IAS2011 — Day #10

The final day of the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' event. This is our last instalment on the KAIRA web log of this public outreach event. To all those IAS2011 participants and followers, thanks for visiting us and for keeping in touch during the event. Hopefully, you'll come back and visit the project and find out how we've been getting on with our radio receiver array construction project.

So, without further ado, the winner of the Chromium Zone's June 2011 I'm a Scientist Get Me Out of Here event is...

... TOM!

After 10 days (and a bit) of solid questions, live chat sessions, e-mails and messages on Twitter, the students have spoken. Tom Crick (University of Wales Institute, Cardiff) was voted as the favourite scientist and wins the prize. No doubt he will admit the competition was tough, and I agree that we had a great team on #ChromiumZone. Hopefully, Tom will put up a final post on his web log: Computing, the science of nearly everything. A podcast interview with Tom was given on the Pod Delusion 24th June 2011 Edition.

Congratulations Tom (as well as Sarah, Tim and Dalya). It's been great fun, very productive and a great team experience. Stay in touch with us!

IAS2011 — Day #9

Although I've been evicted, some people might be interested in who actually did win the in the I'm a Scientist Get Me Out of Here event. And, as there are only two days to go anyway, I figured I'd put up those last to posts to keep everyone up-to-date with the final score. Today, the scientist voted off was Tim. Now only Sarah and Tom remain — congratulations to both of them for making it to the last day. The final is tomorrow!

IAS2011 — Day #8

Eighth day of the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' event, and...

EVICTED!

This week, the students have been kicking us out one-by-one. Dalya went yesterday, but today I was voted out.

Wow! I can't believe it's over. It has been VERY intense and we have answered so many questions (according to Tom, it has now been c. 450), some of them have been challenging, some of them easy. Others have been superficial, but some were most profound.

For me, it has been a fantastic experience. It has also been a chance to look at my work, and the projects I've been involved in, in a different way. It has given me a chance to see things from a student's point of view again and, in a way, ask questions of my career, as if I was considering embarking on it all over again.

It has also been a great chance to improve my communication skills, reach out to a pretty non-standard audience and engage with scientists who are not in your regular cross-discipline fields (which often means a different office in the same department), but who are in completely different scientific universes. If you've ever seen one of those movies where the team are really diverse, and rely on each other's skills to get through, then this was exactly the same!

So, best of luck to Tom, Tim and Sarah. It has been great to be part of Team Chromium!

And thanks to the organisers, support team and moderators of the event. It is a wonderful and innovative project and you should rightly be very proud of that.

Now... get me out of here!

IAS2011 — Day #7

Seventh day of the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' event — and today had a new bitter reality.

Evictions.

(You can probably cue the theme tune from Big Brother at this point.)

The students from the Chromium Zone have voted and this afternoon at 17:00 Finnish time, the results were announced. Dalya has been evicted! As I discussed with the team members, and as Tom posted on his web log today, it has been a nerve racking time, not so much worrying about our own demise, but because of the team work and camaraderie that had built up between the five of us. To see one of the group kicked out sort of hurt!

It's been great working with Dalya. We are so sorry to see you go!

Right, back the questions. There was no online live chat scheduled for today (just as well, as it was full-on at the KAIRA) site, but there is still a stack of the so-called offline questions awaiting us.

The Top Question for Day #7, posted by user "shivibains" was 'Do the poles (north and south) have any effect on electrical equipment and if so why?'

A brilliant geophysics question, but one that brought home the expert/novice dichotomy of scientists.

Allow me to explain.

For me, I sort of knew the answer. For a change, I'd got to the question first (the other scientists are usually really fast at that — despite my secret timezone advantage). As I typed up my response, however, I became more and more aware of how little I really knew. I was worried about the details and wondering whether it is really the alterations to the magnetic field were the cause... or was it the particles. Or both?

Of course, I had to think hard, go back to first principles and think it through. I want to make sure that I get it right! By the time I posted it, I was feeling like a complete novice. Painfully aware of the inadequacy of my knowledge on the subject, I wonder what the solar-and-terrestrial experts who read this web log would think? (Please post a comment if you can elaborate!)

And yet the responses from the others were all so positive! Does that make me an expert? Or a novice? Is this scientific acclaim? Did I get it right? Are they sure? Or do they simply trust me? And is that wise?

This, in my personal opinion, is a thin line to tread. We have work hard to ensure that we do our very best and maintain the integrity of our endeavour, but at the same time, should we be more critical of each other?

So maybe, in turn, I should be challenging my colleagues to answer this one?

