). Ant 1 walks the long way around the antlion for safety. Ant 2 walks a bit closer to the antlion. Ant 2 will have traveled to point B in fewer parsecs than ant 1. Now add in varying speeds (because what would a race be if everyone was traveling at the same rate of speed?). So ant 2 is not only braver (by walking closer to the antlion) but also faster than ant 1. Voilà! The Millennium Falcon has now made the Kessel run in fewer than 12 parsecs!

How can twins, Luke and Leia, be different ages? In A New Hope, Luke is described as being 20 years old, while Leia is supposedly 18 years of age. What about Jedi mind tricks? Or the fascinating robotics of R2-D2, C-3PO, or BB-8?

For answers to these, and many other, fascinating facets of the Star Wars universe, you’ll have to check out The Physics of Star Wars! I shall share no more physics spoilers!

Resources:

Johnson, Patrick. 2017. The Physics of Star Wars : the science behind a galaxy far, far away. Avon, Massachusetts : Adams Media. Engineering Library QC75 .J64 2017

Other Resources:

Want more Star Wars?:

Burton, Bonnie, 2011. The Star Wars craft book. New York : Del Rey/Ballantine Books. Engineering Library TT157 .B87 2011

Packing for Space!

Posted on May 3, 2018May 4, 2018 by Carol Johnk

Happy Star Wars Day – May the 4th Be With You! And the first Friday in May is National Space Day! So, tomorrow, May 4^th, 2018, is truly a space-lover’s day! Besides a movie marathon, what better way to spend your day than by learning about what it actually takes to get to space!

If you are like me you know – vaguely (read almost nil) – about how much engineering, technology, planning, creating, and training go into getting a rocket to the lift-off stage. Think of the engineering and mechanics of building a space rocket which can safely be launched into space, orbiting the earth or the moon and coming back to earth – or traveling across the galaxy to planets like Mars. How did we get to the point where we actually can put human beings into a machine and blast them into space?

Micahel is examined after his successful space flight. Photo by Robert Sisson, used with permission of the National Geographic Society. “Animals in Space,” pg 57

Between 1948 to 1960, animals, biologically speaking, were the space program. Animals were the test subjects who were used to understand the effects of acceleration and deceleration, vibration, noise, extremes in temperature, weightlessness, and all the other hazards which might be limitations to sending human beings into space. Briefly, dogs and monkeys were used in those first biological tests. Capsules were built around them and extensive training and preparation went into getting them ready for their flights. Engineering those first capsules was complicated – the engineers and scientists had to work together to design a capsule which would hold an anesthetized monkey, enough oxygen to last about 2 hours, chemicals to absorb the carbon dioxide from the breathing monkey, with enough room for the instruments needed to measure breathing and heart rate. The monkeys also needed to be chosen and prepared. Two Macaca mulatta rhesus monkeys were chosen because of high intelligence and physiological similarities to humans. The Project was dubbed “Project Albert,” although no one is quite sure why. The first capsule wasn’t pretty – it needed extra welding and caulking to be sure it was airtight, but was satisfactory! An anecdote about one of the 2 monkeys: One of the monkeys managed to escape through a broken window. Three weeks later the air force base received a letter from the Tampa City Police Station, stating they were holding a captive monkey. The wayward monkey snuck into a woman’s immaculate kitchen which surprised both her and the monkey. The monkey threw teacups and saucers at her and she chased him around her kitchen. She had to be compensated for her broken crockery and the monkey was taken into custody!

Kozyavka is readied for one of her flights in 1956. Photo from author’s collection, Colin Burgess, “Animals in Space” pg. 72.

The Russian space program worked with dogs. The dogs had to be small (between 13 & 16 pounds), and between the ages of 18 months to 6 years. They were separated by personality (i.e. restless vs lethargic), then were put through a training program to see how they would respond to situations such as small spaces, loud noises, & isolation. The dogs went through rigorous training, but also lived a rather pampered life; large wooden cages, daily walks, a well-rounded diet, and were closely monitored by a veterinarian. Here’s an anecdote about the dogs in the Russian space program: One of the dogs scheduled to fly was named Bobik. Bobik ran off the day before his scheduled flight. They quickly found a stray dog and named him ZIB – which stands for “substitute for missing dog Bobik.”

