Math – Sciences Library News

Cover image of The 50 most extreme places in our solar system

Sep 18 2020

Books for 2020: unusual books for an unusual year

Posted on September 18, 2020September 18, 2020 by Laurie Neuerburg

2020 has been an unusual year, to say the least. A pandemic, murder hornets, an Iowa derecho, hurricanes, racial injustice, wildfires, and most recently a discovery on Venus that points to potential alien life. It is a lot to take in and it can be a relief to bury oneself in reading. What else could 2020 bring? Check out these unusual books chosen to match an unusual year.

Aliens

Alien universe: extraterrestrial life in our mind and in the cosmos

Confessions of an alien hunter: a scientist’s search for extraterrestrial intelligence

Exoplanets: diamond worlds, super Earths, pulsar planets, and the new search for life beyond our solar system

Out there: a scientific guide to alien life

We are not alone: why we have already found extraterrestrial life

Apocalypse

Apocalypse when?: calculating how long the human race will survive

Earth-shattering: violent supernovas, galactic explosions, biological mayhem, nuclear meltdowns, and other hazards to life in our universe

Surviving the apocalypse in the suburbs: the thrivalist’s guide to life without oil

Climate Change

The conundrum: how scientific innovation, increased efficiency, and good intentions can make our energy and climate problems worse

Hack the planet: science’s best hope– or worst nightmare– for averting climate catastrophe

Our dying planet: an ecologist’s view of the crisis we face

Tropic of chaos: climate change and the new geography of violence

When the planet rages: natural disasters, global warming, and the future of the earth

Extreme weather

The 50 most extreme places in our solar system

Catastrophes!: earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and other earth-shattering disasters

Extreme weather: understanding the science of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, heat waves, snow storms, global warming and other atmospheric disturbances

Firestorm: how wildfire will shape our future

The weather of the future: heat waves, extreme storms, and other scenes from a climate-changed planet

Insects

American pests: the losing war on insects from colonial times to DDT

The American plague: the untold story of yellow fever, the epidemic that shaped our history

Big fleas have little fleas: how discoveries of invertebrate diseases are advancing modern science

The secret life of flies

Wicked bugs: the louse that conquered Napoleon’s army & other diabolical insects

Plague and disease

Ebola : the natural and human history of a deadly virus

The ghost map: the story of London’s most terrifying epidemic–and how it changed science, cities, and the modern world

Minnesota, 1918: when flu, fire, and war ravaged the state

Pandemonium : bird flu, mad cow disease, and other biological plagues of the 21st century

Flu: the story of the great influenza pandemic of 1918 and the search for the virus that caused it

Spillover: animal infections and the next human pandemic

Pale rider: the Spanish Flu of 1918 and how it changed the world

A planet of viruses

Racism

Bad blood: the Tuskegee syphilis experiment

Is science racist?

From Darwin to Hitler: evolutionary ethics, eugenics, and racism in Germany

The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks

Medical apartheid: the dark history of medical experimentation on Black Americans from colonial times to the present

Troublesome science: the misuse of genetics and genomics in understanding race

Bizarre

The 7 laws of magical thinking: how irrational beliefs keep us happy, healthy, and sane

13 things that don’t make sense: the most baffling scientific mysteries of our time

AsapSCIENCE: answers to the world’s weirdest questions, most persistent rumors, and unexplained phenomena

It looked good on paper: bizarre inventions, design disasters, and engineering follies

Too big to know: rethinking knowledge now that the facts aren’t the facts, experts are everywhere, and the smartest person in the room is the room

Willful ignorance: the mismeasure of uncertainty

Sep 10 2020

Find a comfortable place to study at the Sciences Library!

Posted on September 10, 2020 by Laurie Neuerburg

Head to the Sciences Library for a comfortable, quiet place to study! We offer a variety of study spots. There are many computer stations, study carrels and booths with USB and outlets for phones and computers, tables, and large mobile monitors to use for sharing your computer screen. This year we have new paint, new carpeting, and new rolling white boards!

