Caleb

Journal entries imported from the previous iteration of wisrd.org

CALEB

4.15.16

This past week I worked on them magazine. I have now made the magazine my senior project, meaning it will gain much more focus. I am expecting at least 8 submissions for the magazine. Unfortunately, our graphic designer for the previous issue is unable to help, so I will take over her duties.

I also wrote up a submission policy with deadlines.

Submission Policy

For those interested in writing for The Inquirer or The WISRD Journal, submitters must follow several guidelines. All articles that utilize secondhand research or quotations must accurately cite sources. The editors will check the citations for accuracy. Contributors must submit articles by midnight on the day the articles are due. The editors expect final draft quality writing. If a contributor desires feedback on a rough draft of his or her article they may receive it if they submit up to five days before the deadline.

There is no word or page-length requirement for either the magazine or the journal; the editors simply request that each sentence serves a purpose and that the articles are devoid of ‘fluff.’ The editors will modify each article based on what they deem will create a more clear, concise, and interesting read.

Please follow these guidelines and feel free to contact the editors if you have any questions.

Due Dates:

Magazine: Friday, April 29

Journal: Thursday, May 5

This submission policy will set the standard for both the magazine and the journal.

3.15.16

This past week I worked on and gave my presentation on WISRD communications. My focus of the powerpoint was to succinctly explain and detail the importance of communication in STEM learning. I have linked the powerpoint, though it does not have a ton of information on each slide: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1X1wHNZ1kRU_psxujEz4oJPaWtAuNsYTVWTGzEi8MrtE/edit#slide=id.g84820c02c_0_47.

I should be receiving submissions for the magazine in the next two weeks. That way, when we come back from the break, the editorial board can buckle down and begin editing.

I have also begun conducting research. Recently, there was an article on Stanford’s website (https://news.stanford.edu/news/2016/march/notation-science-communication-031116.html) that discussed how Stanford science students are being pushed to write for lay audiences. I will use this as evidence in my paper that I am researching.

3.7.16

This past week I did several things. I uploaded my journals onto this google document. Unfortunately I cannot find several journals from this semester. I have been working on multiple computers and accounts so hopefully they are on one of those accounts. Once I find them I will upload them immediately. I also helped Matt out with his youtube channel. Using an oscillating machine, we took video of a resonance wire loop at 30hz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JCA88orogs The resonance wire demonstrates standing waves at various frequencies on a closed circuit.

Now that the magazine is up, I am hoping to receive submissions for the next edition within the next couple of weeks. i have spoken to several people about writing articles, and I feel confident that we will have more contributions for this edition.

I am also beginning preparation for my presentation on friday. I will be presenting on communication as an essential tool in STEM learning. I will explain how both the magazine and the journal provide important routes for scientific learning through two different types of explanation. The magazine requires students to know their material so that they can simplify it, while the journal requires students to know their material in a professional and serious manner. I am also viewing this presentation as prep for the journal article on STEM learning I am writing.

1/31/16

Week #3

This past week in Advanced Topics in Math and Science I worked on the magazine with Scott and Lela. The biggest skill I am working to develop is the ability to convey science in an interesting and informative way. I spent a great deal of time reviewing the Editor’s Note. I want to be able to accurately set the tone for the magazine. In order to interest people, I realized that pulling out a theme for the magazine will be effective. I reviewed the articles, and I discovered that most of the articles deal with the brain. The cover is an abstract depiction of a brain, so I tied in the cover to the theme of the brain in the articles.

Cohesion is key to the presentation of the magazine. If it is just a jumble of unrelated articles, the reader will not be compelled to continue reading after the first article. A common theme means that the reader will be able to go into greater depth, and they will be able to learn something from a variety of angles.

An issue I have been dealing with lately is the availability of our graphic designer.While she has done a great job, she has a very packed schedule and it makes it extremely difficult to meet. It takes time to make each edit, and our designer usually cannot meet for more than 30 minutes at a time. I think that, for the future, it would be best if someone inside WISRD could spearhead graphic designing. Or, at least, I could learn the fundamentals of graphic design. This way, I would be able to engage more so with the creative representation of scientific ideas.

