There is nothing I like more than anything that I do. So, i encourage you to check out this Science Cheerleader interview I conducted with my friend and colleague, Arlene!

Last month, I had the opportunity to speak on a panel at the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative (ADL)’s Implementation Fest 2010 in Orlando, FL. I joined Aaron Silvers, ADL’s Community Manager, and Mark Oehlert, Innovation Evangelist from Defense Acquisition University in a discussion with the audience about some of the challenges and successes of using social media at the Department of Defense (DoD). The panel was moderated by Peter Smith, ADL’s team lead for immersive learning technologies.

Implementation Fest is the premier event for the D0D training community.  It provides an opportunity to a unique gathering of military, government, industry, and academic learning/education/training professionals to share lessons learned.  The conference focuses on a range of topics including effective use of distributed learning technologies for DoD training, training standards and specifications, innovative learning capabilities, and other topics.

I recently had the opportunity to interview San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush cheerleader, Erica, for a story on ScienceCheerleader.com. In addition to her cheerleading duties, Erica is software engineer who develops online courses for graduate students. As someone who operates in the seemingly unrelated worlds of cheerleading and science and technology, she offers a really unique perspective. Check out the interview!

I was admittedly a little hesitate about this interview. There was some serious conflict between the tortured Arizona Cardinals football fan part of my brain and my passion for connecting science and society. But, when I found out that both Erica and I have a habit of sneaking out of our office to practice double pirouettes in the bathroom, I realized this was something that just had to be done. Enjoy!

The most recent edition of the Office of Naval Research (ONR)’s Innovation Newsletter explores “open innovation” — essentially the notion that organizations can and should innovate by drawing from external sources of knowledge. Seems like a good idea, right? I made it up.  (I didn’t)

Dr. Larry Schuette, ONR’s Director of Innovation, and his team gave me the opportunity to contribute a short article discussing how social technologies (e.g., Faced Book, Classmates.com, and YourTube) are playing an increasingly important role at the government-society interface. The three areas I focused on were crowd sourcing, intra-government collaboration, and citizen science.

Also inside the newsletter, you’ll find an article capturing the entrepreneurial spirit that drives Open Innovation forward co-authored by three professors from the Naval Postgraduate School of Business; an article on massive multiplayer games and insight generation; and an article on Open Innovation and lessons learned within a specific Naval science and technology community of interest.

The Innovation Newsletter is published quarterly and covers a variety of exciting topics. It include articles from scientists, engineers, warfighters, professors, program officers, and others, all sharing their insights and research on a particular field of interest.

Last week, I had the opportunity to fill in as the voice of the American Forces Press Service News Roundup Podcast for the Defense Department. It was a fun and informative experience. I didn’t realize how poorly I enunciated sometimes until I started stumbling over my own words for six or seven iterations of a sentence. Ah, but that’s why we have editing.

Listen: AFPS Podcast 42

Topics in the podcast include: Army Gen. David H. Petraeus formally assumed the command of the International Security Force in Afghanistan; Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez discussed the progress the coalition forces are making in Afghanistan; Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden met with servicemembers in Iraq on Independence Day; and more.

Drew Carey, host of The Price is Right, gives an Armed with Science shout-out during CES 2010.

Can’t decide on a holiday gift for Granny? Don’t know what to get your 10 year-old brother,  Billy?  Tired of wasting money on Barbies and video games that may not last through the New Year? I say, give your loved ones a gift that keeps on giving: a do-it-yourself experimental hydrogen fuel cell car that runs on water!

That’s right! The Fuel Cell Car & Experiment X7 Kit provides a playful introduction to one of the most significant technologies of the 21st Century: reversible hydrogen fuel cells. Each kit comes with a full-color, 16-page manual with easy, step-by-step instructions for assembling and using the car. In addition, the kit contains scientific explanations on how fuels cells work, the intricacies of fuel cell car design, and potential alternative energies for automobiles.

Most importantly, the kit is appropriate for anyone aged 10 and up, which means you’ll never be stuck wondering what to get that friend or family member who always seems to have everything. While other kids are showing off their boring skateboards and lame iPhones, yours could be harnessing the power of water. Don’t miss out!

Get the  The Fuel Cell Car & Experiment X7 Kit today!

This was writtenfor ScienceCheerleader.com and copied here for my parents and the other two people who visit my website every day.

This article was written for ScienceCheerleader.com. By reading it, you justify the public humiliation that I endured while walking nearly a mile with a giant red balloon.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Internets, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced the DARPA Network Challenge, a competition that will explore the role of social networking in communication, team building, and group mobilization. The challenge is to be the first person to submit the locations of 10 8-foot, red, weather balloons at 10 fixed locations in the continental United States.

Here’s how it works: The red balloons will be deployed on Saturday, December 5, in readily accessible locations and visible from nearby roads. Teams and collaborators will have approximately 9 days, until 12:00 PM (ET) on December 14, to collect the locations of the balloons and submit their entries.  All locations must be submitted in latitude and longitude coordinates. The event is open to individuals of all ages irrespective of nationality or residency (except Federal employees and their spouses and dependents), but first you must register your team on  the DARPA Network Challenge website.

