Helping People Understand Science

Why Should People Understand Science? 

It is important to understand science due to the alarming rate of false information currently plaguing our world everyday. Mark Twain once stated,“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." Thus meaning that lies are variation of falsehoods that hinder our society in forms of sentences and percentages. Statistics, yet, can represent relative and appropriate information if researched and the data that is being collected shows unbiased facts or opinions. For instance, Lipozene is a drug that helps deteriorate belly fat and reduce the increase in triglycerides forming, (Today's Health Digest). Statistically, individuals that use this pill can lose up to 60% of weight- if used properly and those that do not use their pill will lose less weight. But, stated by Today's Health Digest as well, individuals that did not use the pill effectively lost the same amount of weight if they nutritionally consumed healthy food. So, in hindsight, Today's Health Digest broke down Lipozene and its ineffective use and improper portrayal of percentages and facts that no matter what, Lipozene had no effect on the human body.
Resources from Article

Science Reaches Towards Audiences
Science is explained in many different ways. Through Youtube channels such as CrashCourse,  acapellascience and ASAPscience, Museums such as the Science Center of Greensboro and Durham, and games like Operation, many individuals of all ages can experience and explore different interpretation of science. Videos through youtube allow audience to explore and watch specific videos that explore vast concepts of science that can be shown in classrooms and lectures. Museums such as The Greensboro Science Museum in Greensboro, NC  allow hands on and physical activities to be acted upon by large groups of children and even adults. Being able to adventure through possible aquariums and terrariums allow students to see many different kinds of animals and environments that this amazing Earth holds! Not only can students get a first hand look at animals and environments, they get to talk to wildlife experts and scientists. Board games such as Operation and The Game of Earth allow students to look at bone structure and tectonic plates and landforms of the Earth.  All of these examples allow ways for individuals to learn and teach others about science!
Resources used in this paragraph
Greensboro Science Museum/Center
acapellascience 
ASAPscience 
CrashCourse

Description of Game for Science 
The game my partner Sydney and I made was about an aetosaur named Archie! At Appalachian State, a geologist found and studied the bone structure of this animal. Over time it was uncovered as an aetosaur. Department chairs and students are coming together to help explain and present Archie to individuals outside of Appalachians campus. Elementary, middle, and high school students,  including many adults are being informed about this amazing discovery. Sydney and I were allowed to be a few of the lucky individuals that were able to participate with this. To help out, Sydney and I made a board game that allow children to learn about Archie the Aetosaur and his origin! The objective of the game was to answer true or false questions that pertain to Archie's origin and characteristics. I truly feel like our overall project was very good and it displayed interesting aspects for 4-9 year olds. Although, we could have changed the card distribution and could have also made the cards a little more professional, but overall our game board was neat and well put together. I enjoyed working with Sydney, she was a great partner and person! 

Presentation of game board:

Brian Zimmer, Juggling Science and Talents!

Brian Zimmer is a very special Geologist here at Appalachian State University since 2008. Mr.Zimmer is a senior lecturer in the department of Geology and Environmental Sciences. His office is located in the museum of geology in the Rankin South. Zimmer teachers many courses that pertain to geology with mapping and hands on activities such as traveling to Iceland with one of the few classes that he teaches, Geology 1103. Zimmer specifically has focused on volcanology due to his interest in his asters program thesis on the geological platform in New Mexico. He studied various landscapes and pursued a volcano and its geological make up and its entitreity.

https://earth.appstate.edu/sites/earth.appstate.edu/files/styles/asu_profile_default/public/asu_profile_photo/geologyzimmer.jpg?itok=SPQ0rW0A

Brian Zimmer's interest in Appalachian State University started with an interested in not only tectonic plates shifting and colliding, but his own mountains being moved by a lovely lady of interest. As she went through graduate, he did too and sought out her interest in Appalachian State. Later being denied and Zimmer being accepted, he pursued Appalachian rather than pursuing her. He moved to Appalachian State and left his love interest behind and found a home here within himself. Seeking out true happiness within the love for education and teaching others about this amazing earth that we live on, and the many treacherous surprises that it holds, one could say not only was his world rocked, but as well as Appalachian State Universities students.

Brian Zimmer wrote an article about the ring dome complexity of a volcano. He did a case study for his research in Cerro Pinto, eastern of Mexico. We asked Zimmer what it was like to study near a very eruptive area, and he claimed it to be such an "exhilarating experience". Zimmer continued to talk about his article and how he thought that this location was one of the best locations to study eruptive geography due to its geographical state of rocks and volcanoes. Sydney and I were oblivious to much of this topic due to our minimal knowledge on geography and volcanoes, but for a fact, we knew that Zimmer was doing something extraordinary with observing rocks and the volcanoes that lay within the Earth's crevasses. 
 
Within the Geology Department, Zimmer teachers introductory courses that pertain to geology such as laboratories, lectures, and trips that create a more hands on environment for the students who take his course. Geology 1103 "Summer Course" allows students to travel to Iceland to undergo research with the geographical platforms in the area. Zimmer truly enjoys this trip because it allows students to adventure further past the books and pencils to see geography first hand.

                                                                      http://www.appstate.edu/~zimmerbw/index.html

Besides "rocking" around, Zimmer truly enjoys working with students and their extra circular activities. Zimmer enjoys juggling both his love for geography and his joy for juggling itself! He is an advisor for the Appalachian State Juggling Team, Slacking Club, and as well as an ASU all-male A Cappella Group, VoiceMale!

                                                                  http://www.appstate.edu/~zimmerbw/juggling/