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The
CNSE/CSEM Open House was held on May 10, 2003.
The
Opportunities program was for high school sophomores
and juniors interested in math, science, engineering,
and technology.
Survey
Responses
(Round
Robin or Library/Internet Overview Assessment Survey
Results)
Objective
of the Feedback Activity: Participants were asked
to describe important ideas or concepts they learned
from the Round Robin (or Library/Internet Overview)
activity.
Responses for the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,
Round Robin Activity (Facilitated by R. Dale Conner)
Student Responses:
“Lightweight
materials such as metal glass create a great repulsion
to metal–so gives back energy. (Causes an extended
bouncing reaction.)”
“How something foamy can absorb damage better
than something not foamy.”
“Chemistry–It was fun and interesting.”
“The nature of objects during collision. The
computer’s ability to analyze deform.”
“The 3rd activity was of materials science. One
subject I have particular interest in, because I major
in that technology in my high school. The experiment
by dropping the steel ball reminded me of the scheloscope.
Strangely a composite with metal and glass was stronger
than titanium, even though it had glass in it.”
“Different metals return different amounts of
energy after impact.”
“Carbon is present almost in all chemical compounds.”
“Materials and their practical applications are
very relevant to making lighter, stronger, more useful
materials. (The Metallic Glass we were shown returned
so much energy, I think we can find a better use than
golf clubs. Come on... its Caltech.)”
“Properties of materials influence their effects
on a given object.”
“Weight/resistance of metals”
“Caltech can unlock hundreds of ideas that I
never had before. It has no limit to what groups can
achieve.”
“Material Engineering, interesting in finding
more energy conserving material. Also, lighter materials
can be helpful in the conservation & efficiency of
some sort of engine.”
“Materials Science–elemental solids–crystal
metals; metallic glasses–more refractive (bounce
more). Different properties used for different optimized
applications.”
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Responses for the Neuromorphic Toys, Round Robin Activity
(Facilitated by Ann Marie Polsenberg)
Student Responses:
“Some
animals found suitable for robotic conceptions include
frogs, bats, monkeys and even butterflies.”
“The way how robotics is becoming way better
and more efficient.”
“Robots – I liked this a lot.”
“The idea of using organism’s mechanical
concept to apply in robotic research.”
“The major idea that was developed through the
introduction to robotics was, Robotics apply two important
fields: mechanics and neurophysics. Mechanical in
the physical complex of the robot. Neurophysics in
that they are able to communicate with others.”
“Robo-dog castses como 2 G’s [I assume this
means the Sony AIBO costs $2,000.]”
“Nature is a good place to find ideas of how
to make robots to help man explore.”
“Look to nature for robotic designs.”
“Imitating animal qualities to create more efficient
and effective robots is/will be very successful because
evolution has had millions of years to perfect a mechanism
that humans try to emulate in robots in what amounts
to a relatively short amount of time.”
“When creating robots, they turn to nature for
ideas. We try to simulate what we see in nature to
better understand it.”
“Robotics”
“Caltech can unlock hundreds of ideas that I
never had before. It has no limit to what groups can
achieve.”
“The robotic lab’s research can develop
more efficient, & helpful machines helpful to our
environment.”
“Biomemetics–robots mimicking senses. Robot
toys communicate with each other, can be “taught”
with experiences.”
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Responses
from The Materials Science of Everyday Things, Round
Robin Activity (Facilitated by Robert de Groot)
Student
Responses:
“Super
slurper is an active ingredient in baby diapers and
hair gel. Special fabrics melt in water (dissolve–paper).”
“That chemistry is all around us, and the importance
of it.”
“Material Science–Informative.”
“The technology of microcapsule and its use in
everyday life.”
“Microcapulation was one theory that brought
on a new thought process. This new invention, new
to me, could prove to be useful in the world; its
application may include safety. One thing that really
caught my attention was the pencil. The pencil was
able to change color through heat. At first I thought
it could be used to detect nervousness through heat
and sweat.”
“Basically, colors pencil changes colors.”
“What ever you give to someone you get it back
in return (reason/motivation to teach).”
“Serendipity: a fortunate accident.”
“Microencapsulation has many practical applications,
including security for original documents, making
multiple copies of documents (carbon copies), color
changing pencils & scratch and sniff stickers.”
“Carbon is way cool. Some things come out because
of mistakes or when trying to find something.”
“Successful failures. Polymers.”