Find the red balloons. Win $40,000. Do you have what it takes to be the next Balloon Boy/Girl?

In August, Brandon Skar of Snoqualmie, WA, systematically destroyed all of my Super Mario Kart Records on Twin Galaxies. I’ve chipped away at his efforts with five new World Records, but there is still a long way to go before The Quest is complete. I will try to post some of my record-setting runs on the YouTubes when I get a chance.

Click on these links to be impressed by my accomplishments [note: In 2011, Twin Galaxies redesigned their website, breaking all of these links in the process. You can search for these records at http://twingalaxies.com]:

Ghost Valley 1 – Fastest Race

Ghost Valley 1 – Fastest Lap

Ghost Valley 2 – Fastest Lap

Donut Plains 1 – Fastest Race

Donut Plains 1 – Fastest Lap

I recently had a chance to interview Lauren Aguirre, executive director of NOVA’s Web team, about NOVA’s new Beta Evolution website. The resulting story was originally posted on ScienceCheerleader.com.

Humans evolved. Shouldn’t our websites? That’s the idea behind NOVA’s new Beta Evolution website, an experimental effort to transform the way NOVA delivers its award-winning science and technology programming.

Since 1996, NOVA has pioneered new forms of web-original content with more than 30,000 pages covering anything from string theory to aviation to how the Pyrimids were built. The Beta Evolution website serves as one-stop shop for all matters evolution, including the recent three-part NOVA series, Becoming Human, which explores the latest scientific research on human origins. Over time, NOVA will rely on user feedback to help inspire new ways of designing, organizing, and presenting this content to make it more useful for viewers.

Last week, I had the opportunity to chat with Lauren Aguirre, executive director of NOVA’s Web team, about goals of the new project, the challenges of organizing 13 years of content, and her experiences at the forefront of science communications. You can listen to each individual question and answer by clicking on the audio player below. Enjoy!

I  wrote this for Science Cheerleader because I like everything that has anything to do with any aspect of Google.

While we most commonly associate Google with its ability to search the Intertubes for our favorite science FAILs, the tech giant is also opening new doors for citizen science. A recent article in the Public Library of Science (PloS) ONE highlights a new mobile phone application, powered by Google Maps and Google’s Android operating system, that allows professional and citizen scientists to gather, submit, and access research data from the field.

The application, called EpiCollect, was initially designed for epedimiological and ecological studies but has potential for a number of other fields, including economics, public health, and resource allocation. Individual users can input data records (variables, photos, GPS location, etc) into EpiCollect from their mobile phone, which is synchronized to a central database. An accompanying web application, located at www.spatialepidemiology.net, provides a common location for mapping, visualization, and analysis of the data by everyone involved in the study. The two-way connectivity between the EpiCollect mobile application and the central database could increase the collection and collation of data for community projects, particular in resource-limited areas.

Importantly, EpiCollect was developed as a free software using Google’s open-source Android operating system. Anyone interested in using the software is encouraged to contact David Aanensen in the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London.  The EpiCollect website also provides three sample epidemological datasets and a facility to geocode your own spatial data.

Last week, David Meerman Scott, marketing guru and author of “The New Rules of Marketing and PR,” visited the Pentagon to discuss the importance of social media in the Defense Department’s communications arsenal.  He spent two hours with the All Services Social Media Council, comprised of people from across the Department (ten points if you can find my forehead in the image below), and led a very interesting discussion about social media strategy and brand journalism.

I had the opportunity to chat with David during a 30-minute car ride, and I couldn’t help but detail all of the social media strategies we use to operate Armed with Science, the Defense Department’s weekly science podcast.  He was so impressed with our efforts to provide meaningful information about science and technology through social media that he even mentioned us in a blog entry, Brand Journalism in US Military Humanizes Large Organization.

Click here to read it.

I wrote this for ScienceCheerleader.com this morning. There is a huge cash prize if you find the secret message. (not really)

Anyone can be a scientist, and not surprisingly, scientists are just like everyone else. That’s what NOVA ScienceNOW hopes to convey with their new show, The Secret Life of Scientists, a web video series that provides a personal and thought-provoking look at the lives of 16 scientists and engineers. Through a mixture of whimsical interview questions, each show will demonstrate how scientists and engineers can be athletes, musicians, artists, chefs, and, most importantly, incredibly human.

Although, SUPER-human might be more accurate for tonight’s episode featuring Nate Ball, a mechanical engineer, entrepreneur, pole-vaulting coach, jazz pianist, and TV star. In his day job, Nate is chief technical officer and co-founder of a technology and innovation company, Atlas Devices. His business develops a tool that he helped invent, the Powered Rope Ascender, which enables military personnel and rescue workers to reverse-rappel up buildings at high speeds. Check out these awesome videos of Nate’s invention in action.