For more fascinating stories about animals and space flight check out Animals in Space: From Research Rockets to the Space Shuttle.

All the flights the animals took were the precursor to human beings rocketing into space. It has been said one of the biggest problem of space flight is the human machine. A person has a fluctuating metabolism, come in different sizes, needs oxygen & food, etc. . . . Planning for humans and space flight or life on a space station includes preparing for a myriad of possibilities. Ever thought about bathing in space? Gemini VII was launched on Dec. 4, 1965 as a medical “dress-rehearsal” for the Apollo program, before which there was a two-week simulation. Minimal meant “no bathing or sponging of the body, no shaving, no hair and nail grooming . . . no changing of clothes and bed linen, the use of substandard oral hygiene, and minimal use of wipes.” (Packing for Mars, pg 194). One team of subjects lived and slept in these conditions for 4 weeks. Socks and underwear deteriorated and had to be replaced. When the subjects removed their helmets (and the body odors escaped) the stench was literally nauseating. The test subjects were then ushered, one by one, into a shower and the scientists would collect the runoff for scientific analysis. (yes, really).

Now think about all the research, testing, and trials that have gone into how to handle bodily waste. . . and the training the astronauts must go through to use the space toilet. Without gravity the astronaut is actually not sitting on the toilet seat . . . And, oh yeah, there is drinking urine that has been run through a charcoal & osmosis bag… and motion sickness – are you throwing up? or down?

And food . . .The requirements for “Beef Sandwiches, Dehydrated (Bite-sized)” is six pages long . . . (the sandwich may not break when handled, and the coating must not chip or flake)….And, oh yes, the astronauts have to be willing and able to eat it…

I talked a bit about training the animals and testing to see how they would do in a confined space. Humans also have to be rigorously tested – living and working as a team in a confined space, weightlessness, and on and on. Japan has a unique and effective way of choosing teams of astronauts. For a detailed look read, “He’s Smart But His Birds Are Sloppy.” chapter 1 in Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. (I don’t think you’ll be sorry you read it – it’s quite fascinating!)

However you choose to celebrate Star Wars Day and International Space Day – think about all that goes into – and all that went before – launching a rocket, with human beings, into outer space!

May the 4th Be With You!

Resources:

Roach, Mary. 2010. Packing for Mars : the curious science of life in the void. New York : W.W. Norton Engineering Lilbrary QH327 .R63 2010

Burgess, Colin. 2007. Animals in space : from research rockets to the space shuttle. New York ; London : Springer. Engineering Library QH327 .B87 2007

Apr 22 2018

Earth Day 2018 – End Plastic Pollution!

Posted on April 22, 2018April 30, 2018 by Carol Johnk

Happy Earth Month^® 2018!!

Plastic Pollution!

This is the 48^th anniversary of Earth Month^® and the theme this year is Plastic Pollution. For the purposes of this blog, I’m only going to focus on marine plastic pollution. Learning about all the plastic pollution in our rivers and oceans is quite depressing and a bit scary. According to The OceanCleanup faq section – “we will never remove every last gram of plastic from the oceans.” However, they do go on to say that it is possible to facilitate a significant decrease – up to 50% – within 5 years (the web page is from 2018).

So, while this is perhaps the most depressing blog I have ever written, after I write about the seriousness of marine plastic pollution, I will present ways in which we – as individuals, communities, and corporations – can help reduce plastic pollution in our waterways and on our land.

Stop and think, really think, about all the plastic used during a day. You probably start out using a plastic toothbrush and perhaps a disposable razor. Do you use prepackaged meals (cold cuts, frozen meals, pre-cut vegetables, etc), plastic utensils when packing your lunch? Stop at the local coffee shop on your way to work or class and get a cold drink in a clear plastic cup? With a straw? Stop at the grocery store and pick up a few groceries, batteries, bottled water, and use the plastic shopping bags? Head to a local sports bar and have your drink in a plastic cup? Wash your dishes with dish soap in a plastic bottle? Have a baby or toddler? How many baby bottles, bottle nipples, and pacifiers do you have? You get the idea – I could go on and on.

Do you think about where all the plastics go when you are done with them? Hopefully you recycle as much as you can. If you use prepackaged food in plastic containers do you wash/rinse the dishes before you recycle? (did you know if you leave food in a recyclable container and put it in a recycle bin it contaminates the entire bin and everything must be dumped in a land fill? Clean your recyclables first!)

