Essays

The following excerpt is from the Winter 1996 issue of US Black Engineer and Information Technology, under the "Survey Examines" section:

Working women aged 18 to 40 maintain high optimism about the workplace of tomorrow, according to a national survey by the Wirthlin Worldwide organization. And they think they themselves are the ones who will make it better.

According to the survey, commissioned by the Sara Lee Corporation to help commemorate the 10th anniversary of its Frontrunner Awards to women achievers, the vast majority, some 93 percent, of respondents believe that women in leadership positions can improve productivity.

...some 93 percent, of respondents believe that women in leadership positions can improve productivity.

Some 83 percent of the 443 women aged 18 to 40 and 14 past Frontrunner winners also said women at the helm would improve the quality of life of their workers.

To get there, the women want a de-emphasis of the corporate desire for workaholics.

To get there, the women want a de-emphasis of the corporate desire for workaholics. Seventy-three percent of the respondents thought companies should place less emphasis on hours spent in the office, in recognition of the child-rearing, housekeeping and other family duties which occupy central roles in women's lives, and 60 percent said that gender-sensitivity classes were needed in their workplaces.

Other pressures the women felt affecting their development as corporate career-climbers were:

• 83 percent feel women are evaluated as much on appearance as on ability;
• 77 percent believe that being overweight is a barrier to their success;
• 71 percent say physically attractive women are more likely to succeed;
• 65 percent say that gender alone can hinder a woman's success;
• 60 percent feel that having a child takes them off the fast track.
  Back to Top
  
  
  Is Female Intuition Inherited?

  ---

  June 29, 1997

  ---

  The following is a brief summary of a recently published study on a proposed "intuition gene" active on X chromosomes inherited from the father.

  An "Intuition Gene"?

  A team of behavioral geneticists in London maintain that a girl's "ability to interpret

  complex social cues and to be tuned to socially appropriate behavior" is inherited, probably from her father, according to an article in the Thursday, June 12 edition of the Valley News. The scientists believe that an "intuition gene" may exist on the X chromosome, and that when inherited from the mother, the gene is inactive. When passed down from the father, however, the gene may influence social ability. Since boys always receive an X chromosome from their mother, while girls get one of theirs from their father, girls possess an innate sensitivity to social cues, according to the study (Nature, 6/12/97).

  The scientists believe that an "intuition gene" may exist on the X chromosome, and that when inherited from the mother, the gene is inactive. When passed down from the father, however, the gene may influence social ability.

  The Research

  The researchers evaluated the behavior of girls with Turner's syndrome, an unusual genetic condition in which individuals (always female) have only one sex chromosome,

  They found that girls who inherited the X chromosome from their father scored better on surveys and tests of social cognition than those who inherited it from their mother.

  the X chromosome. They found that girls who inherited the X chromosome from their father scored better on surveys and tests of social cognition than those who inherited it from their mother. The researchers questioned the parents of 88 girls with Turner's syndrome whether their daughter was, for instance, "lacking in awareness of other's feelings," "unknowingly offends people with [her] behavior," or was "very demanding of people's time." The

  team also administered tests requiring "extensive planning" or "the ability to inhibit certain urges" in order to complete a given task.

  Though far from conclusive, the study suggests that some complex human behavior now attributed to environmental influence may be partially determined by inheritance.

  Back to Top
  
  
  Nepotism and Sexism in Peer-Review

  ---

  June 29, 1997

  ---

  The following is a brief summary of a study conducted in Sweden that reveals gender discrimination practices in evaluating potential post-docs.

  Identifying the Gender-Bias

  A study by Swedish scientists Christine Wennerås and Agnes Wold published in the May 22 edition of Nature reveals that the Swedish Medical Research Council (MRC) discriminates against women when evaluating candidates for biomedical postdoctoral

  For a woman to be awarded the same competence score as an equally talented man, she must exceed his productivity by 64 impact points...

  fellowships. The MRC chooses fellowship winners by their scientific competence, the relevance of their research proposal, and the quality of their proposed methodology. Wennerås and Wold found that the MRC consistently underestimates the scientific competence of its female applicants. Thus, a male candidate with a given publication record (a measure of competence) usually scores higher

  in competence than a female candidate with a similar record. For a woman to be awarded the same competence score as an equally talented man, she must exceed his productivity by 64 impact points (one impact point equals one paper published in a lesser-known journal of impact factor 1), the study found. This translates into three extra papers in Nature or Science, or about 20 extra papers in excellent specialist journals.

