On Saturday, I had the opportunity to participate in (I believe) a first-of-its-kind event in Pittsburgh: Celebrating Science in the Steel City. Over 40 groups of scientists set up demonstrations and experiments for the general public to come and see, free of charge. The goal was simply to give people an opportunity to meet scientists who live and work in their community. If folks came away from the event discovering that a lot more science than they realized happens right here in their hometown, even better. And if … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Something to Celebrate
public education
How Do We Value Faculty?
How should the value of faculty be measured? How do we weigh the interests of academics, students, taxpayers, the community, and others in public education? Should "profit-and-loss" statements for individual faculty and departments be a factor? On Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported on efforts by Texas and other states to measure the value of faculty and academic departments at public universities. The Texas A&M system has gone so far as to create a massive spreadsheet detailing faculty members' … [Read more...] about How Do We Value Faculty?