And, Nate isn’t camera-shy. He is currently a cast member on PBS’ Design Squad, a show that features two teams of contestants charged with brainstorming, designing, building, and testing products before putting them to the test.

I had a chance to ask Nate a few questions about how he balances all of these endeavors, what inspires him to innovate, and his strategies for creating more interest in science and engineering. You’ll find, just as I did, that Nate has transformed a childhood passion into a career and drawn from a variety of perspectives to keep himself grounded. To learn more about Nate’s drive to succeed, check out tonight’s episode of The Secret Life of Scientsts.

Dr. John: How do we demistify science and bridge the gap between scientists and society?

Nate: Bridging the gap between scientists & engineers and society has always been an extremely important endeavor, and certainly is now more than ever. The way I like to make my career of mechanical engineering more accessible is to point out that I get to do now what I loved to do as a kid–build stuff and solve problems! Did you like to make forts out of couch cushions when you were 6? It’s a great lead-up to civil or mechanical engineering. Love to make your own recipes in the kitchen? Chemistry or biology may be for you. What usually gives people that “aha!” sort of understanding about engineering is when they realize that engineering is responsible for everything around them, and what engineers do is no different from any of the creative experimentation and problem solving everybody did as a kid. It’s just at a higher level with some extra training.

Dr. John: You clearly balance your interests in science and technology with other interests in your personal life — why is this balance important?

Nate: I pursue quite a few activities outside my office, which I find really important. For one, it gives my brain a chance to rest after exercising the analytical one for 14 hours a day at work (I love my job!). Play music and spending time doing really active things is my chance to change up what I’m working on and recharge the engineering part. I actually find that I’m never as focused as right after a hard workout. My brain just feels like it works differently–nothing seems distracting, I have much better clarity on whatever I was trying to solve before, and I’m even relieved to be sitting down again. But the whole “giving the analytical side a rest” isn’t the only part of it; I find that the things I balance my work with are really complementary to the engineering I do. Exercising the creative part of the brain with playing music or figuring out how to coach one of my pole vaulters keeps the colorful brain half flexible and ready to attack engineering challenges in a new way. So it’s a very important two-way street.

Dr. John: What is your most cherished accomplishment?

Nate: Having heard through a parent that their kid was inspired to pursue engineering after reading about some of my work. That was one of the most gratifying things I’ve ever heard!

Dr. John: Who inspired you to pursue career in mechanical engineering?

Nate: I credit my parents and grandparents with nurturing my interests in engineering-related activities that launched me toward where I am now. When I was about 3 years old around Christmas, my granddad gave me a block of wood, a hammer, and a bunch of roofing nails. After a lot of hammered fingers, I was off to the races and never stopped! My parents’ continued support of all the projects I made growing up, from kayaks to land sailers to potato guns and a Tesla coil, was really responsible for me getting hooked on technical problem solving. They supported my decision to go to MIT and are still cheering me on today.

Dr. John: How big of role can citizens play in the scientific process?

Nate: A huge one! You don’t have to have formal training in science or engineering to be perceptive about how the world works, and the observations of countless laymen have always made tremendous impacts in technical development. Take anything you’re familiar with and think about how it could be improved. How about that bad intersection you always avoid when driving to work because the lights aren’t timed well? Do you always slip on your front walk with the coated pavement? That old car you drove in high school that needed some special operator training (jiggle the key just like this to get it to start…). Every person on earth has some amount of intuition and more than enough capability to observe how things work. We execute careful problem solving processes many times each day whether we realize it or not. And sometimes, average Joe or Jane Citizen makes an observation that’s particularly insightful, and the scientific process helps make another leap forward for everyone’s benefit.

Dr. John: How do you encourage people to become more interested in science?

Nate: I engage many people in a lot of different venues to familiarize them with science and engineering. Some outreach I do directly, some through the engineering reality TV show I host (Design Squad on PBS), and some is done with the help of the very-real engineered products I have helped create, which closely resemble some of the equipment on Batman’s tool belt. Nothing captures the imagination like zipping up a rope at 10 feet per second, and when I’m able to close the loop between what people are seeing me demonstrate and the engineering that made it possible, you can practically see the light bulb go on in their head. And that’s a great feeling.

This Pentagon Channel report investigates whether neuroimaging techniques can be used to detect deception. Dr. Bhatt previously appeared as a guest on the weekly science and technology podcast, “Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military”. The report also features my award-winning acting skills and demonstrates the razor-sharp wit and decision-making savvy required to answer personal questions under pressure.

Dr. Bhatt: Were you born in 1980?
John: Yes.

Virtually no hesitation.

I wrote this for ScienceCheerleader.com. I’m expecting to win several journalism awards.

Anyway, the neuroimaging report will air on the Pentagon Channel’s “Around the Services” program in the near future. In the meantime, some of the content was used as background footage in the above report on traumatic brain injury.

Check out the 2:20 mark for my world famous B-roll performance in the MRI scanner. Also making a guest appearance: my brain.