The Sciences Library is located between Phillips Hall and the Biology Building on Iowa Ave. The building is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 6 PM. During the pandemic we have hygiene stations available with disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer. A face covering is required, and yellow stickers mark off seats that are to remain unoccupied. The book stacks are closed so that we can offer more electronic book access. If you would like to pick up a book, go to the service desk on the first floor.

Our live chat service is available during the day and also from 6-9 PM on Monday through Thursday, and 1-5 PM on Sunday.

Hope to see you soon!

Jun 12 2020

Antiracism Resources for the Sciences

Posted on June 12, 2020June 15, 2020 by Laurie Neuerburg

After #ShutDownAcademia, #ShutDownSTEM, and #Strike4BlackLives on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, there is a need to continue education and action about anti-racism. The CEO of American Association for the Advancement of Science, publisher of the journal Science, said that “When we hold up a mirror to the scientific enterprise, we see that it’s not only politicians and law enforcement that need to be reminded that Black lives matter.” A forthcoming special issue of Nature will be dedicated to exploring systemic racism in research, research policy and publishing in support of the Black lives matter movement. The sciences have not been impervious to racism, and there are resources for anti-racism education specifically for the sciences that will help all of us to create a better and more just world.

This past year Iowa City Darwin Day recorded two workshops about teaching biology without racial prejudice that have been recorded and are freely available for streaming online. The workshops are “Playing With Fire? How We Perpetuate Biological Beliefs About Race in the Classroom and How We Can Avoid It” and “Genomics Literacy Matters: Teaching Genomics to Prevent Racial Prejudice.” Additionally, there is an article in the New York Times about the curriculum taught by the workshop leaders called “Can Biology Class Reduce Racism?” which explains the necessity for classroom education that racial differences in achievement and other disparities are not due to genetics.

In the ebook Making Black Scientists: A Call to Action, Marybeth Gasman and Thai-Huy Nguyen offer ideas to help support and advance future black scientists based on their observations of successful outcomes at historically black colleges and universities. In Sisters in Science: Conversations with Black Women Scientists about Race, Gender, and Their Passion for Science and Notable Black American Scientists, learn the about stories of black scientists to amplify their voices and to inspire those who will follow in their footsteps. To find more in InfoHawk+, search on keywords such as Black scientists, African American scientists, minorities in science, or ask a librarian for assistance (lib-sciences@uiowa.edu).

The UI Libraries Antiracism guide provides information about understanding racism, resources for antiracist allies, support resources for people of color, and resources for parents and educators. This guide and the resources within it are meant to inspire reflection, education, and action for the University of Iowa community and beyond.

Sciences Library Trivia Night. Winner will receive a prize!

May 14 2020

All are invited to Sciences Library Trivia Night!

Posted on May 14, 2020June 8, 2020 by Laurie Neuerburg

All are welcome to join the Sciences Library for Trivia Night at 5 PM central on Fridays through July 10th! We will use Zoom and Kahoot, so join Zoom on your computer to see the trivia questions and use the browser on your smartphone to input your answers. We will do two rounds of questions and give away two prizes per evening. All are eligible to win the prize and the winning person in each round will receive a prize in the mail! Winner must provide name and mailing address to receive the prize. Register at https://uiowa.libwizard.com/f/uiscilibtrivia to receive the Zoom link. The Zoom link will be the same from week to week, so you only need to register one time. This is a free event and open to the public.

There will be two rounds of trivia each evening. The first round of trivia will be general questions. The second round will have a theme: animals on June 12, myths on June 19, movies on June 26, food on July 3, and fantasy on July 10.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Laurie Neuerburg in advance at 319-467-0216 or laurie-neuerburg@uiowa.edu.

Apr 21 2020

Sciences Library Trivia Night on Fridays!

