Scaling down the Earth's history: Visual materials for popular education by Nérée Boubée (1806-1862).

Spatial and temporal scales are essential components of geological sciences; both are almost always imbricated in complex ways, challenging geoscientific knowledge among nonspecialists and students. The present paper focuses on the efforts made by the French naturalist Simon-Suzanne Nérée Boubée (1806-62) regarding popular education on geology. Though Boubée is poorly known nowadays, he experienced some prestige during his lifetime. He worked as an independent teacher, offering private as well as free public courses. Boubée, as a nineteenth-century science popularizer, repeatedly insisted on his disposition for "spreading science for all." He extensively published books and journals on geology, all aimed at popularizing geological scientific knowledge, considered to be of paramount relevance. This paper analyzes three visual examples extracted from his works: the Tableau Mnémonique des Terrains Primitifs, destiné au géologue voyageur, avec son explication (1831), the Tableau de l'État du Globe à ses différents âges (1832), and the Tableau figuratif de la structure minérale du globe, ou résumé synoptique du Cours de géognosie de M. N. Boubée (1839), supplemented with images from the travel guide Deux Promenades au Mont Doré (1834). Our goal is to understand Boubée's efforts to synthesize information, scaling down geologic time and space into foldable materials that made geological knowledge cognitively and materially accessible to laypeople.

Producción científica de la Facultad de Geología y Minas del Instituto Superior Minero Metalúrgico, Cuba, en el período 2003-2015 / Scientific production of the Geology and Mining Faculty of Higher Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Cuba, in period 2003-2015

RESUMEN El objetivo de la investigación fue describir la producción científica de la Facultad de Geología y Minas del Instituto Superior Minero Metalúrgico de Moa (Cuba), en revistas científicas durante el período 2003-2015. El estudio se desarrolló a través de una estrategia de investigación que combina técnicas exploratorias de búsqueda de información y análisis cuantitativos, mediante el análisis documental y la estadística descriptiva. En este sentido, se analizó la producción científica por años, departamentos docentes, autores y en revistas. Se consultó un total de 224 publicaciones, de ellas 80 en revistas científicas, a partir de la identificación de los focos temáticos de investigación, la información contenida en los curriculum vitae y la consulta a las bases de datos. Los resultados muestran la evolución e impacto de la producción científica en los doce años del período en estudio. Se concluye que, a pesar de que el número de publicaciones registradas en revistas científicas es pequeño, existe una correspondencia entre la producción científica y las líneas de investigación establecidas por la institución. Estos resultados son un reflejo de los intereses y áreas activas de esta Facultad, por lo que los resultados pueden constituir un indicador de su evolución en la institución.

Abstract The purpose of the research was to describe the scientific production of the Geology and Mining School of the Higher Institute of Mining and Metallurgy of Moa (Cuba), in scientific journals during 2003-2015 period. The study is developed by means of a research strategy that combines exploratory techniques of information search and quantitative analyses, through the documentary analysis and descriptive statistics. In this sense analyzed the scientific production for years, teaching departments, authors, and journals. A total of 224 publications were surveyed, of those 80 in scientific journals, through of the identification of the thematic focuses of research, the information given in the curriculum vitae and the databases queries. The results show the evolution and impact of the scientific production in the twelve years of the period under study. It concluded that, despite the number of registered publications in scientific journals is small, there is a matching between the scientific production and the established lines of investigation by the institution. These results reflect the interests and active areas of this Faculty, so the results can be an indicator of his evolution in the institution.

Improving female participation in professional engineering geology to bring new perspectives to ethics in the geosciences.

Many papers have been published related to the retention and advancement of women in sciences. Engineering geology is one of the professional areas where women have not yet broken the gender barrier. The research issues of this paper are focused on why female students "leak out" at the end of engineering geology studies, and what can be done to encourage them to complete their degrees with an engineering career in mind. The author has studied students' preferences of the final year project required to complete their degree at the University of Salamanca (Salamanca, Spain). It has been found that most female students are choosing a more theoretical final project instead of a practical one relevant to professional employment, contrary to their male peers. Focus group meetings with the students showed that at the end of five years of engineering geology training, many female students, unsatisfied with the content of their courses, feel that their expectations had not been met. They often have preferences for traditional geology rather than applied branches of the subject. Also, they do not feel comfortable with future job prospects in the profession. From the findings of this research it is clear that tutoring and mentoring would be valuable from the beginning of studies to allow all students to become aware of the content and the potential outcomes of engineering geology studies. In the case of female students, it is particularly important for them to know from the very start that they are about to join what is still a man's world but that they are capable of achieving just as much as men can in the profession. Most importantly, the involvement of more female engineers in professional engineering, including teaching duties, should serve as example and role models in students' education and future careers.