Citizen scientists, I’d like you to meet Ziya Tong, a new correspondent on the Emmy-nominated science video series, NOVA ScienceNOW. Ziya joins a NOVA program well-known for exploring important science and technology topics at the interface of politics, art, and society. So far, she’s covered areas like gene therapy, how walruses and sea lions have influenced human language, and the hunt for the earliest macromolecules. I recently had a chance to chat with Ziya about how her work in science broadcasting is creating common ground for scientists and the public.

For Ziya, it turns out that exploring far-out science topics is just another day at the office – literally! In addition to her work with NOVA, she also hosts Daily Planet, Discovery Channel Canada’s daily science show, and previously served as host and producer on PBS’ Wired Science. She even hosted a travel show, Island Escapes, during which she visited over 50 countries (approximately 45 more than me).

“I’m inspired in a new way every day,” Ziya said. “I’ve had the unique opportunity to meet, and most importantly, learn from very inspiring people.”

Ziya’s work in video production, writing, directing, and hosting has reinforced the importance of presenting science in a way that is meaningful and understandable to people. She operates from several guiding principles: keep things simple, live what you love, and get out in the field to experience real science.

Importantly, she has seen first-hand the impact of citizen participation in the scientific process. For example, in the Wired Science episode, Flotsam Found, Ziya worked with Curt Ebbesmeyer, an oceanographer who tracks data points of garbage floating in the ocean. By aggregating records of things people have found on the beach — rubber ducks, shoes, etc — Curt is able to track the flow of objects over ocean currents.

When it comes to getting people involved, Ziya has been a part of some pioneering efforts in the media space. One of her first hosting gigs came on ZeD TV, a Canadian variety show that included user-generated video content and interactive features through its website. This concept would later influence the development of Current TV, a network led by former Vice President Al Gore. Also, on Daily Planet, there is currently an interactive segment, Planet You, where viewers can record and contribute their science and technology ideas.

Ziya also discussed her place as a role model and the importance of mentoring students who are interested in careers in science and communications. She credited much of her own success to the “fantastic visionaries” Arthur and Marilouise Kroker, her mentors at McGill University, where she received a Masters degree in Communications. Ziya hopes to play a similar role for aspiring young science broadcasters, particularly women.

“It’s important to present to young people, especially young women, a new face in the science and technology realm,” she said. “I want to present a critical and thoughtful view that demonstrates the impact that scientists have on society.”

Ziya is not the only one trying to demystify science. On August 31, NOVA ScienceNOW launches The Secret Life of Scientists, a web video series that provides a personal and thought-provoking look at the lives of 16 scientists and engineers. Through a mixture of whimsical interview questions, each show will demonstrate how scientists and engineers can be athletes, musicians, artists, chefs, and, most importantly, incredibly human.

Ziya also offered advice to young students looking to pursue a career in science, whether at the bench or with a camera. “Persistence and passion,” she said. “If you can demonstrate that you care more than anyone else, eventually people will see that.”

As for her future, Ziya has considered lecturing and even writing a book about her experiences covering science and technology across the globe. For now, you can find Ziya on her personal website and access every episode of NOVA ScienceNOW via streaming, download, and RSS or iTunes.

One of my favorite aspects of the new iPhone 3GS is the video recorder, which I’ve demonstrated in this glorious movie of the St. Louis Arch. You can even discard extraneous footage on the fly using the “trim” feature and then upload movies straight to YouTube for public consumption. It’s yet another way to alert stalkers about your current whereabouts. Note to self: rotate iPhone 90 degrees when capturing video.

Don’t worry. You are simply witnessing an illusion created through forced perspective and innovative optical imaging technology. Marty is still the tallest singular entity in the universe.

My latest video blog entry for Science Cheerleader featuring more awesome music from Princess Ladyfriend.

On Saturday, July 11, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA), the Defense Agency responsible for protecting the Pentagon, conducted an operational response test to a simulated outdoor airborne biological attack on the Pentagon grounds. The study consisted of the release of a harmless gardening powder into the Pentagon parking area, where nearly 100 citizen volunteers were positioned, followed by subsequent decontamination and surface sampling of the volunteers. The results will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of various emergency personnel and guide future operational responses to attacks on the Pentagon.

Best of all, Pentagon security relaxed its usual restrictions on photography and permitted media to film virtually all aspects of the operation. I had an opportunity to interview various subject matter experts, including Mr. Paul Benda and Dr. Christina Murata, Director and Deputy Director of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Directorate at the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, as well as some of the volunteers for a SciCheer video report.

If you’re interested in learning more about the operational response test, check out “Armed with Science”, the Defense Department’s weekly science podcast, this Wednesday at 2pm ET on Pentagon Web Radio. I’ll be interviewing Mr. Benda and Dr. Murata live, and anyone can submit questions before or during the show by posting to the Armed with Science podcast or the Twitter page.

I cancelled my Twitter account today. It was a cost-benefit decision. What do you think? Visit my blog –> http://tinyurl.com/locdko

Listen to the first Armed with Science show covering the Defense Department’s efforts to leverage social science.

