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http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-993821.mp3
http://www.wamc.org/prog-tbook.html – On this week's program:
00:00-01:00 Show Open (:59)
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OPENING BILLBOARD & EDUCATION HEADLINES - Glenn Busby (1:30)
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ASTROBIOLOGY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION SERIES
"IMPACT EXPERIMENTS: APPLICATIONS TO SUGARS FOUND IN SPACE"
Part Two: Research Methods and Teaching College Science -
Scientists continue to discover molecules essential for life in material from certain kinds of asteroids and comets. These scientists tell us some asteroids may have been like "molecular factories" cranking out life's ingredients and shipping them to Earth via meteorite impacts. And "impacts" is the operative word for our astrobiology story today.
Last week, our guest, Dr. Nicolle Zellner, told us how meteorites are some of the most studied delivery vehicles; and that a variety of molecules are common in extraterrestrial material
Dr. Zellner's specific study is showing how simulated asteroid or comet impacts can affect simple molecules, like sugar. This is important because sugar, in its many forms, is a source of energy for cells, and is an intermediate in many biological processes.
Dr. Nicolle Zellner is a Physics Professor at Albion College in Michigan.
This week, we talk with her about her research methods and about teaching college science.
Our story is titled, "Impact Experiments: Applications to Sugars Found in Space."
Glenn Busby reports. (9:37)
The preceding was made possible by the NASA Astrobiology Institute, through support of the New York Center for Astrobiology, located at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - in partnership with the University at Albany, the University of Arizona, and Syracuse University.
**(Attention listeners! For additional information about this story, or any of the other nearly 200 stories featured in this radio exclusive current Astrobiology series, and our past Origins of Life series, or if you would like to hear them again via your computer, the website given at the conclusion of the above segment is: www.origins.rpi.edu
And if you'd like to go online to find out how to build your own telescope, like the one mentioned in today's story, the link is:
http://www.sidewalkastronomers.us/id5.html .)**
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SHOW BREAK AND E-MAIL SUGGESTIONS
We appreciate hearing your thoughts and suggestions about the show.
Our E-mail address is: knowledge@wamc.org.
Glenn Busby. (:30)
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WOMEN IN STEM: A GENDER GAP TO INNOVATION
U.S. STEM STATS CONTINUE TO ALARM
GUEST COMMENTARY:
"STEM GENDER DISPARITY" -
In our previous story, we talked about women in science. And that's what our commentator is here to discuss as well.
The U.S. ranks 28th among nations in putting talent into the STEM pipeline from high school to college. The U.S. Department of Commerce has released new data on the gender gap in science and technology fields, stressing the economic impact on women.
The study notes that women hold almost half of all jobs in America, but less than 25% of those in STEM fields.
This trend continues even though women in STEM jobs earn 33% more on average than do women in other fields. And the data shows that of those who study STEM fields in college, women are less likely to seek out STEM jobs.
In this guest commentary, author and lecturer, Selena Rezvani, looks at research to explain why women often turn away from careers in science and technology.
Selena Rezvani comments. (6:18)
**(To learn more about the work of Selena Rezvani, visit her website at: www.nextgenwomen.com .)**
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THE ACADEMIC MINUTE
"PLANTS AND ANIMALS" -
This week's Academic Minute professor continues our science theme by explaining nature's complex balance between plants and animals.
Dr. Emily Mooney is a Professor of Biology at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
The Academic Minute is hosted by Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, a celebrated philosopher and medical ethicist, and President of Mount Holyoke College.
Segment Run Time: (2:30)
*(Attention Listeners! For more Academic Minutes, we invite you to visit our archives at: http://www.wamc.org/academic-minute.html .)*
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SHOW CLOSE - Glenn Busby. (1:30)
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