  From multiple-regression analyses, Wennerås and Wold found that along with productivity, the gender and affiliation of an applicant significantly impacted her competence score, while factors like the applicant's educational background, scientific field, or previous postdoctoral experience did not have significant impacts.

  The Impact

  According to the study, women earn 44% of biomedical Ph.D.'s in Sweden but hold only 25% of the postdoctoral positions and just 7% of professional positions. Since Sweden is

  internationally recognized for providing equal opportunities for its men and women, the authors observe that if there is gender discrimination in the peer-review system in their country, then it likely plays a role in evaluation processes elsewhere. "If gender discrimination of the magnitude we have observed is operative in the peer-review systems of other research councils and grant-awarding organizations, and in countries other than Sweden, this could entirely account for the lower success rate of female as compared with male researchers in attaining high academic rank," the authors state.

  Since Sweden is internationally recognized for providing equal opportunities for its men and women, the authors observe that if there is gender discrimination in the peer-review system in their country, then it likely plays a role in evaluation processes elsewhere.

  Back to Top
  
  
  The Facts Behind the Fiction:
  Erin Morse '02 Invites X-Files Writer
  to Speak on the Science of Star Wars
  

  ---

  by Anne H. Loomis '99                         April 18, 1999

  ---

  Erin Morse '02 took a chance and made a connection with author/scientist Jeanne Cavelos, which has enabled her, as well as all of Dartmouth, to meet this woman, whom she admires.

  A Source of Inspiration

  While most people have someone whom they admire ­ perhaps a scientist, a writer or an artist ­ few have the initiative or opportunity to actually meet that person. Not so for Erin Morse '02, a WISP intern and X-Files enthusiast, who will soon meet Jeanne Cavelos, author of The Science of the X-Files, when she visits Dartmouth.

  Morse, who hopes to pursue a career designing, building, or working with space technology, received Cavelos's book from her mother last Christmas. Morse's mother had met Cavelos and told her about the X-Files group Morse and her friends have started here at Dartmouth. Since then, Morse and her friends have been anxious to meet Cavelos, a writer, scientist, and teacher who began her professional life as an astrophysicist and mathematician, and worked for NASA at the Johnson Space Center before embarking upon a career in publishing.

  ...Morse and her friends have been anxious to meet Cavelos, a writer, scientist, and teacher who began her professional life as an astrophysicist and mathematician, and worked for NASA at the Johnson Space Center before embarking upon a career in publishing.

  "Jeanne Cavelos appeals to us because of her interest in science, her love of the X-Files, and the many things she has accomplished," says Morse. "Her work at NASA's Johnson Space Center is something which I am interested in, as well as one of my friends who wishes to be an astronaut. Another of my friends is a writer and loves science fiction. Cavelos writes in a way which is informative, yet funny and interesting. She sounds like a fun person to meet!"

  Making It Happen

  "We sent her a blitz introducing ourselves and asking if she'd come to Dartmouth and do a book signing, talk, or just meet with us," Morse explains. "...we were psyched to receive her reply, which said that she'd love to meet us!"

  Morse found Cavelos's webpage (http://www.sff.net/people/jcavelos/) while surfing the net with a friend several months ago, and saw that she frequently holds book signings in the New England area. "We sent her a blitz introducing ourselves and asking if she'd come to Dartmouth and do a book signing, talk, or just meet with us," Morse explains. "At that time, we had nothing set up as far as plansŠit was just a shot in the dark. Needless to say, we were psyched to receive her reply, which said that she'd love to meet us!"

  In order to organize Cavelos's visit, Erin spoke with a few members of the Physics and Engineering departments about how to sponsor the talk. Morse finally connected with Thayer Professor Bill Lotko, organizer of the Thayer School's Jones Seminar on Applied Science and Technology. "Bill Lotko was nice enough to let Cavelos be one of the Jones Seminars," says Morse. "That made our work a whole lot easier, since they organize speakers to come every week."