1.21.16

Week #2

This past week in Advanced Topics in Math and Science I worked on finishing up the magazine with Scott and Lela. Scott and I revised the magazine and changed its order. We met with Lela to go over the revisions and she worked on them and has continued to work on them over the short break. The magazine will be ready for publishing by next week. We are still working on the title. Also, I edited the author’s note. The note is currently on Lela’s computer, but I will send it to you as soon as possible.

In order to avoid having text on the back page, we have decided to add one more page featuring cartoons. The cartoons will be caption contests. The images will be single squares akin to the cartoons featured in the New Yorker. The cartoons will be somehow related to math and science in imagery. Over the weekend I worked on the cartoons with a fellow student at Wildwood. He has the sketches at home and will be scanning them into photoshop. After I receive the photos I will send them off to you.

Once I receive these final pieces, I will work this week to put the magazine in finished form. Then, the week after, I will get the magazine ready for publishing. I will work with Matt to produce a video to advertise and promote the magazine.

Week 15

This past week I entirely focused on the WISRD Magazine. I had been struggling to get ahold of the graphic designer and after meeting with her it appears she will not be able to finish the new designs until after the break. A silver lining is that we will be able to start off the new semester strong with the release of the magazine.

I spent a good deal of the week revising the magazine and going over the editor’s note. Below is the newly revised editor’s note:

Editor’s Note

Welcome to the first edition of The Inquisitor, a WISRD publication. WISRD (Wildwood Institute for STEM Research and Development) conducts research in astrophysics, biology, cognition, engineering/design and theoretical math/physics. WISRD is committed to informing and motivating the Wildwood community and the broader community in the area of science, engineering, and math. We provide lecture series, workshops,  and STEM events for the public..

WISRD has chosen to launch The Inquisitor to provide a voice to scientists and non-scientists as well to explore topics of popular interest. In this edition, you will learn about sustainable architecture, a mother’s attempt to engage her children in scientific inquiry, and even ten reason not to study science. Have you ever wondered if subliminal messages really work? Are you fearless enough to learn why people get scared? In these pages you will soon find out!

I would like to give special thanks to all the writers and the team of editors who helped make this magazine possible. Thank you to J.A. Wise, Timothy Sekula, and Scott Johnson for their support and leadership in WISRD. Also, I’d like to give an appreciation to our Graphic Designer, Lela Scully, for her phenomenal work and our two co-editors Declan Jacobs and Josie Bleakley.

If you are interested in contributing to The Inquisitor or have any questions about WISRD, please email me at:

calebz16@wildwood.org. Enjoy!

The spreadsheet had both pluses and minuses to it. While I find it helpful that I am able to see my progress at a glance, I also find it hard to actually showcase my evidence in the document, as I don’t want it to become too much of a mess. I also think that it would be easier if the document was on a google spreadsheet so that I could just add things to it instead of having to re-enter it into an old document, yielding many versions of the spreadsheet. This coming semester I will focus on working on the magazine, working on the econ project, and also looking at doing some physics-related problem. I will be brainstorming ideas over the break. I will come prepared with an outlined plan and strategy of how I should approach the second edition of the magazine as well as how I will approach my new projects.

One last note: Scott felt that the title, “The Inquisitor,” has negative connotations because of the Inquisition. He would like to think of new titles.

Week 14

Apologies in advance for not sending this in yesterday. I was on a plane all day and I did not have internet connection. This past week I did not do much work because of Thanksgiving break. My personal outcome continues to be to best understand how to write and explain scientific topics. Also, because of the guest speaker, I was not able to make much progress on the magazine. With the little work time I did have, I worked on the overall design of the first edition of the magazine. I sent in this feedback to the graphic designer.

I just received word that the graphic designer will be sending me a “final” copy of the magazine on Wednesday. If there are any little details that need to be fixed I will deal with them then, but if the magazine is ready to go, I will show the WISRD board members and we can then publish the pdf and make several to give to the donors, adminstration, library, etc.

I don’t see an online submission area where I can submit any files this week. I have filled out the rubric and I have a “rough” copy of the magazine to show to the other WISRD members. I just don’t know where to submit either of these files. If I could touch base tomorrow in class on this issue that would be fantastic.

