Real World Math & Science

University of Massachusetts > STEM > Real World Math & Science | March '09

SCIENCE & GEOLOGY | The Surface of Mars

Currently the worldwide collection of Mars rocks totals 37.  They've come to Earth over the eons as meteorites.  As a scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Molly McCanta's job is to study rocks for clues to Red Planet's geological history.  She loves the challenge.

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CATCHING THE WIND | Windsails

Windsails need to be very fast and highly maneuverable. Accomplishing both takes precisely designed angles and curves, and knowledge of algebra.

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ALGEBRA IN THE REAL WORLD | Saving the Bald Eagle

Our national bird is back in the lower 48 states after nearly disappearing in the 60's and 70's.  In this movie Robert Mesta, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, explains what it takes to recover a species like the bald eagle, and demonstrates how math plays a critical role in the process.

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ALGEBRA IN AGRICULTURE | The Lundberg Farms

These organic rice farmers have only one harvest a year, which means that from planting to harvest to packaging they only have one shot to get it all right.  How do they do it?  For one thing, they understand the variables they're working with.

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PROBLEM SOLVING | The Shape of Phones

As cell phones continue to shrink and the demand for additional features like better texting, music and games continues to grow, every millimeter counts.  Take your students behind the scenes at Motorola where a designer, an engineer and a human factors specialist work together and rely on math to make everything fit.

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MOVIE MATH | Models for Movies

How do movies and TV shows make their special effects look so real?  Well, sometimes they are real--but just in a different scale.  Greg Jein explains how his job plays a big part in that movie magic--and how measurement plays a big part in his job.

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | Veterinary Medicine

A career in veterinary medicine is one that interests many students, but do they connect that goal to their classroom lessons? Introduce them to Dr. Pamela Dendtler, a veterinarian and business owner who relies on math and science every day.

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | Tracking Lightning

Lightning hits the ground approximately 25 million times a year across the United States, and meteorologists are able to record every single strike, both when and where it occurred.  Take your students to the National Severe Storms Laboratory to see the science and math behind lightning detection and tracking.

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ENGINEERING SOUND | Cancelling Noise

Dr. Amar Bose tells the fascinating story of how he invented the "Acoustic Noise-Cancelling Headphones" and how it took math to make it work.

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PROBLEM SOLVING | Predicting Future Olympic Times

Students use Olympic winning times in several sports from 1956 to 1996 to graph and mathematically model predictions for the next forty years.  Are athletes from last year's games above or below the trend?

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | Magnetically Levitated Trains

Gliding on a wave of electromagnetic force, a maglev train could travel up to 300 miles per hour.  Meet the inventors of the "Maglev Train" who describe the mechanics and the science of this alternative mode of transportation.

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ALGEBRA IN THE REAL WORLD | Structural Engineering

A piece of paper can be flimsy or it can support the weight of your hand--it all depends on the shape, explains acclaimed structural engineer, Ysrael Seinuk.  Show your students how shapes and geometry are fundamental to the structure and design of all buildings.

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EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE | Types of Oceanography

From physical oceanographers who study tides and waves to marine geologists who study undersea rock formations, there are many fields of science which seek a better understanding of the Earth's oceans.

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SOLAR ENERGY | Making Sparks

Whether it's fluorescent light bulbs, hybrid cars or affordable solar panels, access to earth-friendly technologies are becoming more readily available than ever before.  Show your students how and why solar energy is a good alternative source of electricity.

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