  Jones Seminars are held every Friday at 3:30 p.m. in 200 Cummings Hall (with refreshments served at 3:15 p.m.). The Thayer School is proud to announce that on April 30th Cavelos will give a lecture entitled "Jumping to Hyperspace and Feeling the Force: The Science of Star Wars." Her talk will address Star Wars questions such as "How close are we to creating robots that look and act like R2-D2 and C-3PO?" and "Can we access a 'force' with our minds to move objects and communicate telepathically with each other?" This lecture is a must-see for all Star Wars enthusiasts, as well as those interested in learning about the fact that exists behind science fiction.

  Says Morse, "Jeanne is making an impact as a woman in science, and I think the Dartmouth community will benefit by her lecture. 'The Science of Star Wars' will be an interesting and fun topic, revealing the links between science fiction and reality. Hopefully her topic will attract more students to the Jones Seminars."

  Take the Initiative

  Because of her initiative, Morse has brought her own interests to the attention of Thayer School faculty in a way that can benefit the Dartmouth community, and she hopes others will follow her lead. Says Morse, "I would definitely encourage other students to invite people who have inspired them! People are always happy to know that they have made an impact on someone in a positive way."

  Says Morse, "I would definitely encourage other students to invite people who have inspired them! People are always happy to know that they have made an impact on someone in a positive way."

  Back to Top
  
  
  Reflection on the Female Flight from Science

  ---

  By Kathryn Greer '00 & Erin MacKanin '00                         May 15, 2000

  ---

  On Tuesday, May 9, Erin Mackanin and Katie Greer moderated a lunch discussion of the Women in Science Project's study, Looking Back: A Retrospective Study of Dartmouth Science Alumnae 1973-1996. The following article discusses their reasoning behind organizing the event in addition to an overview of the discussion.

  "Why Women Left the Sciences"

  When we read the WISP report, we were immediately drawn to the chapter, "Why Women Left the Sciences." This section stood out--not because it offered new, earth-shattering information but rather validated what both of us suspected. Thirty-three respondents felt that science careers were not people-oriented, and so they

  Thirty-three respondents felt that science careers were not people-oriented, and so they decided to leave this environment.

  decided to leave this environment. While this is something we have heard many women - and men - mention in discussing problems with their science majors and potential science careers, this finally puts a number with the idea. We also felt that this topic in particular was of interest to students considering careers in the sciences because they will likely face the possibility of one day leaving their science-careers, for any of the reasons mentioned in the report. The more we know about what those before us have faced and decided, the better we become at making similar decisions. After asking the WISP office about spreading this information to other students the idea of a luncheon discussion took shape.

  Some Student Input

  After a brief overview of the main points of the chapter, Erin and I opened the floor up to discussion of three scenarios. The first focused on balancing work and family. The second scenario addressed the importance of peer advising--both formally and informally. And finally, the third focused on a woman who decided to change careers to a more people-oriented field.

  The discussion offered fascinating insight on all three scenarios as well as additional comments on the sciences at Dartmouth. Specifically, students discussed solutions to the

  One of the major points of discussion was that students have no one to go to with suggestions and complaints about their classes.	problems associated with the Dartmouth advising system. Additionally, they suggested ways to make classes - especially introductory classes - more attractive and effective for students. One of the major points of discussion was that students have no one to go to with suggestions and complaints about their classes.
  Individual departments seem slow or unwilling to act, people are unsure if their voice matters. Unfortunately, the situation seems to be worsening.

  A Different Perspective

  Despite the frustration that many of the students expressed, we were lucky to have Melinda Burn, the Senior Marketing Development Specialist for DuPont Nylon Intermediates as a guest. Burn was able to give the discussion a different perspective on the work world, commenting on the variety of environments in which one can work in the sciences.

  The discussion was a definite success, and if there is interest, we could potentially hold another to discuss more specific topics. This is an important issue to many women on campus and off. We look forward to further discussion and, of course, to the results of such discussions in the future.

  Back to Top
  
  
  Stress & Society: Who's to Blame?

  ---

  By: Surabhi Gaur '03                         April 16, 2001

  ---

  We are all too familiar with stress. In the following, Surabhi examines stress, its origins, and its impact at Dartmouth and beyond.

  Stress and Culture

  Green tea. Warm baths. Aromatherapy candles.

