Interdisciplinary laboratory experiments

Another example is the interdisciplinary laboratory developed at Harvey Mudd College (147) in which eight different interdisciplinary experiments, ranging from thermal properties of an ectothermic animal to synthesis and characterization of liquid crystals, are carried out over two semesters. 

The Director of the DARPA Materials Science Office lists DARPA s various "institutionalized" programs, and examines the "coupling" programs (1966-1973) in some detail. Proposes a number of "lessons learned" from the experience. Appended is NSF s 1973 "MRL Program Policy Statement" which governed the takeover of these interdisciplinary laboratories for materials research from DARPA. 

Geometry From Africa Mathematical and Educational Explorations, Paulus Gerdes Identification Numbers and Check Digit Schemes, Joseph Kiitland Interdisciplinary Lively Application Projects, edited by Chris Amey Laboratory Experiences in Group Theory, Ellen Maycock Parker Learn from the Masters, Frank Swetz, John Fauvel, Otto Bekken, Bengt Johansson, and Victor Katz... 

HPhe preceding and following chapters amply illustrate the reasons why microbial iron transport compounds are worthy of our attention—both from the biochemical and medical points of view. However, one might wonder what this has to do with coordination chemistry. The obvious answer is that these are, after all, coordination compounds. But more than that, when viewed from the perspective of a coordination chemistry, new experiments or new approaches suggest themselves. This is always the exciting potential of interdisciplinary research. This chapter is the result of a research project which has involved extensive collaboration between J. B. Neilands laboratories and my own. Many of the details of the transport studies of kinetically inert, metal-substituted siderophores in... 

A significant reduction in cost could be achieved if appreciable quantities of coal-tar pitch could be incorporated into ABS for the production of a satisfactory pipe compound. Because of the availability of trained plastics and mathematics personnel at the U. S. Steel Research Laboratory, an interdisciplinary approach was made to the problem. Before any blending was done, an appropriate experiment was designed to obtain a maximum output of information with a minimum amount of experimentation. This paper reports the results and analysis of the experimentation. 

Keatinge, R. and I. Rasmussen (1999). Application of a Holistic Interdisciplinary Approach to Laboratory and Field Experiments . In Research Methodologies in Organic Farming, FAO/REU Technical Series No. 58, Rome FAO, pp. 123-5. 

The second component of onr project is the incorporation of nanoscale science experimentation into the introdnctoiy level cnrricula in each science discipline. In doing so, we emphasize topics of cnrrent research interest in nanoscale science and use a common instrament across traditional disciplines. We incorporate a modular approach to facilitate replacement of existing laboratory exercises rather than the replacement of an entire course, or the development of an additional conrse that might be poorly populated as an elective course in a number of majors. Each module is designed aroimd the use of a scanning probe microscope (SPM), operated as either a scanning tuimeling microscope (STM) or as an atomic force microscope (AFM), independent of the scientific discipline involved. We incorporate the SPM because it is commonly used in nanoscale science experiments and because one way to illustrate the field s interdisciplinary nature is to demonstrate the multiple ways one instmment can be used in several traditional fields to obtain results of interest to that field. Thus each module makes use of a SPM and a model for a SPM to instmct the students in a specific science discipline, and simultaneously in the fundamental concepts of nanoscale science. The modules themselves can be found online (15) and will be addressed more completely elsewhere. 

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