Mars for Earthlings: an analog approach to Mars in undergraduate education.

Mars for Earthlings (MFE) is a terrestrial Earth analog pedagogical approach to teaching undergraduate geology, planetary science, and astrobiology. MFE utilizes Earth analogs to teach Mars planetary concepts, with a foundational backbone in Earth science principles. The field of planetary science is rapidly changing with new technologies and higher-resolution data sets. Thus, it is increasingly important to understand geological concepts and processes for interpreting Mars data. MFE curriculum is topically driven to facilitate easy integration of content into new or existing courses. The Earth-Mars systems approach explores planetary origins, Mars missions, rocks and minerals, active driving forces/tectonics, surface sculpting processes, astrobiology, future explorations, and hot topics in an inquiry-driven environment. Curriculum leverages heavily upon multimedia resources, software programs such as Google Mars and JMARS, as well as NASA mission data such as THEMIS, HiRISE, CRISM, and rover images. Two years of MFE class evaluation data suggest that science literacy and general interest in Mars geology and astrobiology topics increased after participation in the MFE curriculum. Students also used newly developed skills to create a Mars mission team presentation. The MFE curriculum, learning modules, and resources are available online at http://serc.carleton.edu/marsforearthlings/index.html.

[The journal of A.V. Humboldt in Spain]. / El diario de Alexander von Humboldt en España.

The Spanish diary can surprisingly not be found in his bounded diaries from his American travels, but in a separate folder of his legacy in Berlin, where Humboldt collected material which he wanted to use for his publication about Spain. So it remained undiscovered until recently. Humboldt's notes contain geognostic descriptions as well as his observations about climate, vegetation, electricity of the atmosphere, etc. The comparison with Humboldt's publication of 1825 facilitates to gain insight into his scientific methods.

Práctica de cristalización de proteínas por técnicas de contradifusión en geles, para estudiantes de Farmacia / Protein crystallization practice by gels counter-diffusion techniques for Pharmacy students

Se pretende con esta práctica iniciar al alumno de Farmacia que cursa la asignatura de GeologíaAplicada, en las técnicas más novedosas de cristalización de macromoléculas biológicas. ¿Por qué leconviene al alumno realizar esta práctica? Porque la determinación de las estructuras de lasmacromoléculas biológicas y de otras muchas sustancias de interés sanitario, se realiza en laactualidad principalmente por difracción de Rayos X (DRX) y el primer paso de esta técnica escristalizarlas, lo que es realmente difícil de realizar. Para ello empleamos los dispositivos GCB(Granada Crystallization Box) desarrollados y patentados por uno de los autores, que sirven pararealizar estos experimentos de forma fácil y económica. Durante el curso 2009-2010 se han realizadopor primera vez este tipo de prácticas en la Facultad de Farmacia de Granada con un rotundo éxito yqueremos extrapolar nuestra experiencia a todas las Facultades de Farmacia que participen en estecongreso. Se le enseña al alumno la importancia que tiene la Biocristalografía para conocer lasestructuras cristalinas de antibióticos, hormonas, proteínas y principios activos de medicamentos.Muchos Premios Nóbel de Química y Medicina que han hecho avanzar disciplinas como la BiologíaMolecular y Estructural son cristalógrafos. La Biocristalografía es, por tanto, una ciencia básica parala investigación puntera, apoyo imprescindible para muchas asignaturas troncales. Una Facultad queno contemple estos estudios como obligatorios está descuidando la formación de sus alumnos(AU)

The aim of this practice on Biocrystallography is to introduce pharmacy students learning GeologyApplied to Pharmacy, in the latest techniques of crystallization of biological macromolecules(especially proteins). Students should improve this practice because the determination of the structuresof biological macromolecules and other substances of interest in Pharmacy, are now carried out by Xraydiffraction. A first step in this technique is crystallization of these molecules, and this matter isreally difficult. We use a GCB devices (Granada Crystallization Box) developed and patented by oneof the authors, to perform such experiments easily and inexpensively. This practice was firstperformed in the period 2009-2010 obtaining a great success and we want to extrapolate ourexperience to all pharmacy schools participating in this conference. We teach the students theimportance of Biocrystallography to know the structures of antibiotics, hormones, proteins and activeingredients of drugs. Many Nobel Laureates in Chemistry and Medicine, with have advanceddisciplines such as Molecular and Structural Biology, are crystallographers. The Biocrystallography istherefore a basic discipline to conduct first class research and is also a support for many otherimportant subjects. A Faculty that has not granted obligatorily such studies neglects the education oftheir students(AU)