  We are bombarded everyday with de-stressing techniques. How can we avoid it when television shows like Oprah and The View devote entire weeks of programming to relaxation, Home Shopping Network consistently has a buy one get one free special on Chinese stress balls, and YM Magazine always has those quizzes which ask "Are You Too Stressed Out?" (don't laugh, in your weakest moments while in a doctor's waiting room, you've taken those tests).

  Stress, an intrinsic part of our culture, affects both adults and youth populations. In fact, one study showed that one in three children suffers from chronic stress. Strong scientific evidence and compelling social commentaries	Stress, an intrinsic part of our culture, affects both adults and youth populations.
  compel us to believe it is an ailment of our culture. If this is true, then we must question if culture influences stress or if stress influences culture. The relationship is parasitic but its dubious direction prompted interesting findings.

  Are Women More Stressed?

  I came across an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education detailing the 34th annual

  The verdict: women (39 percent) were nearly twice as likely as men (20 percent) to claim that they felt "overwhelmed by all I have to do."	survey of college freshmen conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles. The verdict: women (39 percent) were nearly twice as likely as men (20 percent) to claim that they felt "overwhelmed by all I have to do." You women in science must relate to this feeling of being overwhelmed. You're familiar with the drill of a lab report, an exam and a
  part-time job you must attend this week because last week you cancelled because you had an exam the same day.

  Why women more than men? We all know of the pressures of college, especially in the sciences. Reisberg's article points to jobs as a possible answer. He reports, "More women than men (44 percent to 33 percent) found it very likely that they would need to work to pay for college." If the economical reasons are not compelling enough, the article repeats psychological and social differences between men and women which sound familiar: "Women also spent more time studying, volunteering, participating in student activities, and tending to housework or childcare responsibilities. Men reported spending more time exercising and playing sports, watching television, partying, and playing video games." You might be envisioning SportsCenter and Final Fantasy but there is no strong evidence in favor of the idea that men actually are under less pressure than women. We must consider that men are traditionally stoic and therefore less likely to respond "yes" when asked if they feel overwhelmed. Remember, we live in a culture where women are not scorned for crying--unlike men--and thereby have less shame in declaring that they feel overwhelmed.

  No End in Sight

  So college aged-women feel the bite of stress, but do they ever outgrow it? With growing opportunities in the job market--especially in higher paying and higher demanding fields--coupled with the usual household duties, there is no quick relief from stress in sight for women. With these new opportunities, women are now characterized by a set of values not seen very frequently in previous generations. As author Pamela Lister states, "A strong work ethic, a highly developed sense of moral responsibility and civic duty, and an average drive for financial and career success can make it seem normal and right to fill your day with productivity, contribution, efficiency, leadership, and charity."

  You're Gonna Make It On Your Own

  It is also important to do things for your own approval. And sometimes, doing things alone is best.

  It is also important to do things for your own approval. And sometimes, doing things alone is best. An experiment was conducted at Ohio State University where forty college women were instructed to prepare a speech in two minutes. Twenty had a friend on hand for support and the

  other twenty did not. Interestingly enough, "women with a friend present experienced a surge of cholesterol three times greater than did women with no social support." The psychology professor in charge of the study, Catherine Stoney explained, " 'It's the notion of being evaluated by those whose approval you want.' " While support is good in situations where you have less control, it is normal to want to go at performance-based tasks alone. Sometimes the hardest person to impress is yourself and the addition of someone whose opinion you value is just an added stressor.

  That Ivy Stress

  Dartmouth's Ivy League distinction lends its atmosphere to be competitive and stressful;

  students--especially in the sciences, find themselves pushing back the line when it comes to relaxation time. How many times have you thought, "I cannot work past 1:00 am. Nope, that's my limit. It doesn't matter if it doesn't get done, this is ridiculous, I only sleep four hours a night." Well, you're the same person I see in the bathroom the next day, throwing cold water on your face groping for your bottle of concealer because you again got four hours of sleep--or was it three? I know you had a problem set on top of that lab write-up due today, admit it. It's okay, though, it's already Thursday, tomorrow is Friday,

  Dartmouth's Ivy League distinction lends its atmosphere to be competitive and stressful; students--especially in the sciences, find themselves pushing back the line when it comes to relaxation time.

  and you can sleep all afternoon if you like. Sure you have a test on Monday, but you'll cross that bridge when you get to it, namely Sunday night.