The vast majority of the plastic waste ends up in the world’s waterways and oceans. “It is only comparatively recently that the scale of marine contamination from plastics has been realised. Since plastics are light, strong, durable, and inexpensive, their usage is massive. Coupled with the fact that they can persist for centuries and are buoyant, it is perhaps not surprising that plastics make up between 60 and 80% of all marine debris.” (Marine Pollution and Human Health, pgs 84-85)

Photo: Marine Debris Program, Office of Response & Restoration

There is a sea of plastic garbage located halfway between Hawaii and California. It is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). It is the largest of 5 offshore plastic garbage zones in the world’s oceans. It is three times the size of France; two times the size of Texas. In 2015, Ocean Cleanup launched a fleet of 30 ships & boats to collect samples of the plastic in the GPGP. They collected 1.2 million plastic samples, which were hand counted, sorted, and classified by type and size. It took over 2 years to complete the classification.

Charles Moore, founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, discovered the GPGP in 1997. Two years later he went back with a fine-mesh net and measured the weight of the plastic in comparison the weight of the plankton. He found six times more plastic than plankton. Moore notes that on Kamilo Beach in Hawaii there are more plastic particles than sand particles – until you dig a foot down. On Pagan Island (between Hawaii and the Philippines) they have a “shopping beach. If the islanders need a cigarette lighter, or some flip-flops, or a toy . . . they go down to the shopping beach and pick it out of all the trash that’s washed up there from thousands of miles away.” (Garbage and Recycling, pg. 24).

None of this includes the sheer magnitude of sea creatures and marine birds that are killed and destroyed by the 1,000s because of the pollution. I also have not mentioned that plastic is manufactured from oil, which will eventually run out. . .

Okay, that’s the tip of the garbage-berg, so to speak. Now, what can be done? As I mentioned earlier, we will never be able to remove all the plastic from the oceans. BUT we can all have an impact on preventing the plastic pollution from getting worse. Garbage and Recycling suggests we need to reuse plastic and design plastic which can be reused – very little plastic can be melted down and molded into something else. The vast majority of plastic is contaminated with chemicals, and therefore not reusable.

There are steps that can be taken by you, as the consumer. Garbage and Recycling suggests the easiest way to make a difference is to give up plastic shopping bags and plastic water bottles – these are the largest contributors to plastic pollution. When shopping for items packaged in plastic, be aware that some items are in packaged in more plastic (or cardboard…) than is necessary. It can make it more obvious on the shelf, but is not good for the environment.

Earth Day 2018 has created resources to help individuals “take a personal journey and get ready for Earth Day 2018.” Most of us have heard the 3 Rs of Recycling: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Earth Day suggests the 5 Rs of Recycling:

Reduce: Cut down on amount of plastic used. For example, carry a reusable water bottle.
Refuse: Refuse to use the plastic – check for a non-plastic alternative. Do you need a plastic straw? Bamboo and metal straws are available.
Reuse: Find products that are designed for multiple uses. Reusable shopping bags, waxed lined bags instead of sandwich bags. Purchase items made from recycled plastic (for instance, I own a door mat made from recycled flip flops)
Recycle: Check with your city’s sanitation department to find out what they accept for recycling.
Remove: This is easy. Pick up plastic trash when you see it. Participate in community clean-up days.

Garbage and Recycling suggests buying 2^nd hand clothing or have a clothing swap with friends and neighbors. We don’t often think about what goes into producing our clothing. It will not only help the environment, it’s also easier on your pocketbook! It is also suggested to make art or other household projects. Try making this bottle cap lamp – find instructions here for 20 ways to reuse plastic bottles!

Known as “Mr. Trash Wheel,” this floating device sucks up plastic from polluted harbors. Photo: The Waterfront Partnership

Action is also being taken on a larger scale. Technology is helping businesses and communities become more creative with ways to clean waterways. For example, Baltimore is using “Mr. Trash Wheel,” and “Professor Trash Wheel,” which were invented by sailor and engineer John Kellett. A brewery, Saltwater Brewery, in Florida has created six-pack rings which feed marine life. They are made from beer by-products (barley & wheat) and are safe for both humans and fish to ingest. Magellan Manufacturers/We Conner have door mats made from recycled flip flops. Engineer Toby McCartney has been developing discarded plastic into asphalt which is being tested in the United Kingdom.