Drs. Ivy Estabrook, program officer for the Human, Social, Cultural and Behavioral Science program at the Office of Naval Research, and Elisa Bienenstock, Chief Human Science Officer at NSI, Inc., will discuss the Defense Department’s efforts to understand how theoretical and methodological approaches from social science can benefit the warfighter. They will discuss several programs sponsored by the Director of Defense Science and Engineering that aim to refine and scale empirical, quantitative and computational methods to meet the needs of the Department of Defense.

Office of Naval Research
National Security Innovations

RSS | iTunes | Armed with Science | On Twitter

Shameless word play involving the word “twitter” is not the only way to get quoted on the homepage. Brilliance is also an option.

Check out this new flash player I downloaded from the Armed with Science page on BlogTalkRadio.com. You can embed your own flash player by visiting Armed with Science and clicking on the big icon to the right that says, “PROMOTE THIS SHOW”. You will be really happy with your decision.

Red stars were added through sophisticated digital image editing software to indicate best lap and race.

Despite doing no advertising, we managed to get picked up by Popular Science. Check out the article and all of its hyperlinked glory here.

Listening In on the DoD: A new military radio show probes science
By Laura Silver
Posted 02.05.2009

The Department of Defense has a new voice.

It’s a little tinny at times, but the twice-monthly web radio show, “Armed With Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military,” packs an informational punch. And it’s not just targeted to stealth-bomber savants and jet propulsion professionals.

In the latest 22-minute episode of “Armed With Science,” Navy hydrographer Michael Jeffries details his work on underwater surveys and nautical charts. And of course, tides. His focus is global.

That information is just a drop in the bucket. To find out more, listen to Episode #2: Hydrographic Surveys and the Fleet Survey Teams or download a full transcript.

The show has been in the works since last summer, says Lieutenant Jennifer Cragg of the New Media Directorate of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Defense Media Activity. Cragg is one of the show’s alternating co-hosts, along with John Ohab, who holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA and is currently an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the Department of Defense. But don’t let all those fancy titles scare you away. “Armed With Science,” originally conceived of by Cragg and Robert Freeman of the U.S. Naval Observatory, is designed to showcase Web 2.0 and modern military contributions to science.

“Part of our agenda is to use these new media tools and test them,” says Cragg.

It seems to be catching on, and not just within the armed forces. After the first show, there were something like 3,000 downloads and we had not promoted it anywhere,” says Jack Holt, the Chief of New Media Operations for Defense Media Activity. That was on January 14. Holt says there’s been a total of 7,400 downloads since, from blogtalkradio.com and iTunes. “Armed With Science” also has a phone component. Listeners can pose questions on a live call-in line, (866) 588-9257.

Future episodes will demystify SONAR and crack open the cranium as part of Brain Awareness Week (March 16-22, 2009, in case your neurons hadn’t registered that).

“Armed With Science” hits the web radio waves again on Wednesday, February 11 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time, with a cool focus on monitoring Arctic ice.

Last week’s Armed with Science featured me interviewing Michael Jeffries, a Navy hydrogarapher. Ten points to anyone who knew about hydrography before this Journal entry. The original article can be found here.

Navy Hydrographers Provide Critical Mapping of Ocean Floor
By John Ohab
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2009 – Advanced ocean-bottom mapping technologies have enhanced the Navy’s ability to navigate safely throughout the world and have helped support disaster assistance and humanitarian relief operations, the Navy’s oldest active diver said.

Michael Jeffries, a Navy hydrographer and technical director of the Fleet Survey Team, was interviewed on “Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military” on BlogTalkRadio.com Jan. 28 about the science of hydrography and the tools and techniques used to develop precise nautical navigation charts.

Hydrography focuses on measurements and descriptions of the physical characteristics of oceans, seas and coastal areas, including lakes and rivers. The primary purpose of collecting hydrographic information is to support the production of nautical charts, graphical representations of the maritime environment and adjacent coastal regions.

The most important information contained on a nautical chart is the depiction of soundings, or the water depths.

“Whether the user is a fisherman or a captain of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, knowing the depths of the water you are navigating is paramount to maintaining the safety of the vessel and all of its crew,” Jeffries, a hydrographer for more than 30 years, said.

The Fleet Survey Team, a subordinate command to the Naval Oceanographic Office at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, supports Navy and Marine Corps global operations by conducting hydrographic surveys that provide critical nautical information, including water depth, tide levels, and the location of navigational aids like buoys, lighthouses, beacons, shipwrecks, rocks and reefs.

The team also conducts expeditionary hydrographic surveys using personal watercraft called “expeditionary survey vessels,” or ESVs, to identify underwater hazards during amphibious landing exercises.

“Teams conduct surveys in advance of our amphibious landing forces to determine the most suitable beach landings for the military exercise,” Jeffries said.