  The cycle perpetuates. Is it never ending? No, you and I know it lets up every ten weeks, eight and a half in the wintertime. Our cozy hamlet of Hanover is not the only college environment subject to such stress. Beth Greenberg of Harvard Medical School says, "I work with students at Harvard University who tell me that they feel guilty when they're

  We're not as stressed as college students were a generation ago, but there are more opportunities to vie for so we have to force ourselves to be better than the best--at least that is what we tell ourselves as we pull one all-nighter after another, in hopes of beating the all mighty median score on our midterm exams.

  socializing because they feel like they should be working--they don't know how to ease up." Granted Harvard is not Dartmouth but there is no doubt that pressure rears its ugly head here as well. Regretfully, there seems to be no answer as to when and where to draw the work-relaxation line. Have students of our caliber stopped thinking independently? Are we simply drones who are so consumed by competition and driven by envy and fall victim to the contagion of anxiety that we press ourselves as much as the next guy, and the next guy and the next guy? Or is there simply no problem with our stress levels and is it okay to go for broke every chance we get? We're not as stressed as college students were a generation ago, but there are more opportunities to vie for so we have to force ourselves to be better than the

  best--at least that is what we tell ourselves as we pull one all-nighter after another, in hopes of beating the all mighty median score on our midterm exams.

  The Need for a New Perspective

  Perhaps we are not entirely correct in portraying stress as a societal ill. As a society, we may have raised our standards and lost sight of true stress. In times of economic prosperity perhaps we have become spoiled. The middle class has risen and now, getting

  and keeping a job is not the concern; rather, putting one more car in the garage or affording the cost of another year's tennis lessons for daughter and a new pair of cleats for son are issues. Francine Prose sums it up best by saying, "True stress--the worry we endure over family members who depend on us, the times we need to make a paycheck stretch, the life-altering decisions we are forced

  As a society, we may have raised our standards and lost sight of true stress. In times of economic prosperity perhaps we have become spoiled.

  to make to ensure our well-being--is not glamorous. Real stress is not a status symbol." Social suicide is actually much less dire a situation than it used to be. We confuse striving for better with do-or-die for better. Again, the line is blurry but bringing it into focus would bring our stressful lives into perspective--a perspective that we as a college community, generation, and nation truly need.

  ¹McCarthy, Laura. "Raising a stress-free child" in Parenting, Mar 2001, P. 66.
  ² Reisberg, Leo. "Student Stress is Rising, Especially Among Women" in Chronicle of Higher Education, Jan 28, 2000, p. A49.
  ³ Ibid
  ⁴ Ibid
  ⁵ Ibid
  ⁶ Lister, Pamela. "Are You Afraid to Slow Down?" in Redbook, Mar 2001, p. 78.
  ⁷ Gorrell, Carin. "Along Against the World" in Psychology Today, Mar/Apr 2001, p. 16.
  ⁸ Ibid
  ⁹ Ibid
  ¹⁰ McCarthy, Laura. "Raising a stress-free child" in Parenting, Mar 2001, P. 66.
  ¹¹ Prose, Francine. "Has stress become a status symbol?" in McCall's, Mar 2001, p. 76.
  Back to Top
  
  
  Restructuring the Scientific Workforce & Easing the Academic Tension:
  How to Produce Teamwork Scientists

  ---

  By Surabhi Gaur '03                         August 6, 2001

  ---

  The social aspect of science needs some fine-tuning, for the sake of science and scientists. This article examines possible changes in graduate programs and how fostering a team environment from the beginning can lead to the entire field altering the isolationist approach.

  A Need for Cooperation

  Lawyers have fundraising galas, businessmen seal deals over martinis. What is the extent of personal interaction among scientists, especially in academia?

  Gradually, science is losing the mascot of the isolated lab worker--which is good since the leaps by which science continues to grow do not encourage such an image. The world is

  growing smaller and information travels faster than ever before. There is no one Newton making discovery after discovery or proposing theory after theory. Every corner of the world potentially houses a scientist of use to another scientist now. Therefore, scientific disciplines now require teamwork and a strong sense of community. To bring this mentality into large government and industrial laboratories, it must grow from the time we train scientists in graduate school. The current structure of many academic science departments leaves help to be desired for

  AsTherefore, scientific disciplines now require teamwork and a strong sense of community. To bring this mentality into large government and industrial laboratories, it must grow from the time we train scientists in graduate school.

  the many research projects in progress. Such tension does not always create helping and comfortable environments for graduate students.

