IAFF 2190W Teaching Assistant [Job Opportunity]

Prof. Catherine Woytowicz in the Elliott School is looking to hire a PWP (undergraduate teaching assistant) for her spring course – Science, Technology and Policy (IAFF2190W).  This is a practical, nontraditional class designed to recreate the experience of a White House briefing team.  The class writes talking points, policy briefs, op eds, and briefing books.  They interview and brief experts in many fields.

Experience  Students need not be science or policy majors; anyone who has completed the WID requirements is welcome apply.
Duties – The duties are primarily to help people use critical thinking to write about science and public policy issues.  Other duties include:
* attend class (7 – 10pm Thursday nights)
* hold 2 office hours/week
* maintain experts database for student interviews and
   call Society, NGO, industrial, military, and academic contacts
* help manage speakers/experts
* assist with protocol reception
Compensation:  $1000
To apply – Interested students should send the items below by 5pm Tuesday, 10 November:
  * a cover letter stating what they would like to get our of the position
  * a writing sample (up to one page) on science policy issue stating why that issue is important to the United States
Interviews – There will be a short interview for finalists during 17 – 18 November.
Cadre dinner – The selected candidate is invited to join the previous PWPs for a welcome dinner on 19 November.  PWP’s receive mentoring as part of this program.  Instead of ending that at the end of the semester, we keep in touch.  Former PWPs now work at the White House, CSIS, and on the Hill.  This is a great opportunity for those interested in science policy, teaching, or staff work.
Please send any questions to Prof. Woytowicz at drcat@gwu.edu.

Science Open House at the UHP [Snacks and Science]

co2-Emission
Professor Houston Miller and his Science and Discovery Climate class look forward to presenting the C02 sensors they have created throughout the semester. They have designed wireless C02 monitors and have stationed them throughout GW to demonstrate the varying levels of C02 present on our campus.
11:15am-12:45pm on Tuesday, April 29th, 2014 in the UHP Club Room at 714 21st St. NW.
Stop by, grab a snack, and see the science your friends have been working on all semester!

Two Science Open House Events!

A Science Open House is your opportunity to see what other UHPers have been doing in their science courses and enjoy some tasty finger foods too. (Sometimes, there are even tiny sandwiches.)  But mostly, the science.  You should come for the science. It’s a poster session… with little tiny food items.
Stop in any time during these poster sessions and bring friends!
Thursday  12/5, 3pm-4:30pm in the UHP Club Room (Foggy Bottom, 714 21st St NW)
Prof. Houston Miller’s Capital Climate Initiative students show off their work on bringing climate change awareness to the GW campus.
Friday 12/6, 3:45pm-4:45pm in the UHP Club Room (Foggy Bottom, 714 21st St NW)
Prof. Bethany Cobb Kung’s Science: The Process in Practice presents a poster session: Are you curious about how stress affects performance, if your cell phone usage is linked to your personality, if paper towel strength depends on cost, or if green tea extract can boost your endurance? The results of this research, conducted by Honors students, will be presented at this poster session. Come vote for your favorite poster!

Prof. Miller's Science Course – Time Change/Registration Closure

Prof. Miller’s “Capital Climate Initiative” Scientific Reasoning and Discovery course for Spring 2014 (HONR 1034:MV3) will be CLOSED for registration to any student who is not currently enrolled in his S&S course.  The spring semester is a direct continuation of the fall semester, and it would be too difficult to “catch up” for students to join in the Spring.
Additionally, the course has new times:

For Spring 2014
HONR 1034 MV3 crn:  93972  TR 8:30am-9:45am (Lecture)
HONR 1033 M33 crn:  97157 T 10:00am – noon (Lab)
You can find all courses and descriptions for next semester at our website.

Can Humanities and Science Get Along?

Arts and Sciences
Arts and Sciences

Do you think that big “S” Science is at odds with, or separate from the Liberal Arts as a rule?  Is physics the opposite of philosophy? What does art have to do with biology?
Of course, in the UHP, we believe in the traditional notion of liberal arts education. You can’t be a complete person without understanding both arts and science, and you can’t fully understand either without the other.  Honors students aren’t the only ones who suspect this to be true.  In this article from New Republic, Steven Pinker argues:

The mindset of science cannot be blamed for genocide and war and does not threaten the moral and spiritual health of our nation. It is, rather, indispensable in all areas of human concern, including politics, the arts, and the search for meaning, purpose, and morality.

What do you think?  Is the scientific mindset beneficial to human growth, or does “scientism” hold us back from answering the big questions?

Capital Climate Initiative Open House [Event]

The George Washington University Honors Program would like to cordially invite you to the open house of the Capital Climate Initiative. On May 3rd, from 10:30 am to noon, the students will be presenting their special topic final presentations on different aspects of Climate Change at the Honors Club Room. The purpose of our endeavor is to raise awareness and educate the local community on climate change and an individual’s impact on the global community. Topics will range from Climate Science to Sustainable Technology and Behavior, and you will have the opportunity to view, first-hand, what we have accomplished this year: our website (http://wiki.chem.gwu.edu/CapitalClimateInitiative/), and two versions of our CO2 sensors. (A standalone sensor that communicates with our website and a second, held within a miniature Washington Monument, that also indicates to local users the concentration visually.)

We welcome questions regarding the technology used, the measurements themselves, and the climate science context of the results.

Solar Decathlon Class Still Available

The add/drop period is still open, so we wanted to let you know about a change to one of our Scientific Reasoning and Discovery courses: Solar Decathlon, taught by Faculty Fellow Prof. Roddis.
The course now counts towards GW’s Sustainability Minor as Science/Engineering, along with is still counting for HONR: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery; GWSB: Science; SEAS: Elective; ESIA: Science.  (Please note that it doesn’t count towards CCAS’ G-PAC science requirement.)
Interested?  The full description is below, and there’s still time to switch into the class!
Continue reading “Solar Decathlon Class Still Available”