Week 13

This past week I continued to work on the magazine. The graphic designer sent me a rough draft of the magazine. I am not sure how to upload pdf’s to blackbaud, but I will do so as soon as I know how to.

Now I will discuss learning objectives. My major learning outcome is to understand how to effectively convey scientific ideas through writing. Through the creation of the magazine, I believe I have demonstrated my success in fulfulling my learning objectives.

The problem I noticed and articulated was that there was not an outlet for WISRD to communicate with the local community. WISRD has focus on both original research and education, and the magazine helps to fulfill WISRD’s educational goals. I had to connect with numerous people to make the magazine happen, working with dozens of students and adults to create the magazine. I have set my own deadlines and have followed them well. Throughout the magazine making process, i have faced setbacks. Lack of interested writers was my first major issue, and I have learned to ask people in new ways next time. Instead of just sending out a general email blast, I will be connecting with people who I know are interested in STEM writing.

I have been guiding the magazine process the entire year and that has required that i stay focused and on task. I have been communicating with the editors and graphic designer both in and outside of class to further production of the magazine.

The magazine is also something that WISRD will have for years to come. Once we publish the first issue, future editors, like Josie, will be able to have a template to work off of. In earlier reflections, I wrote down various schedules and outlines for making the magazine. That will be something that Josie can use.

This magazine is also a major risk. I am putting my name on something that anyone can read and critique. It is thus of the utmost importance that my work is clean and credible.

As far as mathematical calculations are concerned, I read the WISRD Journal and ensured that the calculations for each article checked out. The evidence for that is in the articles themselves.

As the editor of the magazine, I must act as an ambassador for WISRD. Below is the Editor’s Note to the WISRD Magazine:

Welcome to the first edition of WISRD Magazine. WISRD (Wildwood Institute for STEM Research and Development) is a science institute run through Wildwood School. The institute conducts original research on a variety of topics. Students lead the way, setting up, experimenting, and executing science projects, which spark their intellectual curiosity. WISRD Magazine is a publication of WISRD that showcases the writing and research of students, teachers, mentors, and parents.

In this edition, you will learn about sustainable architecture, a mother’s attempt to engage her children in scientific inquiry, and even ten reason not to study science. Have you ever wondered if subliminal messages really work? Are you fearless enough to learn why people get scared? In these pages you will soon find out!

I would like to give special thanks to all the writers and the team of editors who helped make this magazine possible. Thank you to J.A. Wise, Timothy Sekula, and Scott Johnson for their support and leadership in WISRD. Also, I’d like to give an appreciation to our Graphic Designer, Lela Scully, for her phenomenal work.

If you are interested in contributing to WISRD Magazine, please email me at:

calebz16@wildwood.org. Enjoy!

I will send the pdf of the Magazine very shortly.

Week 12

This past week in Advanced Topics in STEM, I worked on the magazine. Scott and I met with the graphic designer and we went over the designs for the magazines. We are really attempting to capture the themes and ideas of each article with the designs.

Along with that, I read over the articles to comb for any errors and mistakes. I have also been looking for ways to make the voice of the magazine even and consistent throughout. I have been looking towards various science mags like Scientific American for an example of good pop science writing.

Max and I have also discussed getting together to work on the issues with the journal. The issues are even more severe than I initially thought. Whenever I open the main doc that opens the various files for the journal, my computer instantly quits the application and restarts. Hopefully Max has an idea of how to solve this. I think the one grammatical error in Max’s article was the only error we were able to find. Hopefully we will be able to figure out what’s wrong shortly.

Week 11

This year in WISRD I have worked on every major standard. My two biggest focuses so far have been the magazine and the journal. Both require that I solve problems, communicate effectively, and work with others. The initial problem I noticed was that there was not a place where students could write scientifically, interact with the community, and hone their science writing skills. The magazine is a place where all three of these objectives can be accomplished. Students are able to explore their interest and explain it in a way that will make sense to the average reader. I find that when I am working on a project, I am able to better understand it when I am forced to explain it to someone else. The quality expected of each student, including myself, is set very high. Each article must be accurate in every claim, and I have to check to ensure for this accuracy. I also have to ensure that the voice is even throughout the magazine. I do not want the tone to be contstantly shifting.