  I came across an article in a recent issue of Science detailing some changes that can be made to graduate programs. The following excerpt caught my attention:

  "The model of the independent investigator needs to be supplemented with other models of a successful career in science, and these should reflect the complex, team-oriented structure of contemporary research."

  Students now interested in science should be aware that there will be a welcome place for a diverse set of personalities and skills in the scientific realm. Scientific knowledge is now applied to a variety of fields, fields in which an independent investigator is not the best suit to don. New scientists can learn this based upon the environment of their own labs during graduate school.

  A Need for Mentors

  Recently, students and faculty alike are addressing the problems of graduate study programs in the sciences. In March of this year, leaders of research organizations and

  Among the guidelines proposed, speakers highly recommended strengthening the use of mentors. As a WISP reader, such a recommendation should be no surprise.

  postdoctorate fellows met in Washington, D.C., to devise alterations to the treatment of postdocs and the management of such programs. Among the guidelines proposed, speakers highly recommended strengthening the use of mentors. As a WISP reader, such a recommendation should be no surprise. WISP encourages constructing student-mentor relationships, even at the undergraduate level. This is reflected through MentorNet,

  the Job Shadow program and even in the selection of sponsors for the first year internships. Even if a student has a natural knack for science, there is no doubt that science can be as difficult and frustrating as it is enjoyable and rewarding. Having a mentor provides support and guidance during the challenging times, even when those challenging times crop up in graduate school.

  The Importance of Environment

  Another study done earlier this year explored why the median age for time spent in graduate school had increased from 6.6 years in 1983 to 7.1 in 1993. The most common

  factors related to this phenomenon are a lack of training for conducting independent research, lack of orientation in preparing for comprehensive examination, style of advising while writing the dissertation, attitude towards students, student participation in departmental academic and social activities and peer support. The report went on in further detail to explain, "In relation to departmental climate, research has indicated that the kind of environment (cooperative or contentious) in departments determines, in part, the rate of completion..."

  "In relation to departmental climate, research has indicated that the kind of environment (cooperative or contentious) in departments determines, in part, the rate of completion..."

  Coming Up With Solutions

  To ameliorate these problems, there is a growing initiative to restructure the professional hierarchy in academic science departments. Universities could create the position of "staff

  Staff scientists could be those extra hands at the bench and allow graduate students to explore their own intellectual curiosity, satisfying the purpose of attending graduate school in the first place.

  scientists" which would give talented individuals a more definite career path and retain them in academia longer. The stability this adds to the system may reduce the pressure on graduate students. As of now, graduate students are expected to lend hands at the lab bench in addition to being teaching assistants and conducting their own research. Staff scientists could be those extra hands at the bench and allow graduate students to explore their own intellectual curiosity, satisfying the purpose of

  attending graduate school in the first place. With adequate help and more time on everyone's hands, the graduate school process can be more rewarding for the student and for science: new, well-guided scientists will enter the workforce with a teamwork mentality.

  Apparently, there are strong positive effects by offering a more dedicated mentoring unit to graduate students and creating a warm departmental atmosphere. Moreover, the shift from the individual to the group can have a positive effect on women in science. For a long time, women's alleged "softness" has been perceived as a drawback, not just in science, but in many career fields. This "softness" was confused with compassion and refined interpersonal skills. However, now, this is exactly was science needs. Science is looking for people with a sense of sacrifice, community, helping, listening and still learning--women can fill those prerequisites!

  Toward the Future

  Graduate school is still an excellent route to consider. The system needs tweaking, but

  American graduate schools still offer a wealth of opportunity. The study of science remains important because it continues to influence all facets of life. Science is no longer extremely esoteric. Therefore, approaches different from the independent investigator are in demand. To foster a greater spirit of teamwork, science must	To foster a greater spirit of teamwork, science must restructure higher learning programs to reflect the value of community.
  restructure higher learning programs to reflect the value of community. Philosophically, if science is meant to better life for all types of people, then it is only sensible that all types of people work together in the field of science.