Yet again, the IAS2011 event has shown up an aspect of our work that we often don't consider. A prompt for self-reflection is a powerful tool... as is critical analysis.

Another eviction will occur tomorrow.

IAS2011 — Day #6

Sixth day of the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' event — we're in the second week now. If you haven't been following the posts here, or would like a summary of our team's work so far, then I can highly recommend fellow-team-member Dr Tom Crick's web log: LINK

It gets serious now!

This week, the students will start evicting the scientists from all the teams — Team Chromium included! Tomorrow during the day will be our last hours as a full team. Then, the student vote will result in the least popular scientist being expelled from the team. And, if that sounds grim, it certainly feels it. So, while we are all still intact, let's have a look at the full team.

Tom is a lecturer in computer science at University of Wales Institute, Cardiff.

Tim is a Lecturer in Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, England.

Sarah is a PhD student in Bio-Organic Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh, School of Chemistry, Scotland.

Derek (that's me!) is working on the KAIRA project here in Finland, of course!

Dalya is a Postdoctoral research associate at the Babraham Institute, Cambridge, England.

And... when I post tomorrow's instalment, one of us will be gone.

My Top Question for Day #6 was posted by user "emmagrace" who posted a whole host of questions. However, the one that got my attention, and which resulted in the previous web-log post, was: 'What is a mosaic image?'

What is a mosaic image?

The question 'What is a mosaic image?' was posted by one of the students ("emmagrace") in the I'm a Scientist Event. Of course, I gave an answer, but this one really needed pictures to go with it.

So, as a special feature, here's what a mosaic image is, along with a complete example of how we make some of the panorama photographs that feature on the KAIRA web log. This has been written especially for the students so, for the imaging scientist experts out there, bear with me while I explain it!

Mosaic Images

Of course, as the other scientists answered on the website, a mosaic is indeed where an artist uses hundreds of tiny coloured tiles to make a picture. There are many splendid examples of mosaics both recent and from ancient times. A quick look at the Wikipedia article will reveal some spectacular examples.

In a way, any digital photograph is a mosaic of thousands, if not millions, of tiny squares called pixels. Some images, known as photographic mosaics are composed such that each pixel is, in itself, an image.

However, there is another type of mosaic image. And this one is directly relevant to many scientific applications. The term is particularly used in astronomy and microscopy, mostly as this is where the technique is needed due to limitations of the optics of telescopes and microscopes. In these cases, a mosaic is a large image, made up several parts of and image. You can do the same thing with normal photography, in fact. These images are also called mosaics, as well as 'stiched', 'composite' or 'tiled' images.

Mosaic images like this are wonderful when the field of view of the scene is far larger than the field of view of the camera. Because the receiver array at KAIRA is so big, and the scenery so wide, we often used mosaicing to create our panorama images.

Here's how it works.

Let's imagine that you have a scene that you want to photograph... something like this. It is a wide open space, with some mountains in the background, clouds and dirt. It is where the KAIRA construction project is happening and we want a photograph of it all!



The problem is that our camera has a limited field of view. It can't see everything at once. You have to choose which bit you look at. For example, maybe just the middle.



If you take this photograph sure, it looks great, but we miss out on the edges and can't see the mountains.



So, what we do instead is take 3 photographs. They need to be slightly overlapping (and we'll see why later). But for now, you could simply line them up. Not bad. You get a rough idea, but it is still not too good.



Of course, you can cut-and-paste the images a bit, but there are other problems. The images are not necessarily flat (meaning, that they are a bit distorted at the edges). Also, they may have different exposures, meaning that one image may be slightly darker than another.

Take a look at the images now. They overlap nicely, but it is still very obvious where the line between them is.



To fix this, we compare the images with a special computer programme. What we do is mark matching points in one image, with the exact matching point in the other image. It might be a peak on the mountain or a light-coloured stone, or a part of the timber. It doesn't matter. The point is that we are telling the computer that this point on this image, matches that point on the other image.

Here's what it looks like, with the matching points flagged with little numbers.



If you then run the programme, it will work out the distortion of the individual images and correct for them. Look at the red and blue outlines of the centre and right-hand image. Although you may not have noticed the distortion in the original, it is actually quite pronounced and this prevents us from getting a good match.



Additionally, the software can adjust the brightness of each image, so that they match.

Finally, the image is stitched together and blended smoothly. If you didn't already know, you may not realise that this image is not one, but three images... all neatly mosaiced together.


And that is what the KAIRA build site looked like on 14th June 2011.

As I mentioned, we have used mosaicing for other images on our web log, such as a view of Saana made from 17 images and a view of the winter testing made from 50 images. And this technique is used in astronomy and geophysics for mapping, imaging and aligning huge sets of data.