An estimated 89 percent of Earth’s waters have not been adequately charted, and some nautical charts still contain source data from the 19th century, Jeffries said. Furthermore, the marine environment and seafloor are constantly changing due to natural events like hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes, and manmade events like shipwrecks and construction. For these reasons, emerging navigation and positioning equipment play an important role in developing the most accurate and up-to-date nautical charts, he said.

“One of the most remarkable technological advances for the science of hydrography is the use of satellites for positioning and navigation,” Jeffries said. “With our current technology, we can refine [positioning] to less than 1 centimeter.”

The Fleet Survey Team employs a variety of high resolution sonar systems to define the topographic characteristics of the seafloor. Portable sensors known as “single beam echo sounders” can be outfitted on ESVs to provide depth information. A specialized sensor called “side-scan sonar” is the main tool used by the Naval mine warfare community to locate mine-like objects and other obstructions on the seafloor.

“The key to accurate hydrographic surveying is precise positioning of your vessel and the sensors that collect information about the seafloor,” Jeffries said.

Comprising 65 military and civilian personnel, the Fleet Survey Team plays a critical role in support of disaster assistance and humanitarian relief operations. After the 2004 tsunami that struck the coastal town of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, teams surveyed for underwater hazards and cleared waterways for relief ship traffic. Recently, it conducted joint hydrographic surveys with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that waterways were clear in Texas and Louisiana after hurricanes Ike and Gustav.

“Whether here in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world, our ‘fly-away teams’ comprised of three or four Fleet Survey Team members hand-carry suites of sonar sensors with them,” Jeffries said. “Upon arriving at their mission location, the teams install these sensors onboard any platform that is made available to them.”

The Fleet Survey Team also supports joint hydrographic survey operations with more than 20 international partners.

“Partnership building with other countries contributes to the security and stability of the maritime domain, and this most certainly benefits all of us,” Jeffries said.

(John Ohab holds a doctorate in neuroscience and works for the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)

1. It’s annoying.
2. It’s annoying.
3. It’s annoying.
4. It’s annoying.
5. It’s annoying.
6. It’s annoying.
7. It’s annoying.
8. It’s annoying.
9. It’s annoying.
10. It’s annoying.

Press release for the premiere of Armed with Science. The article was taken from DefenseLink.mil.

Naval Observatory Soon Will Track Time to 100 Trillionths of Second
By John Ohab
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2009 – The ultra-precise timing technology that enables NAVSTAR Global Positioning Systems and high-speed Internet communication soon may resolve the measure of time to 100 trillionths of a second, according to the world’s authority in time-keeping and celestial observation.

“To know when an event occurred, you need a clock. We are that clock,” said Geoff Chester, public affairs officer at the U.S. Naval Observatory, the majority contributor to the international determination of time. He explained the development of this new timing technology during yesterday’s premier of the Defense Department’s “Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military” radio program on BlogTalkRadio.com.

For centuries, clocks have measured seconds through regular, rhythmic oscillations of a pendulum, a swinging weight susceptible to influence by factors such as gravity, temperature, and air viscosity. In the 1950s, scientists began investigating the oscillations of particular atoms as a more precise way to define the second.

“Atomic time is independent of what Earth does,” Chester said. “Atomic clocks define time scales in terms of a certain number of oscillations of a certain type of atom that take place in the course of one second. The master clock at the Naval Observatory is an ensemble of dozens of these devices, and we take a weighted average of all of them to determine our base-reference time scale.”

Standard atomic clocks measure microwave signals emitted from atoms as they change energy levels. Since 1967, the one-second time interval has been defined as the duration of 9,192,631,770 cycles of radiation corresponding to the transition between two energy levels of the cesium-133 atom.

“We guarantee that no two seconds that come out of here over the course of a year will differ by more than one billionth of a second,” Chester said. “Our clock is so precise that it will not gain or lose one second on the order of 3 million years.”

To meet the demands of technology and the needs of society, researchers at the U.S. Naval Observatory continue to develop more precise time-keeping systems. By 2010, they hope to release an operational version of their newest clock, known as a “fountain clock,” which uses laser beams to induce oscillations of the rubidium atom. This rubidium fountain clock will provide a measure of time accurate to 100 trillionths of a second, about 10 to 100 times more precise than the current master clock.

“Rubidium atoms are smaller and easier to manipulate,” Chester explained. “They allow us to keep a much better timescale than what we keep today.”

The U.S. Naval Observatory, one of about 50 scientific laboratories concerned with time-keeping, maintains one-third of the operational atomic clocks currently deployed around the world.

In addition to its role in defining and maintaining universal time, the Naval Observatory also acts as a reference point for navigation and communications technologies that affect people’s everyday lives. For instance, its ultra-precise time-keeping systems enable computer networks to rapidly and accurately transmit information, and the constellation of satellites used in GPS relies on the master clock to calculate locations on the Earth’s surface.

“People ask what time is about,” Chester said. “Timing is everything.”

(John Ohab holds a doctorate in neuroscience and works for the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)

Click here or read below. It’s your choice.