  Back to Top
  
  
  MICRO-MANIA

  ---

  By Chris Wilson                         January 21, 2002

  ---

  Smaller is Better!

  The New Age of the Machine is upon us. We are embarking on an intriguing journey into the realm of the small. According to the October issue of Physics Today, it is possible to "fabricate inexpensive micromachines that range in size from 0.1 to 100 microns, require little power and operate at high speed." How small is small? Smaller than the diameter of a single strand of hair. Smaller than the naked eye can see. "Imagine a machine so small that it is imperceptible to the human eye. Imagine working machines with gears no bigger than a grain of pollen. ...Imagine a realm where the world is upside down, and the seemingly impossible suddenly becomes easy - a place where gravity and inertia are no longer important, but the effects of atomic forces and surface science dominate. Welcome to the microdomain..."

  How Micromachines are Made

  Micromachines are fabricated using similar technologies developed for the semiconductor industry that were used to construct integrated circuits in computers. In the most common technique, a base layer, typically a silicon wafer, is covered with a thin layer of silicon dioxide. A chemical substance called a polymer is layered on top of the silicon dioxide. The polymer is sensitive to ultraviolet light. On a glass plate, a pattern is made with a metal, like chromium. The pattern is placed on top of the polymer layer, and the whole assembly is exposed to ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light breaks down the polymer where it is exposed, leaving an image of the pattern that was beneath the chromium. Since the ultraviolet light has not damaged the silicon dioxide, a chemical is needed to remove the exposed parts of the silicon dioxide in the pattern. Then the polymer layer is removed and - voila! - a micromachine is born.

  "Imagine a machine so small that it is imperceptible to the human eye. Imagine working machines with gears no bigger than a grain of pollen. ...Imagine a realm where the world is upside down, and the seemingly impossible suddenly becomes easy - a place where gravity and inertia are no longer important, but the effects of atomic forces and surface science dominate. Welcome to the microdomain..." From Sandia National Laboratories http://mems.sandia.gov/scripts/index.asp

  Micro-machines Can Do it All!

  What do micromachines do? They operate the airbag in your car. They are temperature sensors for mechanical systems in buildings, even tiny fans. They are parts in your cell phone that allow it to be so light and small. And recently, they are even in your shoes.

  According to a January 2, 2002 article on the smalltime - big news in small tech webpage (smalltimes.com) Joseph Paradiso and his students at MIT have completed their 4-year project of what they termed a "potpourri" of micromachines. They placed 16 sensors in a black Caprezio Dansneaker to measure tilt, speed, and acceleration, and pressure at the toe, ball and heel. The shoe also has a circuit board attached to the ankle to measure speed, radial motion, height off the floor and position in the room. It sends all this data from a tiny antenna to a computer that then turns the movements into music - music, from dance movements! Right now it is more like an expensive toy, but the hope is that eventually this type of device can be used in rehabilitation centers to determine how patients learn to walk after an accident.

  Thayer's Micro-Machines

  Thayer School of Engineering has its own micromachine fabrication facility. There is the Microfabrication lab that is utilized in several engineering courses and used for summer workshops. Professors from fields such as physics and computer science collaborate with the Engineering Department on various micromachines. Over the past few years, Dr. Chris Levey, the Director of the Microengineering Cleanroom Facility, has advised a number of WISP Interns on micromachine projects. The interns have fabricated tiny gears, cantilevered beams and even a programmable odor generator smaller than a pocket calculator. Imagine watching your favorite movie, with your Dolby surround sound system, and smelling the bread they are baking, or the newly mowed grass, or even the stench of a crowded subway train. Each seat in a theater could be equipped with these tiny programmable odor generators.

  The possibilities truly do seem limitless.

  Back to Top
  
  
  Fire in the Sky

  ---

  By Chris Wilson                         November 12, 2001

  ---

  "A fast-moving coronal mass ejection that billowed away from the Sun on Nov. 4th swept past our planet at 8:50 p.m. EST on Nov 5th. The impact triggered a severe geomagnetic storm and widespread auroras (northern lights) reaching as far south as Florida, Texas, and California in the United States. Stay tuned to SpaceWeather.com for details and updates."

