OCTOBER 5, 6, and 7: "Career in Information Technology: Network Systems and Data Communications Analyst"; "Mummy Autopsy/Reading the Bones: Skeletons and Mummies of the Past"; "Nanotechnology";
REGISTER soon at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/virtualschool/registration.htm
1) Tuesday, October 5– "Careers in Information Technology: Network Systems and Data Communications Analyst" (in our Career Conversations series)
grades 7-12
Join Bob Davis, Chief Operating Officer for Transformations, Inc., a software company that specializes in Warehouse Management Systems that are used in distribution centers throughout the United States. Hear about the number one career now and in the future! IT specialists analyze, design, test, and evaluate network systems, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), Internet, intranet, and other data communications systems. They perform network modeling, analysis, and planning. They research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software. These include telecommunications specialists who deal with the interfacing of computer and communications equipment, and they may supervise computer programmers.
The demand for IT specialists is growing rapidly in today’s age of technology, and there are many fields for people with IT skills. In the near future, people will work at jobs we never even imagined today. Technology will continue to set the pace for jobs as IT professionals focus on improving the usability and efficiency of technological systems and processes. Their goal is a smoothly functioning computer network—free of bugs, glitches, and interruptions—that provides an effective flow of information so the company can keep on improving its work processes, customer retention and acquisition, and other aspects of its business.
2) Wednesday, October 6 - "Mummy Autopsy/Reading the Bones: Skeletons and Mummies of the Past" (in our Great Explorers series)
grades 5 -12
Join Dr. Tiffiny Tung, bioarchaeologist from Vanderbilt University, as she draws from her research projects in Peru and from Mummy Autopsy cases to teach students how to read the body for indicators of disease, ancient forms of warfare, and other physical and social phenomena that affect the skeleton. This videoconference will bring the academic world of bioarchaeology and forensic science to a wider audience. Dr. Tung was a member of the Mummy Autopsy team and participated in 12 episodes of different bioarchaeological investigations on the Discovery Channel.
This lesson plan and videoconference deals with anthropology, archaeology, indigenous people, ancient civilizations, and history. Thanks to technology, history, and deductive reasoning, experts are able to access important scientific and cultural information about mummies. In turn, this information usually reveals much about the culture, religion, and daily lives of the members of a civilization. But how do scientists find out a mummy’s sex, age, diet, social standing, cause of death, or original appearance?
3) Thursday, October 7 - "Nanotechnology"; (in our Great Explorers series)
grades 5 -12
Join Dr. James Crowe, Vanderbilt Medical Center infectious disease physician and researcher, as we study of a world so small, we can't see it -- even with a light microscope. That world is the field of nanotechnology, the realm of atoms and nanostructures. Predictions for nanotechnology range from the ability to reproduce things like diamonds and food to self-replicating nanorobots. Nanotechnology is the study of the controlling of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally nanotechnology deals with structures sized between 1 to 100 nanometer in at least one dimension, and involves developing materials or devices within that size. Future advances could change our approaches to manufacturing, electronics, IT and communications technology, healthcare, and consumer goods. . . . making previous technology redundant and leading to applications which could not have been developed or even thought about, without this new approach.
The arrival of the nano-age means that humans can process matter on a molecular scale; that is, we will be able to build things atom by atom or molecule by molecule. When construction takes place at the molecular level, there is virtually no limit to the shape and size of the objects and devices one can make to create many new materials and devices with a vast range of applications, in medicine, electronics, biomaterials and energy production. Nanotechnology has the potential to change every part of our lives. Nanotechnology affects all materials: ceramics, metals, polymers, and biomaterials. New materials are the foundation of major technological advances. In the coming decade, nanotechnology will have an enormous impact.
TIMES:
We offer two sessions for each Vanderbilt Virtual School videoconference: one session at 9:00 AM CENTRAL TIME and one session at 10:00 AM CENTRAL TIME . [except “Remembering September 11th” will only be offered at 9:00 central time.]
COST:
The cost for a videoconference session is $75. This charge covers some of our expenses in preparing your videoconference and testing and delivering your videoconference.
FORMAT:
All videoconferences are approximately 45 minutes in length. The format is about 25-30 minutes for the presentation and 15-20 minutes for an interactive question and answer session with the students and presenter.
WEBSITE for information and lesson plans for each videoconference topic: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/virtualschool/
REGISTER as soon as possible at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/virtualschool/registration.htm
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Patsy Partin, M.Ed
Director, Virtual School
Vanderbilt University
2007 Terrace Place
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 322-6384