I have set numerous deadlines that students have to keep to and I have been succesful so far. My goal was to have every single article edited and ready for the graphic designer by this time and that is the case.

At the various WISRD events, many people outside of WISRD have expressed a great deal of interest in connecting to WISRD via the magazine and journal. These two publications are the best way to engage the community and let them know what WISRD is up to.

i have also run into numerous problems that i have had to deal with. When transferring the journal to different hard drives, I ran into many errors. I had to go into my terminal and find out how to make it so that the main journal document that was drawing from each pdf was drawing from the correct hard drive. I was able to solve this issue by reading online and working with other WISRD students.

I have run into similar errors again, and as I try and go back and clean up several spelling errors I will need to use the same problem solving skills as before.

Working with the other editors has also been a learning experience. Being in the other “timezone” of WISRD, I have to be very proactive by working with students outside of the classroom. Learning to communicate effectively through email and other modes of correspondece has been a skill and an example of my effective collaboration.

I am always working in the interest of WISRD. Part of the reason I want to work on the magazine is because I know that a well-written magazine will be vital for the success of the institute in the future. It will connect students everywhere to WISRD and it will help get our name out in the world. Students will also have a place to discuss scientific ideas and practice their writing outside of school.

I have been meeting my learning outcomes so far. I understand how to write scientifically and effectively, and I believe that this magazine will generate interest in WISRD. Developing this skill (which I am still doing) required trial and error. I would write drafts, receive feedback, and revise again. The process was arduous but trial and error was most helpful for showing me the areas where I can improve.

Week 10

Since the year began I have put the bulk of my focus on the WISRD publications. The WISRD Journal was finished with a cover page and will be sent out very shortly. I was able to work on my editing skills, having to maintain the authors’ voices while simultaneously ensuring that everything is clear and accurate.

The magazine has been my other area of focus. I have worked on writing my own article as well as edtiing other articles and working on the overall presentation of the magazine. The magazine is very close to being finished. Every article is nearly finished being edited, and our graphic designer has begun putting the actual pages together. The magazine should be ready for printing in no less than two weeks. We will then, soon after, need to begin preparing for the second edition. I will be making an ASM announcement to try and recruit people who might not have seen my emails.

I have edited my article and below is the new version:

In John Carpenter’s They Live, an 80s sci-fi film, the protagonist discovers that aliens run the world when he puts on a pair of magical sunglasses. The aliens convince people to conform using subliminal messaging. By looking through his glasses, the unnamed hero, a drifter, sees hidden messages.

The sunglasses allow the hero to see the real message of the billboard, a message he would not otherwise be aware of.

The idea that advertisements contain hidden messages is not unique to sci-fi films. Major advertising companies routinely use subliminal messages to sell products; we’re just unaware of it.  While such ads do not conceal obvious commands, they do hide brief images, imperceptible flashes, used to reinforce some thoughts or actions. Many people consider subliminal messages subliminal messages to be ineffective, however, evidence suggests that our brains not only recognizes subliminal messages but are also influenced by them.

Although subliminal messages have been in use experimentally for more than two millennia, they first appeared in modern form, in 1957. A market researcher named James Vicary tested whether flashing split-second images telling audience members to “eat popcorn” and “drink soda” increased soda and popcorn sales at movie theaters. Vicary reported that the sal8es for the theater treats skyrocketed, but this claim was later discredited when he admitted that the study was a fraud.

For over thirty years after Vicary’s study, real and credible studies continued to show no relationship between subliminal messages and increased sales. In one study, scientists periodically flashed the phrase “Hershey’s Chocolate” during a professor’s lecture. After more than a week of subliminal messaging, Hershey’s sales among the students did not increase. The future of subliminal messages for advertising seemed grim.

Decades later, new evidence about subliminal messaging began to emerge. A 2006 study demonstrated, that flashing images evoking thirstiness, during a screening of The Simpsons, resulted in the viewers wanting water.

In the past few years, neuroscientists, through brain scans, have discovered that the human brain registers subliminal messages. However, the measured effects are small.

So, while They Live may entertain and the thought that hidden messages control our every decision may fascinate, even concern us, the truth about the power of subliminal messages turns out to be much less exciting. Thus we can find comfort that when we buy buttered popcorn at a movie theater, we truly wanted it.