Posted on April 21, 2020April 22, 2020 by Laurie Neuerburg

Hawkeyes, join the Sciences Library for Trivia Night on Fridays, April 24th to July 10th at 5 PM! The trivia will be led by student emcees Madison and Mason. The questions will be from various subjects such as science, arts & literature, history, pop culture, and sports. We will use Zoom and Kahoot, so join Zoom on your computer to see the trivia questions and use the browser on your smartphone to input your answers. We will do two rounds of questions and give away two vacuum insulated, stainless steel water bottles per evening! The winning Hawkeye student in each round will receive a water bottle in the mail! Register at https://uiowa.libwizard.com/f/trivia to receive the Zoom link. The Zoom link will be the same from week to week, so you only need to register one time. This is a free event.

Only University of Iowa students are eligible to win the prize. Winner must provide mailing address to receive the prize. All University of Iowa students faculty and staff are invited to play!

Apr 10 2020

Sciences Library Trivia Night

Posted on April 10, 2020April 13, 2020 by Laurie Neuerburg

Hawkeyes, join the Sciences Library for Trivia Night on Friday, April 17 at 5 PM! The trivia will be led by student emcees Madison and Mason. The categories will be science, arts & literature, history, pop culture, and sports. We will use Zoom and Kahoot, so join Zoom on your computer to see the trivia questions and use the browser on your smartphone to input your answers. The winning Hawkeye student will receive a vacuum insulated, stainless steel water bottle in the mail! Register at https://uiowa.libwizard.com/f/trivia to receive the Zoom link. This is a free event.

Only University of Iowa students are eligible to win the prize. Winner must provide mailing address to receive the prize. All University of Iowa students faculty and staff are invited to play!

Apr 09 2020

National Poetry Month: Science Edition

Posted on April 9, 2020April 10, 2020 by Laurie Neuerburg

National Poetry Month: Science Edition

It’s National Poetry Month, so if you would like to explore poetry about science and take a break from the uncertainty of life living through COVID-19, then you have come to the right place. All of the poetry listed below relates to science, including biology, chemistry, earth & environmental sciences, mathematics, and physics and astronomy. If you know of science poems that we could add to our list, you are welcome to email your suggestions to lib-sciences@uiowa.edu.

Amy Catanzano’s “World Lines: A Quantum Supercomputer Poem” https://physics.aps.org/articles/v11/103
Roald Hoffmann’s “Fluorite” http://roaldhoffmann.com/sites/all/files/fluorite.pdf
Daniel Halpern’s “Pandemania” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/56108/pandemania
Miroslav Holub’s “Brief Reflection on Accuracy” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51041/brief-reflection-on-accuracy
Sarah Howe’s “Relativity,” for Stephen Hawking https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/10/08/on-relativity/
A. Van Jordan’s “The Flash Reverses Time” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52983/the-flash-reverses-time
James Clerk Maxwell’s “To the Chief Musician upon Nabla: A Tyndallic Ode” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45778/to-the-chief-musician-upon-nabla-a-tyndallic-ode
Langdon Smith’s “Poems of Evolution” https://hdl.handle.net/2027/njp.32101072858507?urlappend=%3Bseq=5
Juliana Spahr’s “If You Were a Bluebird” https://granta.com/if-you-were-a-bluebird/
Maria Terrone’s “Madame Curie” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?volume=170&issue=2&page=13
Sallie Wolf’s “The Robin Makes a Laughing Sound” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/91101/the-robin-makes-a-laughing-sound

The following poems and poetry collections require HawkID authentication:

John Allman’s Curve away from stillness: science poems https://search.lib.uiowa.edu/permalink/f/9i2ftm/01IOWA_ALMA21304944470002771 (Hawkeyes can request a PDF of a book chapter)
Philip Appleman’s Darwin’s ark: poems https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b4449534 (You must log in through the University of Iowa Libraries HathiTrust Emergency Access)
Linda Bierds’ First hand: poems https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015060839589 (You must log in through the University of Iowa Libraries HathiTrust Emergency Access)
Ron Louie’s “Handwashing 0347” https://login.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/login?url=https://jamanetwork-com.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/journals/jama/fullarticle/2685991?resultClick=1 (Requires HawkID login)
Rick Mullin’s Sonnets from the Voyage of the Beagle https://search.lib.uiowa.edu/permalink/f/9i2ftm/01IOWA_ALMA21474189660002771 (Hawkeyes can request a PDF of a book chapter)
Ruth Padel’s Darwin: a life in poems https://search.lib.uiowa.edu/permalink/f/9i2ftm/01IOWA_ALMA21323792310002771 (Hawkeyes can request a PDF of a book chapter)
Peter Pereira’s Saying the world https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015060006569 (You must log in through the University of Iowa Libraries HathiTrust Emergency Access)
Jack Ridl’s Broken symmetry https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015063360237 (You must log in through the University of Iowa Libraries HathiTrust Emergency Access)

