More This & That

— National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (the “mag lab”) folks in Tallahassee offer lunchtime tours of their facilites. So far, the tour program is getting a good response. More info on the tours found here.

— A University of Florida graduate hasn’t packed her bags for the red planet yet, but Kristine Ferrone is checking out the next best thing available. She will be spending her summer at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic.

— A Florida scientist is worried that the Australian white-spotted jellyfish will become become the Pac-Man of the Indian River Lagoon.

— I completely agree with this quote: “You hear people saying, growing up I saw fireflies all the time, now I don’t see them anymore.” I can’t remember spotting a firefly in many years. If you do spot some of those little critter, you can participate Firely Watch program.

— The Orlando Sentinel warns: Swimming in Orlando area? Beware of killer amoeba.

— Challenger Learning Center board member Jimmie Lee Davis Jr. says STEM education is important.

If jobs and employment are the tree and a living wage is one of the fruits, then education is the seed. Our students need more opportunities both in, after and out of school to be not only proficient but excellent in STEM disciples.

— Mount Vernon, Ohio case about teaching of creationism & a bible on teacher John Freshwater’s desk is being watched across the nation.

Freshwater is fighting to keep his job after several allegations, including that he taught his religious views to students rather than teaching them science. Other accusations were that he defied an order to remove his personal Bible from the top of his classroom desk and that he used a classroom device to burn the image of a cross onto a student’s arm.

The teacher was fired, and is fighting the school board’s move in ongoing hearings. The freshest wrinkle is the lawsuit he filed against the district last week, contending that his free speech rights were violated.

— A new statewide council was recently created in an effort to strengthen the science, technology, engineering and math skills of the state’s students. The Florida STEM Council will focus on addressing the increasing demand for jobs requiring strong foundations in these skills, a release said. Here’s a “discussion paper” (pdf) about the creation of the Florida STEM council. Good stats in there.

— STEM Camp Introduces “Hands On” Science Curriculum, Florida State University – Panama City.

— MariaCarla Gonzalez is looking to shake things up this summer. The incoming senior at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School is headed to New Mexico to study volcanoes and tectonics alongside a team of scientists.