  Space weather has made big headlines in the news recently. The Valley News had a color photo of the aurora on the front page of last Wednesday's paper, and the Rutland Daily Herald had a large article on the havoc the sightings caused people all over the country who didn't know what that light in the sky was all about. Space weather and the storms that occur can have drastic affects on all of us. On March 13th, 1989 a huge magnetic storm - the second largest storm experienced in the past 50 years- totally shut down Hydro-Quebec, the power grid servicing Canada's Quebec province. The geomagnetic storm tripped five electrical transmission lines from James Bay causing enormous power generation loss. Line restoration was complete by noon, but thousands of customers were still without power, as the system was trying to cope with the extra demand of Monday morning at the office, and customers trying to recover from over nine hours of heat loss to their homes. At the same time, beautiful auroras (northern lights) were visible as far south as southern France, all caused by the same storm.

  For those of us living on Earth, space weather is essentially the interactions between the Sun and the Earth. The sun may seem really far away, but what's happening on the sun's surface, and the 'stuff' that the sun emits, hits the Earth (and all the other planets) and can directly impact our Earth environment. Ninety-five percent of the sun's energy reaches us in the form of light and heat, while the remaining 5% accounts for space weather phenomena. Auroras are beautiful displays of the Earth's magnetic field being bombarded with particles from the solar wind on an average day in space weather. The Hydro-Quebec scenario was one of those stormy days, where essentially one of the Sun's 'burps' hit the Earth's magnetic field and created geomagnetic induced currents, or GICs, that destroyed the transformer.

  The apparent void between Sun and Earth is actually a maelstrom of wind and storm, with interludes of calm, always bathed in the harsh glow of ultraviolet and x-ray light. So strong is the outpouring solar wind that Earth's magnetic envelope is distorted, quivering even as it protects the fragile life on our planet.

  What's a magnetic field? A magnetic field itself is the result of moving electric charges that travel along field lines from pole to pole. Remember playing with magnets? A compass points to the magnetic north pole. The Earth's magnetic field travels from South Pole to North Pole. It acts as a shield, protecting the Earth from dangerous electrically charged particles that can't penetrate the field, but are forced to move past it and around Earth, off into space.

  The solar wind is one million tons of electrically charged particles (protons and electrons) that are spewed from the sun's surface out into space every second. The Sun's 'burps', called coronal mass ejections, are huge bubbles of gas that travel at millions of miles per hour, expanding into space and crashing into the solar wind, causing shock waves that accelerate protons to dangerously high energies just before they hit the Earth's magnetic field. These are the storms that can have devastating effects on satellites, power lines, radio transmissions, navigational equipment, as well as on astronauts and even airline passengers who might be exposed to more intense radiation.

  These aurora bands over Quartz Lake State Park, Alaska was taken on 6 September, 1996 by Jan Curtis. http://climate.gi.alaska.edu/Curtis/curtis.html

  How do you study and predict space weather? Is it happening on campus? "Space weather is in its infancy," Simon Shepherd, a Visiting Research Professor in the Thayer School of Engineering, told me. "Space weather is at the same point meteorology was maybe twenty years ago, trying to come up with models that will enable us to predict patterns." Simon is just one of about a dozen people on campus in Physics and in Engineering that are studying various aspects of space weather. Simon is a member of a research project called Super Dual Aurora Radar Network (SuperDARN), which is a series of radar

  stations scattered across the polar regions of the Earth. These stations measure the circulation of charged particles in the ionosphere much in the same manner that weather forecasters use Doppler radar to forecast weather. "They are big HAM radios," says Simon.

  "This kind of project is the ultimate combination of physics and engineering," says Simon. Physics provides the scientific backdrop, while it takes significant engineering to design and implement the physical equipment necessary to carry out the research. These radar towers are 60 feet tall. Then there are the electronics that operate the equipment and collect the data; there are the harsh 'living conditions' of these instruments that are placed in the dark, cold polar regions, where winds are off the charts and ice is a major source of damage. And then there's the data analysis, and ultimately, the computer modeling that follows.

  Simon is offering '05's or '04's the opportunity to work on the SuperDARN research project as a WISP intern. The project will give students a chance to ask questions and direct where their research might be headed based on their own interests. There is so much to learn about space weather! Come to the WISP office for more information.

  Back to Top
  Back to 'WISE Stories' Table of Contents