The skills I have developed with the writing of my article is a more professional style that is still easy to read and is entertaining. I will continue to work on articles until the magazine is ready for publication.

Week 9

This past week in Advanced Topics in STEM I focused on the WISRD Magazine. All of the article copies have been received and edited. We are currently in the midst of editing more copies. The magazine will not be very big, but it is better to smart small and grow larger. My article has undergone a couple edits and is still in the editing phase. Here is a copy of so far though:

A Conscious Guide to Unconscious Consumption

In the 80’s sci-fi flick, They Live, directed by John Carpenter, a man, with the aid of a pair of “magical” sunglasses, discovers that the world is being run by a group of aliens. The aliens coax people to conform and obey through subliminal messages. The unnamed hero, a drifter, of the film is able to see these hidden messages by looking through the sunglasses.

The sunglasses allow the drifter to see the real message of the billboard, a message he would not otherwise be aware of.

This idea, that advertisements contain hidden messages, is not unique to sci-fi movies. Major advertising companies use subliminal messages to sell products all the time; you’re probably just unaware.  While these ads aren’t hiding aliens, they hide brief shots of images to reinforce some thought or action. While many people brush off subliminal messages as baloney, there is evidence that suggests that the brain not only recognizes subliminal messages but is also influenced by them.

While subliminal messages have been used experimentally for more than two millennia, the first appeared popularly, as we know them, in 1957. A market researcher named James Vicary decided to test if sales of soda and popcorn at a movie theater increased when he flashed split-second images telling audience members to eat popcorn and to drink soda. Vicary purported that the sales for the theater treats skyrocketed, but this claim was later discredited when he admitted that the study was a fraud.

For over thirty years after Vicary’s study, real and credible studies continued show no cause or correlation between subliminal messages and increased sales of products. In a particular study, the phrase, “Hershey’s Chocolate” was periodically flashed during a professor’s lecture. After more than a week, Hershey’s sales among the students did not increase. The future of subliminal messages for the cigar-smoking, bloody-mary-drinking, ad men of Madison Avenue seemed grim.

In the 1990s, however, new studies began to suggest that subliminal messages could influence potential customers. While not as powerful as initially suspected, the messages evidently influenced viewers.

A 2006 study demonstrated, in a screening of The Simpsons, that flashing images that evoked thirstiness made the viewers of the episode desirous of water.

In the past few years, neuroscientists have discovered that the brain is actually aware of subliminal messages. The effects of these messages are measurable, however the effect is quite small.

So, while They Live is both an entertaining film and while the thought that hidden messages are able to control our every decision is fascinating, in reality subliminal messages are much less exciting. Perhaps it is comforting to think that when we buy buttered popcorn at the theater, it was because we wanted it. Talk about freedom!

I will be working with Scott this week on editing the journal. We will be meeting with the graphic designer tomorrow to begin layouts.

Week 8

This past week I devoted almost my entire time in STEM to InnovatEd LA. I finished up the journal and printed up several copies and bound them. I arrived on Saturday and sat at the WISRD booth. At the booth I had the journals out with Josie, and we explained to visitors what WISRD is. I also had sign up sheets for people who were interested in receiving the journal. This week I will be emailing out pdf’s of the journal to those who signed up.

The deadline for the articles for the magazine is tomorrow at 6pm. Once I receive the articles I will distribute them to the editors for editing.

InnovatedLA went extremely well. People were really interested in WISRD and many people were interested in getting involved.

Once we get back into normal day to day schedule I will be able to focus on the magazine and I will be able to plan the economics presentation with Max and Jesse.

Week 7

I did not have class last week and was away for most of the week, but I continued to work on my the magazine and journal. Despite the Oct. 5 deadline, not enough people submitted so I extended the due date to the 19th, the day everyone gets back. I wil just have to work extra hard when I receive the drafts to return edits to the authors as soon as possible.

I am currently away right now, but I am solving my computer problem while in Boston. Once I get the issue solved, I will be at school on Thursday to help prep for InnovatEd LA. I will also be printing copies of the journal so they can be ready for the event.