Photo from Earthship Global : Michael Reynolds official website.

In Garbage and Recycling we learn about an American architect, Michael Reynolds, who considers tires, bottles, and cans to be “natural resources.” He has used garbage and natural resources to design and build sustainable, self-sufficient homes called, “Earthships.” They are sturdy enough to withstand a force 9 earthquake and have been described as “magical,” and “beautiful.”

In 2009, Typhoon Ketsana flooded Taguig City in the Philippines. Water Lilies were partly to blame for the flooding – they multiply quickly and plugged drainage systems. However, a month before the typhoon hit, the city launched the Water Lily Project. The project trains residents to weave water lilies into bags, slippers, and Christmas decorations, which they can then sell, thus helping the local economy, too.

Jamil Shariff, author of 50 Green Projects for the Evil Genius, suggests paying attention to, and saving packaging which is not recyclable. Save the packaging and note where it was purchased. Then, take the packaging back to the store, ask to speak with the store manager, and explain that you think it is is not recyclable and you do not feel it is your responsibility, or the responsibility of the community, to bear the cost of recycling the packaging. An alternative method (and perhaps easier!) is to write to the manufacturer of the particular product. This can be especially effective if you state that this is why you won’t purchase the item. Companies need to sell their products and consumers who refuse to buy their products get their attention.

Want to discover how small or large your carbon footprint actually is? Go here for both an individual and small business carbon calculator.

In Living Green : A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability, author Greg Horn states: “Making small, individual changes can lead to broad, sweeping changes that will allow us to sustain ourselves for generations to come.”

Take that small, first step on your journey to help end plastic pollution and help save our planet!

*************

This video is from TheOceanCleanup

Resources:

Hester, R.E., 2011. Marine pollution and human health. Cambridge : Royal Society of Chemistry. Engineering Library GC1085 .M37 2011

Mancini, Candice, Editor. 2011. Garbage and recycling. Farmington Hills, MI : Greenhaven Press. Engineering Library TD792 .G365 2011

Barnett, Sloan. 2008. Green goes with everything : simple steps to a healthier life and a cleaner planet. New York : Atria Books. Engineering Library RA770 .B37 2008

Shariff, Jamil. 2009. 50 green projects for the evil genius. New York : McGraw-Hill Engineering Library GE195 .S47 2009

Horn, Greg. 2006. Living green : a practical guide for simple sustainability. Topanga, CA : Freedom Press. Engineering Library RA776.5 .H67 2006

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch : Making Waves: Episode 126. National Ocean Service.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch. March 29, 2018. NOAA Marine Debris Program : Office of Response & Restoration.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. 2018. The OceanCleanup.

Johnson, DJ, Feb. 21, 2017. 20 Ways to reuse and Recycle Empty Plastic Bottles. Budget Dumpster presents the Fill.

Earth Day 2018: End Plastic Pollution Countdown to April 22. The World’s Largest Environmental Movement. Earth Day Network.

Googly-Eyed Trash Eaters May Clean a Harbor Near You. The People v. Climate Change. National Geographic.

Wanshel, Elyse, May 31, 2016. Edible Rings on Six-Packs Feed Marine Life if They End Up in the Ocean. HuffPost, An Oath brand

United Kingdom testing durable roads made of recycled plastic. Digital Trends. Designtechnica Corporation. Date Accessed April 17, 2018

We envision a world free of plastic pollution. Algalita. Date Accessed: April 23, 2018

Other Resources:

From robotic bees to bacteria, the tech that is making for a greener tomorrow. Digital Trends : Emerging Tech. Date Accessed: April 23, 2018

Interested in learning more about whether recycling is the greener alternative when considering all the manufacturing costs? Check out the article Waste Not in New Scientist.

Waste Not. 7/22/17. New Scientist. v. 235, issue 3135, pgs. 39-43

Plastic Statistics : Plastic Ain’t so Fantastic. Ocean Crusaders. Date Accessed: April 18, 2018

For a list of plastics used in every day items, check this webpage from Robot Bonanaza

Apr 10 2018

Learn OpenRefine! New Learn & Create Xpress Class!!