The Pentagon’s Far-Out Science Podcast
By Nathan Hodge
January 15, 2009

Stick this in your iPod and smoke it: The U.S. Department of Defense is launching a new radio show audio webcast, “Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military.”

I listened in to the first broadcast — an interview about atomic timekeeping with Geoff Chester of the U.S. Naval Observatory’s Master Clock — and it was actually pretty damn interesting. Chester discussed the history of timekeeping — from waterclocks and pendulum clocks to leap seconds — as well as the principles behind the atomic clock, which uses natural oscillation in specific atoms to define a timescale.

Chester also talked about the application of timekeeping to military operations.

“In our business, timing is literally everything,” Chester said. “An error of three nanoseconds in timing translates to a position error of one meter for a precision-guided weapon.”

Fluorescent Protein Holds Promise for Disease Treatment, Prevention
By John Ohab
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2009 – A fluorescent protein discovered in jellyfish has enabled scientists to visualize molecular and cellular events in real time, a leading U.S. biochemical researcher said yesterday.

Roger Tsien, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, won the 2008 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his role in developing the green fluorescent protein known as “GFP,” and spoke about his research to “Dot Mil Docs” listeners on BlogTalkRadio.com.

Using this protein, researchers now can track processes that were previously invisible, such as the cell-to-cell transmission of HIV and the activity of cancer cells in a developing tumor.

“GFP gave us the first way to link molecular biology to something we could see,” Tsein said. “When genes or proteins are made, scientists can now see directly when and where these molecular biological events occurred. We can actually watch processes in continuous movies inside living organisms.”

Tsien’s work with two colleagues, Martin Chalfie and Osamu Shimomura, has redefined molecular imaging and led to the development of tools for treating a variety of devastating illnesses. Tsien credited these achievements to his laboratory and collaborators, whose work over 40 years made GFP an irreplaceable tool in bioscience research. He said he was thrilled to be a part of the Nobel experience, which included talks at schools throughout Sweden and interesting discussions with fellow Nobel Laureates.

“The Nobel Prize is for Sweden what the Oscars or the Super Bowl are for Americans,” he said. “It’s on [their] national TV like the Oscar ceremony [here], and I got to sit next to the royal family. This is not something you experience in the ordinary research life.”

Currently, Tsien is investigating new ways to defeat breast cancer as part of the Breast Cancer Research Program, a congressionally directed medical research program funded by the Defense Department.

“We have funding to develop a new way of targeting synthetic molecules that could be used to identify tumors and eventually treat them,” Tsien said. “We wanted to do something that could be applied to real patients.”

Tsien has created a kind of “molecular nametag” that would be used for early identification of cancer cells in patients.

“This is a way to light up tumors for early detection and during surgeries, in particular, to help the surgeon hone in on a millimeter by millimeter scale exactly where the tumor cells are and where the boundary is for normal cells and actually do that at real time,” Tsien said. “We tried to use this biochemistry to actually make the tumor glow. That will guide the surgeon much more accurately than simply cutting out a hunk and waiting for the pathologist to declare whether you have a healthy margin around the dissected specimen.”

In addition, Tsien said, he hopes this research will provide tools for more focused chemo and radiation therapies and improve early detection of other diseases, such as stroke and atherosclerosis. He hopes to continue his pursuit of creative and innovative research endeavors that will ultimately impact human health.

“It’s a great thrill to win the Nobel Prize, but you have to come back to reality. I’ve still got the same research challenges and everyday [duties] as everybody else,” he said.

(John Ohab is attached to the New Media directorate of the Defense Media Activity.)

Fellows select assignments in Congressional offices or federal agencies. This is a year-long opportunity, beginning September 1 and ending August 31. Most federal agencies offer Fellows the opportunity to renew for a second year.

Lopped off hand sold separately.

Don’t kid yourself. This is simply an illusion created through forced perspective and innovative optical imaging technology. Marty is still the tallest singular entity in the universe.

fAs of now, all of my LiveJournal entries have been fully migrated to this Blogger account. I would like to thank Paul Cooley for generating his LJ2Blogger tool and for working with me to complete the migration.

Reasons I chose to migrate my LiveJournal account to Blogger:
1. The Google search tool is fully integrated into Blogger, which means one can search through the archives and visit those entries of particular interest.
2. The privacy features on Blogger allow me to give permissions to selected individuals with Google accounts.
3. Change is good.

Things I don’t like about Blogger:
1. The word “Blogger”.

Did you notice?
1. The comments did not migrate with the entries. This is the only limitation of the migration process.

Jetpacks: Seriously, where is my jetpack? They have been promising us jetpacks for nearly a hundred years. “They”, of course, being the Germans. Remember all that stock footage of experimental rocket backpacks gone wrong? German men blasting 20 feet into the air with zero control over their direction or landing? The Jetsons? The Rocketeer? How much time do they need to make improvements? As of 1989, in Back to the Future 2, similar technology such as the hoverboard was even be considered. Yet, nearly 20 years later, nothing. Clearly, engineers have not been able to overcome the main technological hurdle–the undeniable fact that hoverboards don’t work on water, unless, of course, “you’ve got power”. In which case, why haven’t they put more effort into developing some kind of energy cell powerful enough to drive jetpacks, hoverboards, and other fancy unrealistic, hardly useful futuristic devices?