PS: You can click on any of the images to see larger versions. Try it... especially on the last one!

IAS2011 — Day #5

Fifth day of the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' event.

Three live chats today, and the science team in the Chromium zone are really working well together. However, this is the end of the first week. Next week, things start to get serious. Students will be voting for the best scientists. Of course this is best in their viewpoint, so they are the ones wielding the power on this. This means that it is not just our knowledge or experience by itself, but our ability to put it into an understandable form that actually excites, motivates and inspires the students. That's actually a demanding thing.

One thing I've found, is how rewarding it is when you can achieve that. During the online chat session this afternoon, I felt that the students were starting to express not just ideas, but visions for their futures. It is easy for those in established careers to forget what it was like to be a student. Mind you, some of the questions, do cause you to go back and view your own life again from that perspective! And having been reminded, I think of some of the people that were inspirational to me and who answered when I once asked for advice. (Thank you, should you ever read this!)

My top question for the Day #5 (sent in by "mollyrose") is along those lines. Following a long chat discussion about geosciences, she posted the following question: 'im the girl that wants to work in geophysics! do you have any advice please ?! :)'


Event website: http://imascientist.org.uk/
Or via Twitter: @imascientist (or search for #ias2011)

IAS2011 — Day #4

Fourth day of the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' event.

There was only one 'live chat' today, but it was the best one we've had so far. There weren't quite as many students as usual, and I think that they (like the scientists) have calmed down a bit and are now starting to get more out of the sessions.

For instance, instead of a random barrage of questions, that are completely unrelated to each other, the themes tended to follow topics and explore them more fully. For example, one line of questioning was about how near and far a radio receiver can see, then they started asking about why was there a lower limit and what do you actually see at those heights. That led on to radars and how you can use them study the atmosphere and the to aurorae and so on.

Furthermore, we (the scientists) were able to then pass questions on to each other, letting a biologist pick up the thread when a 'So, what would be the impact on a person?' and vice versa when something more 'physics-related' came the other way.

After the session, one of the moderators, a couple of the other scientists and myself talked things through and we all agreed that the it had been a good day and that after the initial excitement, it had now turned into a genuinely productive learning environment (both for the students and for us!). We also noted how a degree of camaraderie was building up in the 'sci-team' and a great rapport with the moderators who are keeping things running smoothly. It is a good feeling.

Of course we are still ploughing through the questions. One thing I'd like would be a word-count done on the answers!

But of course, we are almost through the first week. Students will start voting soon. I perused some of their profiles to see if any were on my side yet.

So far?

Just the one (well, at least that I could find). Obviously, they are biding their time, or holding back so as not to discourage the other scientists? Or maybe I've got a LOT of catching up to do? No surprise there. The others on Team-Chromium are definitely inspirational.

The web site is http://imascientist.org.uk/ and @imascientist on Twitter (search for #ias2011).

And my top question for Day #4 (posted by "hassan") was: 'i can see you don't get very much free time at all during the day, what is it about your work that keeps you working at the pace you do?'

Well, I did post an answer. But I forgot the mention the coffee... with just a reaaaallly teeny amount of sugar! ;-)

IAS2011 — Day #3

Third day of the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' event. Okay, the initial adrenaline (how does adrenaline work?) is starting to fade (do planets fade?) and a day with not one but three online chats (do you enjoy science chats?) is starting to take its toll (what does that mean?). I've just managed to plough through most of the questions (hey, you didn't answer my question!) but the students are sooooooo curious that they just keep on coming in (can we do this all year?). I must say that all the scientists in our zone (Chromium) are having a great time, but it is as exhausting as it is exhilarating. And we're not the only ones. Even this evening, one of the moderators confessed to sneaking some sugar into her coffee (only 'a reaaaallly teeny amount', we were told!).

I must say that it is giving me a new respect for the modern school student... they really are an inquisitive and intelligence group if young people. And I've also got a new found respect for the teachers... how do they keep this up all day every day!

More can be found on the website http://imascientist.org.uk/ and @imascientist on Twitter (search for #ias2011). Hey, we even got a mention on the STFC website (as I'm also an STFC employee!).

My top question for Day #3 was from "roxannebrace" who wrote: 'What motivates you to be persistent with different pieces of research?'

IAS2011 — Day #2

Second day of the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' .

Another fast-paced chat, and the usual round of questions. Is it just me or are the students getting the hang of this? The questions today were very sharp and made us all think.

The web site is http://imascientist.org.uk/ and @imascientist on Twitter (search for #ias2011).