Week 6

This past week in Advanced Topics in STEM I worked on the magazine. I am still having the same issues with journal as before, and Max’s schedule has been such that he has been unable to help me. We are finding a time this week to go over the journal to fix the issue. I will have the journal ready in time for distribution at InnovatED LA. Several days before the event I would like to come into school to work on finishing up the journal and to help with planning and set up.

The deadline for submission for articles for the magazine’s rough draft is tomorrow night. Tomorrow, I will be finding everyone who wrote an article individually to check in with them. I have also been writing an article about subliminal messages. Once I receive all of the rough drafts, I will gather them into a file that any member of WISRD can see. Hopefully this will spark some interest in the magazine and people will be more likely to write for the second edition.

In an effort to respond to feedback I received about my learning outcomes, I would like to specify them. My learning outcomes are to understand how to best communicate scientific ideas through writing and to understand how evolution is related to job creation and destruction.

For my poster presentation, I will be showcasing the magazine. I will show sample pages and explain the purpose of the project and how it connects to my learning outcome. My learning outcome continues to be able to understand and execute the best way to explain scientific topics. Explaining and communicating science continues to be my overarching goal with both the magazine and the journal. For the economics project, my learning outcome continues to be to understand the connections between the concept of evolution and job growth and loss in the market. Max, Jesse, and I will be able to present in a few weeks. We are looking forward to receiving feedback and support on the subject.

Week 5

This past week in Advanced Topics in STEM I worked on the journal and the magazine. I have been running into several problems with the journal, issues Max will help me address on Wednesday. I have made all the corrections via a hard copy for the journal that I desire, but the actual LaTeX files are being “resistant” to my edits. When I open the master LaTeX file that calls on the other files, it will not allow me to publish as a pdf because the file is “calling” on the wrong domain. I need to go into my computer’s terminal to adjust this so that the file calls on the correct domain. I went to the tech department for help, but they said that Max would be more helpful with my issue. Once I sort out this issue, I will send out a copy of the journal for final edits.

As I mentioned in my last reflection, the due date for rough draft submissions of articles for the WISRD Magazine is 10/5. Everyone that I have tapped to write an article, as well as the editors, has begun writing their papers. My article is about subliminal messages, the science behind them, and their effectiveness. For the extent of the magazine I think that I will write an article about a popular concept in science fiction, and I will explain if it is true or not according research.

As far as my learning outcomes are concerned, my personal project of improving my science writing is coming along as I am finally working on an article. Organizational skills are still a necessity as I am working with so many people. My other learning outcome, related to the economics project, is to be able to synthesize the evidence gathered from our model where we used evolutionary ideas to understand job market growth and loss. Max, Jesse, and I are preparing a PowerPoint presentation for when we return after college visits in October.

Because I will not be there for Marc Rayman’s presentation tomorrow, I will be giving Declan questions to ask him afterwards for the WISRD Magazine, so long as Mr. Rayman allows us to interview him.

Week 4

This past week in Advanced Topics in STEM, I continued to work on the WISRD Magazine and the WISRD Journal. During the week I worked on editing the WISRD Journal. I think that I will be able to finish the edits and have the journal ready for publishing on the website in about a week. All of my edits for the Journal are handwritten so I cannot show them in this document, but I can show anyone interested the edits I have made. The main edits regard formatting which should be a quick and easy fix.

On Friday I had a fantastic and truly helpful meeting with Janet Keller. She gave me several pieces of advice which I wrote down:

-who are we talking to – general audience

-look for things a general audience wil like

-keep it small and grow

Week 3

This past week I worked on the WISRD Magazine and the WISRD Journal. On Friday, I met with the other editors to discuss the Magazine, and we have set the date of publication for the first issue as 11/15. We will each write an article, but we are holding off on writing our articles until we receive several submissions to ensure that the article topics are varied. So far I have only received one email from someone interested in writing an article. Hopefully more people will respond in the coming days. I also sent an email out directly addressed to WISRD members:

Dear WISRD,

Isn’t science great?! I think so, and I know you all do, too!

WISRD Magazine is looking for article submissions for the WISRD Magazine. An article can be about anything current or STEM related. Are you interested in writing about technology and game design? Go for it! Is climate change an issue dear to your heart? Tell us why. Do you have a personal story about how science, tech, or math changed your life? We’d love to hear about!