Posted on April 10, 2018April 23, 2018 by Carol Johnk

Using OpenRefine for Cleaning Up Spreadsheet Data!!!

We have joined with the Engineering Technology Centers to present a new series of classes!! The Learn & Create Xpress Classes will cover a variety of topics and are scheduled for Thursday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. in the Engineering Library Creative Space. The classes are half an hour long and are limited to 20 participants. Click on the link to register! They are also FREE!!

This Thursday, April 12, 2018, the class is Using OpenRefine for Cleaning Up Spreadsheet Data! OpenRefine is a free tool for reviewing and cleaning up spreadsheet or tabular data. Save yourself a lot of time by using OpenRefine to identify and fix problems in your tabular data. Automated functions easily and quickly handle common problems, such as splitting cells that contain multiple data values, detecting duplicates and typos, standardizing date formats, and trimming extra spaces from cells. OpenRefine also keeps track of all your steps, so you can easily reuse them or undo them if necessary.

Feel Free to bring your own laptops and download the software before the class: https://github.com/OpenRefine/OpenRefine/wiki/Installation-Instructions

Brian Westra from Hardin Library for the Health Sciences is the presenter!

Final Learn & Create Xpress Class:

4/19/2018: 2D & Vector Design with CorelDRAW. CorelDRAW is a vector graphics editor and image-editing software package. Learn about power that CorelDRAW gives you to create digital art! Presenters: John Kostman & Diem Nguyen, Engineering Electronic Shop.

Xpress classes are limited to 20 participants – and they are filling up! To register for each class head to the Learn & Create Xpress Classes webpage! Each class has a registration link and the option of being put on a wait list if the class is already full!

Don’t miss out on learning about OpenRefine – sign up now!

Apr 06 2018

Join us for Library Events During Engineering Research Week!

Posted on April 6, 2018April 23, 2018 by Carol Johnk

The University of Iowa College of Engineering has expanded its traditional Annual Research Open House event into a Research Week, celebrated this year from April 9-13. The week now features numerous activities that showcase how Engineering impacts the university’s stratetic direction in conducting leading-edge research.

We are excited to be participating in Research Week!!

On Thursday, April 12, the 10 Kick-Start Award winners will be presenting posters and talking about their award-winning projects! Check here for information on the students and their fascinating and diverse projects! They will be presenting their posters between 2:00 and 4:00. Stop in!

Also on Thursday, April 12 is a free Learn & Create Xpress Class! It will be held in the Engineering Library Creative space beginning at 2:00 pm. Brian Westra from the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, will be presenting a class on OpenRefine. OpenRefine is a free tool for reviewing and cleaning up spreadsheet or tabular data! Save yourself a lot of time by using OpenRefine to identify and fix problems in your tabular data. Automated functions easily and quickly handle common problems, such as splitting cells that contain multiple data values, detecting duplicates and typos, standardizing date formats, and trimming extra spaces from cells. OpenRefine also keeps track of all your steps, so you can easily reuse them or undo them if necessary. Feel free to download the free software (here) and bring your own laptop to class. Class size is limited, so be sure to register today!

On Friday, April 13, 2:00 t0 4:00. Living Books will be available to check-out in the library! Join us as books come alive! Researchers stand in for books, you are able to “check them out” for 15 minutes and take that time to talk one-on-one with Engineers about their inspiring research! Researchers from the Dept of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering will be available! Come and learn more about research being done in your area of study or explore an entirely new area! Stop in and check out a living book! Refreshments will be provided!

Here is a comprehensive list of all the activities and opportunities going on throughout the week! All events are open to the public!

Monday, April 9

Mars Rover Prototype Demonstration
University of Iowa Robotics Club
The University of Iowa Robotics Club designed, built and programmed a prototype Mars rover to compete in The University Rover Challenge (URC). The URC is hosted annually by the Mars Society at their Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) near Hanksville, Utah. Teams competing in the University Rover Challenge build a rover to compete and perform varied tasks deep in the Utah desert simulating realistic Mars rover operation and procedures. Come see the Rover in action!
2:00 – 3:00, 2040 Seamans Center