And my top question for Day #2 (asked by "evilevo") took me by surprise and made me look at the job in a different-to-normal way. The question was: 'Have you ever injured yourself in an experiment?'

IAS2011 — Day #1

Today the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' event began.

WOW!!!

What an amazing experience. As I mentioned in yesterday's web log article about the event, the first few questions had started arriving on Friday. I thought back then that was a lot. No way! Today the flood gates opened and a host of intricate and interesting questions piled up on my online desk to get answered.

Then, to add to the excitement, there was a 30-minute live session, where the five scientists in our zone were in an online chat with an entire class of students. That was hectic. The questions ranged from things concerning 'what's it like to be a scientists' and 'what do you do each day' through to questions about 'how did the universe form' and 'why does wool shrink in clothes, but not on a sheep'. Then there were questions about careers and studying; which subjects to learn and how best to revise for exams. There were also questions like 'what's your favourite book' or 'what are your hobbies'. Superficially, these may seem not to have anything to do with science, but they were an essential part of building up a rapport with the class and getting them buzzing. By the end of it, we'd covered so much material that my hands were aching from all that frantic typing. It was a stunning 30 mins, but well worth it and I am certain that the school students got a lot out of it.

It was also very popular. The web site groaned under the strain, as this has obviously attracted a LOT of interest.

In addition to the 30 mins of live chat, there was the daily questions. Unlike the live chat, they were more measured and we certainly have more time to consider them and give longer responses. It was certainly nice to see that the students we'd spoken to earlier in the day were asking a lot of questions that afternoon.

Although only the registered students can ask questions, a full list of all the the answers given by the scientists is available for anyone to browse. Mine are listed here: http://bit.ly/jeI8Zs

The web site is http://imascientist.org.uk/ and you can also follow it on Twitter (@imascientist) — watch for tweets marked #ias2011.

And the top question for Day #1 (asked by user ''faiza") is 'Is light a wave or a particle? Or can it be both (Wave-particle duality)? I've read somewhere the photoelectric effect suggests it's a particle but diffraction suggests its a wave. The double slit experiment further confuses things. So which is it? Thank you.'

IAS2011 begins!

Today the 'I'm a Scientist – Get me out of here!' event begins. Well, actually it sort of started on Friday night with the students sneaking in a few early questions... all of which are excellent. Updates and highlights will appear each day from now until the author is 'evicted'. Let's see how long I can last before the students decide it's time for me to go.

The event promises to be a lot of fun and a great opportunity for school pupils to interact directly with the people working on a whole host of science projects (not just KAIRA). The web site is http://imascientist.org.uk/ and you can also follow it on Twitter (@imascientist) — watch for tweets marked #ias2011. Oh... and in case you are wondering, KAIRA features in the 'Chromium' zone.

Each day as the event goes on, we'll be publishing a little report on how things are going, along with our zone's top question of the day. For all the scientists out there who are reading this, raise this question at your morning coffee or afternoon tea break and find out what your colleagues think! We are sure it will provoke some interesting discussion!

The top question from the pre-start phase (asked by user 'gabbyway') is 'What do you hope to achieve with your research and hard-work?'

I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!

According to various studies (for example: Institution of Mechanical Engineers, "When Stem? – A Question of Age", 2010), the 11–14 age group is a crucial period for engaging and inspiring students in the subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In order to maintain their appetite for science, and thus attract the best people into the discipline, it is essential to tap into the enthusiasm and curiosity of these young minds at a time when their interest is at its height and thus inspire and encourage them to continue their studies.

One programme that does this is the UK-based "I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!" event. This is a two-week science-engagement event that takes place online. The event gets teenagers talking to real scientists, via online messages, to learn about real science. The students have fun, but also get to learn about how science relates to real-life, break down any pre-conceived stereotypes and develop their thinking and discussion skills. The idea is to change students’ attitudes to science, and make them feel it’s something they can relate to and discuss.

In some ways, the "I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!" event is like an X-Factor-style competition for scientists, where students are the judges. The event is split into zones, and in each zone there are five scientists and around several hundred students. At the start of the second week, the scientists with the fewest votes are evicted until only one is left to be crowned the winner in each zone and win £500 to spend on science communication activities. By giving the students some real power (i.e. deciding where the money goes), it makes the event more real for them.

One of the KAIRA team (the author!) will be participating in the June 2011 event. In addition to the web log here, which will have occasional reports, the event can be followed via the I'm a Scientist website. You can also follow it on Twitter (@imascientist) — watch for tweets marked #ias2011.

Link: http://imascientist.org.uk/