Ciento Sesenta años de Geología Aplicada a la Farmacia. En la encrucijada de Bolonia / Hundred Sixty years teaching Applied Geology to Pharmacy. At the crossroads of Bologna Process

El estudio de las materias primas farmacéuticas y cosméticas de origen mineral, sus propiedades,métodos de investigación específicos, normas de obligado cumplimiento para el uso y otros nuevosámbitos y aplicaciones de carácter sanitario que se han ido abriendo con el desarrollo de la Ciencia yla Técnica durante las últimas décadas, ha sido una asignatura de obligada impartición en los estudiosde Farmacia hasta la implantación del Nuevo Grado auspiciado por la puesta en práctica del PlanBolonia.En esta Comunicación se relata la historia de la asignatura, sus diferentes denominaciones y profesoresque ha tenido; se analizan en detalle sus contenidos científicos actuales y sus retos futuros: Todo elloen el marco del papel jugado hasta el presente en la Facultad de Farmacia en la formación delfarmacéutico, y para componer una base científica y argumental, que permita analizar objetivamente lasituación actual y las perspectivas futuras(AU)

The study of pharmaceutical and cosmetic mineral raw materials, their properties, their specificresearch methods, regulating norms and test for their use, and other new applications for the humanhealth that have been opened during the last decades owing to the development of Science andTechnology, has been a obligatory subject of teaching in the Pharmacy studies of the GranadaUniversity until the implantation of the new studies of Grade promoted by the Bologna Process.This communication relates the history of the subject "Applied Geology to Pharmacy", their differentdenominations and Professors who have had, analyzes in detail the current scientific content and itsfuture lines of research and challenges. All these discussions in the context of the role that has playeduntil today in the Faculty of Pharmacy as in the training of pharmaceutics. And to compose a scientificbasis and line of thinking, which allows to objectively analyze the current situation and future of thesubject "Applied Geology to Pharmacy"(AU)

Towards the development of a multidisciplinary understanding of the effects of toxic chemical mixtures on health.

Mixtures can be divided into simple (chemicals with comparable properties--health risk assessments on the chemicals) and complex, which can be further subdivided into defined (a reasonably distinct composition, created at a specific time and place despite dissimilar components--risk assessments on the common source) and coincidental (chemicals without similar properties or constant composition in time or space-risk assessments on the receptor). Interactions recognized are: independent action, dose addition (additivity), and potentiation (synergy and antagonism). Unpredicted outcomes need recognition. New approaches in higher education and multidisciplinary investigations are essential. The community of the Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health should help clarify points such as when transformations in mixtures may become important enough to alter the classification and the risk assessment. The multidisciplinary community is also well placed to support the integration of non-chemical influences into mixture analysis and to contribute to the investigation of cumulative and multiple exposures.

Labor de Andrés Manuel del Río en México: profesor en el Real Seminario de Minería e innovador tecnológico en minas y ferrerías / No disponible

El trabajo analiza la formación científica y tecnológica de Andrés del Río en Europa, y su desempeño profesional en Nueva España a fines del siglo XVIII y principios del XIX: Se estudia su práctica científica en el Real Seminario de Minería de la ciudad de México como una forma de cultura, y por lo tanto se examina la "practica científica" de Andrés del Río y sus objetivos desde una perspectiva historicista y cultural. Del Río contribuyó a forjar una cultura científica como parte del imaginario colectivo del nuevo país de residencia. Pero serían los encargos de desaguar las minas de Morán en el distrito minero de Real del Monte y el establecimiento de una ferrería en la sierra de Coalcomán, en el antiguo Obispado de Michoacán, las que dejaron ver sus dotes de tecnólogo y la pericia en el diseño, proyección y ejecución de dos obras de ingeniería, una hidraúlica y la otra industrial, las primeras de su género en el nuevo continente

This article analyzes the scientific and technological training of Andrés del Río in europe and, his professional activities in New Spain at the end of the eighteenth and the begining of the nineteenth century. I study his scientific practice at Mexico City´s Royal Mining Seminary as a form of culture; therefore, this research examines the "scientific practice" and goals of Andrés del Río from a historicist and cultural perspective. Del Río contributed to forge a scientific culture that became part of the collective imaginary in his new country of residence. However his direction in the draining of the Morán mines in the mining district of Real del Monte and the establishment of the ferrería (pre-industrial iron smelter) of Guadalupe in the Coalcomán highlands, in the former Michoacán Bishopric, allowed him to show his abilities as a technician and his skill in the design, projection and execution of two engineering projects (one hydraulic, the other industrial)- the first of their genre in the New World