Tuesday, April 10

Introduction to Systematic Reviews
Qianjin (Marina) Zhang, Engineering & Informatics Librarian
Systematic Reviews is a research method that is commonly used in medical and public health but increasingly adopted by researchers in education, social sciences and, even, engineering. This workshop will introduce concepts about systematic reviews and narrative reviews, which is also called literature reviews, and differences between the two types of reviews. We will also discuss when and how to conduct a systematic review as well as the library services that support your systematic review project
11:30 – 12:30, Creative Space, 2001 Seamans Center

Wednesday, April 11

20 Years of Saving Lives – Making Vehicles Safer
National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS) staff
Drive the NADS simulators and discuss how they could be used in your research, education, and outreach activities. Student-led research projects may be able to use the simulators at low or no cost!
11:30 a.m. -12:00 Noon – presentation, 12:00 Noon – 1:00 p.m. – simulator demonstrations, 4602 Seamans Center

Thursday, April 12

Going to Graduate School Workshop
Allan Guymon, DEO Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
This seminar is targeted to undergraduate student who are considering graduate school.
• The application process for graduate school
• Information about how to get financial support through fellowships & stipends
• Information on BS/MS program
• Future job opportunities
There will be a significant amount of times devoted to questions. Undergraduate students from all disciplines are invited to attend, Refreshments provided.
11:30 am – 12:30 pm, 3111 Seamans Center

Research Open House Poster Fair
More than 110 posters will showcase the research activities and accomplishments of the College of Engineering’s graduate and undergraduate students.
2nd Floor Lobby, Seamans Center
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
5:00-6:00 p.m., W10 Pappajohn Business Building.

Paul D. Scholz Symposium on Technology and its Role in Society
“Engineering and Natural Disasters.”
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
W10 Pappajohn Business Building
A panel of three speakers will each give a 5-10 minute presentation followed by a moderated discussion and questions from the audience. The speakers are Daniel Miller from Stanley Consultants, Ron Knoche from Iowa City Public Works, and Professor Gabriele Villarini from the IIHR–Hydroscience & Engineering. The free, public symposium was named in 1993 to honor the late Paul Scholz, 20-year Tau Beta Pi advisor and associate dean of the UI College of Engineering (1979-1992). Scholz was inducted as a member of the Legacy of Iowa Engineering in 2006.
Co-sponsors are the UI Tau Beta Pi chapter, Tau Beta Pi alumni, and the College of Engineering.

Friday, April 13

Student Recognition Luncheon
Hotel Vetro
11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m.
All faculty, staff and student poster presenters and judges are invited to attend, please RSVP to kristina-venzke@uiowa.edu.

Engineering Living Library
A living library has researchers stand in for books. Instead of checking out print books, library users can read a person’s bio and if they choose that “book” then there is a 10-15 minute check out time where the library user can ask the living book questions about their research. This is a fun and inviting event for all participants. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.
2:00 -4:00 p.m., 2001 Seamans Center

The university community and public are invited to attend any of the public scheduled events throughout the week.

Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to see all the innovation coming from the UI College of Engineering!

Apr 06 2018

Check Out a Living Book!

Posted on April 6, 2018April 23, 2018 by Carol Johnk

ENGINEERING LIVING LIBRARY EVENT!!

Friday, April 13, 2018

2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Lichtenberger Engineering Library

Friday the 13^th could turn out to be your lucky day!! Why? Because that’s the day we’re having a Living Book event! As part of National Library Week and the University of Iowa College of Engineering Research Week, we are providing the chance for you to check out Living Books!

From 2:00 to 4:00 pm on April 13^th, researchers will become “living books,” giving you the chance to check them out for a 10-15 minute period and talk one-on-one about their research! A perfect opportunity to visit with a researcher in your area of study – or explore and entirely different aspect of engineering!

Researchers from the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, will be in the Engineering Library eager to share their research experiences!

Amina Grant, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Researching Lead and Copper in Iowa Drinking Water. She will be available to talk about her research on small or very small water systems in Iowa. Talk with her about her research and her overarching goal of providing a publicly accessible database.

Benjamin King, Dept. of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, will be sharing Researching the Development of Aerosols for Targeted Drug Delivery in the Lungs. His research allowed him to design and synthesize polymer-coated gold nanoparticles functionalized for targeted delivery in the lungs. Check this Living Book out for 15 minutes and learn about his research dealing with inhaled therapies!