Scientific literacy, as many of you know, is not as high as it should be, and if any of you would like to change that, email me. Even if you aren’t that sure if you want to write an article, please talk to me. A sent email isn’t a contract (right, Scott? I mean, we haven’t really discussed that in law).

See you soon fellow WISRDs,

Caleb Zakarin

So far I have received no responses. I will begin approaching individual students in the halls about writing an article as email has appeared futile.

The WISRD Journal is also coming along. Owen was able to send me his edits. This week I finished editing my paper. Miana’s paper is nearly done; I just need to format it for her. Max’s paper needs one more edit. Once I do this, I will send it to him for finishing. The journal will be ready in two weeks.

What I have learned this week is how important organization is. I am working on several projects, and it is challenging to balance them. The more I can set good intermediary deadlines, the better.

Also, sorry for not sending this in earlier. I wrote a reflection earlier this weekend, and for some reason it didn’t submit. It wasn’t until later when I checked the “assignment center” that I saw the submission never went through. Still getting used to the new system.

Week 2

This past week I primariy worked on planning the WISRD Magazine. This magazine requires attention to the Habit of Convention. In order to produce this magazine, I need to be highly organized, and I need to be able to communicate well with other collaborators. An email, which I wrote, was recently sent out the whole school to try and get more collaborators:

Fellow Wildwoodians,

I’m excited to announce that WISRD (Wildwood Institute for STEM Research and Development) will be creating a magazine. The magazine’s purpose is to inform and demystify about the wonderful world of science. This magazine can only exist with the support of the Wildwood community. If you are an artist, a cartoonist, a writer, a photographer, a graphic designer, or you enjoy science at all, email me atcalebz16@wildwood.org. This is a message for both students and faculty (so I’m expecting an article, Tim!).

I look forward to a crowded inbox!

Sincerely,

Caleb Zakarin

So far two students have responded. Students often do not check their emails on Friday or the weekend, so hopefully I will get more responses on Tuesday. Also, I will likely write up another email to be sent out to the school again.

The Habit of Collaboration is another skill that will be important for the success of the magazine. Having class at a different time then the other editors means that I will need to communicate and work in a variety of manners, often via email or skype.

I will discuss this with the editors, but I think that making the WISRD magazine bi-monthly will be best. The potential dates of publication I have outlined are:

-11/15

-1/15

-3/15

-5/15

Another project I will be focusing on is the economics project with Max and Jesse. We will be revisiting the data, and we will create a presentation on the project for two weeks from now. This will deal with the Habit of Evidence, as we will need to show and accurately explain our research to the other students. The learning outcomes I hope to gain from this presentation are better skills at communicating complex ideas (which also connects to the WISRD magazine).

-hand pick writers and give them examples

-DISCOVERIES Magazine CHECK IT OUT

-Have a production schedule

-Give two week deadlines

-be FIRM and friendly

This advice was especially useful as I had been struggling with piquing interest in the magazine. Since our meeting, I have begun tapping individual people to write articles, and I have had much more success in doing so.

Janet’s reccomendation that I have a production schedule has lead me to make one:

-10/5 – first drafts of articles and magazine sections due.

-10/12 – edits returned to authors for another draft.

-10/19 – authors send back edited drafts.

-11/1 – finalize articles and magazine content.

-11/2 – send articles to Lela Scully for design and layout of magazine.

-11/4 – edit draft of the magazine and receive edits/suggestions from various WISRD members.

-11/7 – send a copy to Janet Keller for review.

-11/10 – finalize magazine and prepare for printing and posting to web.

-11/15 have magazine finished and ready for the readers.

I would love to receive some feedback on the production schedule.

Also, Max, Jesse, and I will begin prepping for next Tuesday to give our presentation on our economics and entropy research. We will create a powerpoint to show to the students. The learning outcome I hope to gain from that presentation is the ability to synthesize and explain complex research. I also hope to improve my public speaking and presentation skills.

My learning outcomes remain the same for the magazine and the journal. I want to improve my science writing, and i want to improve my ability to communicate scientific ideas.