Environmental Science events this week

Thursday, March 29, 2007

• What: Global Warming and Sustainability Panel
• When: 7:00pm
• Where: Seelye Hall, room 207

Join the Environmental Science and Policy Program this Thursday to learn more about the problems of global warming and the positive solutions each one of us can easily implement. Program sponsored by MassPIRG.

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Friday, March 30, 2007

• What: ES&P Program Lunchbag:Through the Looking Glass: Photography and Nature on Safari
• When: 12:15pm-1:00pm
• Where: Bass Hall, room 102
• Who: Cassie Hays (Smith 99), PhD candidate in Environmental Sociology, Yale University

Cassie will talk about her research, which investigates the role of race and ethnicity in the science and practice of conservation, the establishment of parks, and the experience of tourism in Tanzania. Lunch provided.

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To learn about other science-focused events, CLICK HERE. To learn about all other events on campus, check out the Grecourt Gate!

Spring Break Hours

The Young Science Library will have reduced hours beginning March 16, 2007 through March 25, 2007. To see the full schedule, CLICK HERE.

Additionally, although the College’s administrative offices will be closing at 3pm today due to THE WEATHER, the Young Science Library will remain open until 5pm.

Happy Spring Break!

Spring Break Reading List

Need a good book to read over Spring Break? Check out some of the following science-focused selections:

1. Rachel Carson Online Book Club

   Beginning in March with a discussion about the life and legacy of Rachel Carson, this club sponsored by the Friends of the National Conservation Training Center will discuss many of Ms. Carson’s written works, as well as selections about current environmental issues. The book club runs through November 2007. Join in the discussion through ‘comments’ on the book club’s blog. Moderators will include notable authors and scientists, such as Ms. Carson’s biographer, Linda Lear. CLICK HERE to read the blog and join in the discussion.

2. Best Science Books of 2006

   Listen to this wrap up from NPR’s Science Friday about the Best Science Books of 2006. A few of the books discussed include:

   *The Family That Couldn’t Sleep: A Medical Mystery by D.T. Max. Random House, 2006 (UMass RA644 .P93 M39 2006)
   *Lives Per Gallon: The True Cost of Our Oil Addiction by Terry Tamminen. Island Press, 2006 (Young Science Library On Order)
   *Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are by Frans De Waal. Riverhead Trade, 2006
   Young Science Library QL737.P96 W3214 2005

3. Aventis Prizes for Science Books

   This annual contest sponsored by the British Royal Society evaluates popular science books for both general readership, as well as juniors (14 years and younger audience). The 2006 winners were:

   General Prize: Electric Universe - How Electricity Switched on the Modern World by David Bodanis (Little, Brown Book Group)
   Young Science Library QC522 .B64 2005

   Junior Prize: The Global Garden by Kate Petty, Jennie Maizels, Corina Fletcher (Eden Project, Random House)

   Other finalists include:

   Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive by Jared Diamond (Penguin Allen Lane)
   Neilson Library HN13 .D5 2005

   Elements of Murder: A History of Poison by John Emsley (Oxford University Press)
   Young Science Library HV6552 .E67 2005

   Empire of the Stars: Friendship, Obsession and Betrayal in the Quest for Black Holes by Arthur I. Miller (Little, Brown Book Group)
   Young Science Library QB35 .M55 2005

Do you have a favorite science book? Leave a comment!

Science Events this week

Monday, March 12, 2007

• 4:00 pm, Tea in Math Forum, Burton Hall 3rd floor
• 4:30 pm, Lecture in McConnell Hall, Room 404

Stochastic Spatial Processes: Ted Cox, Syracuse University

Stochastic spatial processes are mathematical models for large systems made up of “components” which interact in some way. Among the phenomena these systems model are competition of species, epidemics, spread of genetic traits, and catalytic chemical reactions. I will give a brief introduction to this field via several examples, including the “contact process” and the “voter model.” Basic questions for these models concern survival and coexistence. I will present a few known results and give a glimpse of one technique used in the analysis of these systems, duality. There are many open problems that are easy to describe (but difficult to answer).

• 7:30 pm, Wright Hall, Weinstein Auditorium

  What’s New in Physics? Five College Lecture Series

  Alan Guth, world’s leading expert on the early universe to speak at Smith College on “Cosmic Inflation and the Accelerating Universe” on Monday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Weinstein Auditorium, Wright Hall. There will be a reception following the talk. Guth is the originator of the theory of cosmic inflation and is the author of the popular book The inflationary Universe: The Quest for a New Theory of Cosmic Origins. He is the Victor F. Weisskopf Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The talk will be at a level appropriate for popular audiences. All are welcome. Sponsored by the Five College “What’s New in Physics” Lecture Series.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

• 4:15pm, Seelye Hall, Room 211

  Sierra Club Meeting

  Join the great work of the Sierra Club by attending an informational meeting about global warming and women’s rights. Don’t miss this opportunity to join the great work of the Sierra Club. Open to all.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

• 8:30-9:30pm, Roof of McConnell Hall

  Astronomy Department Star Party

  Come see the moon, Saturn, and other celestal objects through the telescopes on the roof of McConnell Hall. All are welcome–dress warmly!

Did I miss an event? Leave a comment!

Tutorials @ Smith

The Libraries have created some nifty tutorials to help you use our services better. Click on the links below to see pictorial or animated demonstrations about a given topic. Note: Flash is required for some tutorials.

1. Five College Library Catalog: The following tutorials were created to help the Smith Community get better acquainted with the NEW Five College Library Catalog. The catalog has some amazing features and, most importantly, allows you to search all Five Colleges at once.

   Basic Searching
   Advanced Searching
   Viewing Search Results
   My Account/Renewing Items
   Request an Item

2. Finding Scholarly Articles: Don’t know where to look for scholarly literature? Follow the steps in this tutorial to gain access to our subject-specific databases.
3. Citing Sources Correctly: Learn where to find information about various citation styles on the Libraries’ website. Here you will learn how to find information about MLA, APA, CBE, Chicago and many other citation styles.

**Have an idea for a tutorial? Leave a comment!**
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Bulb Show Webcam

Feel like you can’t take a minute out of your busy day to visit the Bulb Show? Check out the LIVE WEBCAM!

Spring Bulb Show!

The Annual Spring Bulb Show is a long-standing Smith tradition, dating back more than 100 years. Stop in to shake off the cold snowy weather with crocuses, hyacinths, narcissi, irises, lilies and tulips at the Lyman Conservatory.

• Dates: Saturday, March 3, to Sunday, March 18
• Hours: Daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (members only 9-10 a.m.)
• Special evening hours on Fridays, March 9 and 16, 6 to 8 p.m.

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Don’t miss the Bulb Show Opening Lecture: The World in a Garden!

• When: Friday, March 2, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Weinstein Auditorium, Wright Hall
• What: The World in a Garden, an historical exploration of how botanic gardens represent our awareness of plants of other continents and climates
• Who: Professor John Burk