Researching Human Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants like PCBs, Pesticides, and Siloxanes is Rachel F. Marek’s research focus! Her research involves analysis of PCBs, their breakdown particles and other environmental contaminants. Her study involves monitoring pesticides at farm houses, lab experiments with siloxanes, and novel instrument applications for monitoring environmental contaminants to ascertain whether people – especially children – are exposed to harmful chemicals. Don’t miss the chance to explore Rachel’s research with her!

Michael Rendleman, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, will be available to discuss his research: Researching Cancer Outcome Prediction with Machine Learning and Genomics. Tumor characterization is an integral part of personalized oncological medicine. In his research, he applies ” machine learning algorithms and techniques to publicly-available clinical data to infer missing values and to predict positive patient outcomes.” Come visit and learn about how this will provide a new path for clinical decision support!

Researching Artificial Intelligence and Virtual and Augmented Reality to Facilitate Environmental Research is the fascinating topic on which Yusuf Sermet, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is working. A recent project with which he has been involved is “Flood Expert.” Flood Expert is “. . . an intelligent system designed to improve societal preparedness for flooding by providing a knowledge engine that uses voice recognition, AI (artificial intelligence), and NLP (natural language processing) . . . The interaction and delivery channels include voice and text input via web-based systems, agent-based chat bots (e.g., MS Skype, Facebook Messenger), smartphone and augmented reality applications (e.g., Google Now, MS Cortana, MS HoloLens), automated web workflows (e.g., IFTTT), and smart home devices (e.g., Google Home, Amazon Echo). . .

Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions and visit one-on-one with researchers! Mark your calendars now!

Friday, April 13, 2018

2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Lichtenberger Engineering Library

Apr 05 2018

Check Out The Creative Kick-Start Winners!!

Posted on April 5, 2018April 4, 2018 by Carol Johnk

CONGRATULATIONS 2017-2018 KICK-START WINNERS!!!

Kick-Start is a program which was developed by the Engineering Library and the Engineering Technology Centers and it is now in its 2^nd year! Engineering students – both undergrad and graduate – submit a proposal to receive funding for prototyping a new project or finishing a current project. Ten awards for $500 each were awarded. The funds for the Creative Kick-Start program have generously been provided by the Engineering Technology Centers.

Twenty-nine students are involved in the 10 winning entries this year. Each project has to have a sponsor and this year there are 8 faculty/staff who are sponsoring projects. The winning projects this year include an Acoustic Fire Suppression Device, The Bugle Chip, Convert Any Piano to a Player Piano, an Irrigation Control System, The KnowGlobe, a Metered Dose Sunscreen Device, Stable Eyes, The Talon Retractor, Terrestrial Satellite Acquisition and Tracking, and What’s Behind the Pink Ribbon: Tackling Truncal Lymphedema!

For more information about the Creative Kick-Start Program click here.

The application Review Committee members are Kari Kozak (Head, Lichtenberger Engineering Library), Jeff Nock (Entrepreneur in Residence/Lecturer, John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center), Spencer Stumpf (Inventions Manager, UI Research Foundation), and Danny Tang (Chief Technology Officer, College of Engineering).

Our Creative Kick-Start Program was inspired by the concept created by Adobe Kickbox & remixed by Elon University Kickbox.

Apr 02 2018

Camtasia & Video Creation! New Learn & Create Xpress Class!

Posted on April 2, 2018April 23, 2018 by Carol Johnk

This Thursday, April 5, 2018, the class is Camtasia & Video Creation! You’ll learn to create and edit video tutorials via screencast using the Camtasia software suite! PC World calls Camtasa a “full-featured education/information video tool.” John Kostman from the Engineering Electronic Shop is the presenter.

Future Learn & Create Xpress Classes:

4/12/2018: Managing Data with OpenRefine. Presenter: Brian Westra, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences.

Each of these classes are limited to 20 participants – and they are filling up! To register for each class head to the Learn & Create Xpress Classes webpage! Each class has a registration link and the option of being put on a wait list if the class is already full!

Don’t miss out on learning about the Camtasia software suite – sign up now!

Mar 14 2018

It’s Pi Day 2018!!

Posted on March 14, 2018March 14, 2018 by Carol Johnk

3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375105820974944592307816406286….

March 14^th is Pi Day!!!