“Caltech can unlock hundreds of ideas that I
never had before. It has no limit to what groups can
achieve.”
“Chemistry–solid (chemical) + water 
gel (diapers); accidental discoveries: silly putty
(artificially–manufacturing rubber).”
Handouts
from Robert de Groot's Presentation:
Flinn
Scientific
American
Chemical Society
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Responses for the Library/Internet Overview Activity
(Facilitated by Hema Ramachandran)
Teacher Responses:
“Caltech
can unlock hundreds of ideas that I never had before.
It has no limit to what groups can achieve.”
“The
Caltech library is partially available to off–campus
users. Some of the databases are open only to the
Caltech community.”
"The
search engines available to us do not have a standard
use of notation or Boolean operators.”
“Caltech
undergrads are as inefficient in doing research on
the internet as we were doing research with a card
catalog.”
“Can
Caltech’s library resources be incorporated into
classroom presentations by high school teachers? I
can imagine using a laptop and projector to illustrate
an idea”
“Difference
between subject and keyword searches.”
“Boolean
expressions can be used differently by different search
engines.”
“Resources
for parents/faculty.”
Parent
Responses:
“Prepare
the students so that they be ready to use the library
prior to coming to Caltech. Be able to discern a good
site from a non-reliable source. Give them the know-how
for both journals and books. Alert to URL domain,
contact e-mail, footnotes, be aware of commercial
sites.”
“Stress "efficiency" to allow time for a very
heavy work load. Invite the student to seek the help
of the librarian, and to learn specific search methods,
ex. And/or/+ etc.”
“All database accessible to students has been
licensed to Caltech. The cost is high and benefits
to students research work are many.”
“Interlibrary loan readily accessible to students.
IBID accounts for all Caltech students. Student’s
research should include most recent works.”
“I learned a lot from Hema even though I search
in internet quite frequently. Hema showed us the Caltech
site which is very informative. Her willingness to
help the students was very impressive.”
“The Library has very good Organization.”
“Important help for student and professionals.”
“Thank you for the excellent information.”
“May be usefull to stimulate to the student that
the library is one very usefull tool for the student
life.”
“It is very important that the student knows
the best way to use the internet, because it should
be as good as they use it in concinent way only for
their own convenience.”
“The internet is very expensive service so is
there for the student to use it according to their
needs.”
“It is marvelous to know that the today library
concept not only is concern about book but also all
the material concerning to help to the student to
make easier their asigment.”
“Key words / subject.”
“Basic search.”
“Citation, SFX”
“Thesis, web of science.”
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Responses
for the Vision and Illusions, Round Robin Activity
(Facilitated by Ueli Rutishauser)
Student Responses:
“There
are several types of blindness. Inattentive, illusionary
and time dependent. When an image is altered at a
fast speed it is easier to note, than at a slow speed.”
“The way that we blind ourselves when we focus
on something.”
“Vision science–This was fun and informative.”
“The inattentional blindness. The change blindness.”
“Visionary blindness was very interesting. The
first image that was presented proved me to be less
responsive to fast changes in the image. The airplane
showed a blue band in one image and not in the second.
One thing that I found interesting was the gorilla
video. Though all of my group caught on, I was surprised
to hear that many others didn’t.”
“Éy, no ví el pinche negro en la
emoovie de los niños jugando con pelotas. [I
didn’t see the gorilla in the e-movie of the
children playing with (basket) balls.]”
“There are many things that one cannot see, not
because they are not there, but rather because one
is not paying attention to them.”
“Unattentive blindness. You don’t see things
if you are not presently searching for it.”
“All the weird things our brain does with visual
information and the reasons why are still unknown,
but the remarkable and striking discoveries being
made bring us closer. Its all very cool."
“Its easier to notice things if they happen quickly
rather than slow change.”
“Unawareness of blindness.”
“Caltech can unlock hundreds of ideas that I
never had before. It has no limit to what groups can
achieve.”
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Questions?
If
you have any questions, please send email to Rachel
Zimmerman Brachman at rachel@cnse.caltech.edu
or Robert deGroot at rdegroot@caltech.edu.
The
Center for Neuromorphic Systems Engineering
(CNSE) is a National
Science Foundation sponsored Engineering Research
Center. The
Center for the Science and Engineering of Materials
(CSEM) is a National
Science Foundation sponsored Materials Research
Science and Engineering Center.
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