If you need help accessing these books or finding other items in the UI Libraries collection, email us (lib-sciences@uiowa.edu) any time, or live chat (www.lib.uiowa.edu/sciences/contact/) with us Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM.

Feb 28 2020

Katherine Johnson’s Legacy & Oral Histories

Posted on February 28, 2020March 4, 2020 by Laurie Neuerburg

As recognized through the book and movie Hidden Figures, Katherine Johnson was one of the first African American women to work at NASA as a human computer. Born in 1918, she attended a two-room school in West Virginia. She excelled at school and skipped ahead several grades. She earned her bachelor’s degree in French and mathematics at West Virginia State College (now called West Virginia State University) at the age of 18. She worked as a school teacher until moving on to work at Langley Research Center. In 1961, she performed the calculations for the first U.S. human flight into space, checked the computer’s calculations for the first human orbit around the Earth, and continued her impeccable calculations through humankind’s first visit to the moon. She worked for NASA until 1986 and received many awards, including the NASA Lunar Orbiter Award, NASA Special Achievement Awards, and Mathematician of the Year. In 2015, Johnson was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She died February 24, 2020 at 101 years old, leaving a legacy that lives on as an inspiration to future scientists.

Image of Katherine Johnson receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom — Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Watch Katherine Johnson’s video oral histories:

The History Maker’s Oral History Interviews with Katherine Johnson (UI students, staff, and faculty only)
The National Visionary Leadership Project’s Oral History Archive: Katherine Johnson (Freely available online)

You can also check out Hidden Figures on DVD, watch the streaming video, read the book, and watch NASA’s supplementary videos From Hidden to Modern Figures.

Dec 16 2019

Free coffee & snacks for finals week at the Sciences Library!

Posted on December 16, 2019December 16, 2019 by Laurie Neuerburg

Study at the Sciences Library during finals week to take advantage of free coffee and snacks! Coloring, Legos, and games are available if you need a study break. We have lots of seating options: bean bag chairs, study carrels, large tables, and computer stations. Best of luck on your finals, Hawkeyes!

Aug 23 2019

Welcome to the Sciences Library!

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Laurie Neuerburg

Hello, new & returning Hawkeyes!

Visit the Sciences Library this week to find a comfortable study spot, enjoy free coffee, and meet our staff! Our new exhibit showcases our staff, what they can do for you, and what they would like you to know about them! Stop by to find out who likes Quantum Darwinism, who likes photographing birds, who likes running marathons, and more! We would love to meet you and help you use the many services that the UI Libraries has to offer.

Here are 6 tips to help you get started!

You can meet with a librarian in a one-on-one research consultation to help you find books and articles that you need for a paper or project
You can search InfoHawk+ to find out what the UI Libraries has that you can use online or check out & take home, which includes print books, ebooks, newspapers, journals, and magazines (both print and online), DVDs and streaming videos
You can request that the library purchase something that we don’t have, or request to borrow something that we don’t have through Interlibrary Loan. (It’s free!)
You can access all of our ebooks, electronic journal articles, streaming videos, and online resources from off-campus by logging in with your HawkID
You can ask librarians for help about research and using the library whenever you need it through chat, email, in-person, or by phone!
You can hang out with our mascot Chauncey the gorilla!

Best wishes for a great semester! Go Hawks!

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Category: Math