Beginning geometry students might remember finding the area of a circle – pi x radius squared…. But, what is Pi (π) and why does it rate its very own day?

Pi is one of the most famous and mysterious of numbers. Defined as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to it’s diameter, Pi seems simple. However, it is an irrational number. An irrational number cannot be expressed exactly as a fraction and the decimal representation therefore never ends, nor does it ever settle into a permanent repeating pattern. Scientists have calculated billions of digits of Pi, starting with 3.14159265358979323…. with no end in sight. It could be calculated to infinity and there would be absolutely no way to know which number would come next.

Pi is not only irrational, it is also transcendental! A transcendental number is a number that is not a root of any algebraic equation having integral coefficients, as π or e. All transcendental numbers are irrational, but not all irrational numbers are transcendental. . .

Pi is used all around us every day – Christian Constanda, the University of Tulsa’s C.S. Oliphant professor of mathematical sciences, says, “Look at a football: when you compute the volume, then Pi gets involved in the formula.” Constanda also said, “If you drive through a puddle, creating a wave with the car, that involves Pi. If you see a tornado, that definitely involves Pi.”

Designers Cristian Ilies Vasile and Martin Krzywinski transformed the number pi into stunning works of art. Check out Martin’s website for an explanation of how he creates his amazing works.

Dots are used to represent the adjacency between digits showing the progression and transition for the first 10,000 digits of pi. DailyMail

Accuracy of 10,000 rational approximations of π for each m/n and m=1…10000. Martin Krzywinski.

Want to see what 100,00 digits of Pi look like? Go here.

Some Pi Day Fun Facts:

In the Star Trek^© television episode, Wolf in the Fold, Spock defeats an evil enemy in the Enterprise’s computer system. How? He ordered it to “compute to the last digit the value of pi.” Which we know can not be computed!
The number 360 occupies the 360^th position in the digits of Pi.
Divide the length of a river – with all the bends and curves – by the length of the river would be “as the crow flies,” the average ration will be approximately Pi. Watch this youtube video for an explanation!
In 2008 a crop circle with Pi embedded in it appeared near Barbury Castle in Wiltshire, England.

Want to impress your friends with how many digits of Pi you can recite? Here is a song that should help you remember….

^{The Pi Song. Originally sung by Hard ‘N Phirm. Sept. 17, 2006}

Take a look around today – how many instances of Pi can you find? Or sit and contemplate a piece of your favorite pie…

Just remember – you’d be irrational to not celebrate Pi Day!

Resources:

Adrian, Y. E. O.. The pleasures of pi,e and other interesting numbers. 2006. Singapore : World Scientific. Engineering Library QA95 .A2 2006

Posamentier, Alfred S. 2004. [Pi] : a biography of the world’s most mysterious number. Amherst, N.Y. : Prometheus Books. Engineering Library QA484 .P67 2004

Maths has never looked so appealing! Oct. 3, 2013. dailymail.com

The Pi Song. Originally sung by Hard ‘N Phirm. Sept. 17, 2006. youtube.com

Mead, Wendy. March 13, 2015. Fascinating Facts About Pi Day & Birthday Boy Albert Einstein. A&E Television Network, LLC. Bio.

Rouse, Margaret. Definition : Transcendental Number. TechTarget. WhatIs.com

West, Marc. July 1, 2008. Pi appears in a crop circle. +plus magazine .

Interesting Facts about Pi. 2016. Buzzle.com

Walton, Rod. March 14, 2014. Pi common in everyday life, not just dessert. Tulsa World .

Swanson, Ana. March 14, 2015. 10 stunning images show the beauty hidden in pi. The Washington Post .

Martin Krzywinski Science Art. 1999-2018. Martin Krzywinski.

Other Resources:

Stewart, Ian. 2013. Visions of infinity : the great mathematical problems. New York, NY : Basic Books. Engineering Library QA93 .S75 2013

Stewart, Ian. 2015. Professor Stewart’s incredible numbers. New York : NY : Basic Books. Engineering Library QA241 .S8123 2015

Happy Pi Day (3.14) Domino Spiral. March 13, 2011. youtube.com

May the 4th Be With You!

CONGRATULATIONS 2017-2018 KICK-START WINNERS!!!

March 14th is Pi Day!!!

March 14^th is Pi Day!!!