Calle Vista Coffee: Funny that the only coffee shop with free wireless internet, free coffee, comfortable seating, and enough electrical outlets to choke a camel is the quite possibly the most unfrequented establishment I have ever seen. This is particularly strange in Los Angeles, where Starbucks and Coffee Beans go to great lengths to board over any electrical outlets, ensuring that customers don’t simply buy one Americano and then camp out the rest of the day on their laptop. At Calle Vista, nobody seems to care if you order goods or services or just drop in to abuse their broadband connection. I don’t have the actual customer statistics, but I can pretty much guarantee you Calle Vista Coffee is barely making a profit. I know this because I spend entire days there without seeing more than 10 customers enter the store. I have my own table with my own lamp. I also have a mug with my name on it hanging from the wall. Sometimes I walk in and say “the usual”. Other times, I sit down and “the usual” is already there waiting for me before I ask. Some days, I order lunch and dinner, several cups of coffee, and when I leave, the manager gives me everything free for no apparent reason at all. None of this can possibly translate to making Calle Vista Coffee a lucrative business endeavor. How, then, can they possibly manage to pay their employees, buy new products, advertise, and rent their property? The answer: volume.

Kobe Bryant: Let’s see… he can be responsible for the break-up of a Laker dynasty, alienate his teammates, sexually assault a Colorado youth, cheat on his wife, and still the city of Los Angeles rejoices in his majesty. But take three shots in the 2nd half of a playoff game, and suddenly he is the stain on the face of this honorable city. The fact of the matter is taking three shots in the 2nd half of game 7 against the Suns was only a bad thing because he put forth zero effort in doing so. Had he taken three shots, but created opportunities for teammates, set picks, run plays, or even retrieve water cups during timeouts, he could at least claim that he was contributing in other ways. As it stands, Kobe Bryant proved once again that he is an immature and selfish ball hog. He is also apparently very attractive, not to mention wealthy; two more reasons that I do not like him.

World Cup Soccer: There is a reason we all played soccer when we were 7 years old but stopped when we were 11. Because it’s boring and doesn’t require any skill. This is why American’s don’t like soccer and choose to play more intellectually and physically demanding sports, such as basketball, baseball, football, golf, hockey, Texas Hold’em poker, and bowling. Like most Americans, I once tried to embrace soccer. The rest of the world likes it, and so if I am to be cultured, I too must enjoy the “futbol”. For some reason, American sports fans feel that we owe soccer some allegiance, much like professional women’s basketball. We act like we care, but deep down, everyone knows how dull and uninteresting it is, but the media or those less fortunate or perhaps the goodwill in all of us has lifted soccer to an level of far greater importance than it deserves. Go USA!

Carlos Ramirez: For his thoughtful corrections of my spelling errors.

If there is one thing my friendship with Brandon and Pejman has taught me over the years, it’s that there is no problem in the world that can’t be fixed with a nice format of your C drive. Car problems? Format. Not doing well in Biochemistry class? Format. Erectile dysfunction? Format. It’s really quite an amazing phenomenon.

I have traditionally been a very fortunate computer user. I’ve never received any bizarre viruses that erase my harddrive or fry my motherboard, and I can’t remember the last time I’ve had to replace any of my computer hardware (except for my Logitech wireless keyboard, but I take full responsibility for spilling an entire cup of coffee on it). This is in stark contrast to Brandon, who as many of you can point out from personal experience, has the dreaded “Kiss of Death”. I specifically remember freshman year at UofA when Brandon clicked the Windows restart button on Jenny G.’s computer and the computer never turned on again. Of course, I could spend an entire journal entry on other examples where Brandon has performed the simplest of operations and completely destroyed someone’s computer, but we’ll save that for another time when we aren’t talking about me.

Before leaving for New Orleans last week, I was at the peak of frustration with my desktop. Nine out of every 10 times I started the computer, it would get halfway to Windows and then send itself into suspend mode. On the few times Windows actually loaded, I was unable to use my DSL connection and my computer refused to acknowledge that I had a modem or a soundcard. Then, I had roughly 15 minutes to take care of all of my computing needs before I ran out of virtual memory, Windows froze, and the computer restarted itself and repeated the cycle. In fact, if I wasn’t there to monitor its activity, the computer would continue on in this cycle forever. The only positive is that Pejman always has a good laugh when he comes over.

Anyway, the point of this story is that upon my return from New Orleans, I formatted my hard drive, reinstalled Windows XP, and now I’m back to surfing the Internet at blazing speeds and typing emails like they are going out of fashion, just as Brandon envisioned when he built it last summer.

I’m going to post pictures from the Society for Neuroscience Conference in New Orleans and provide my thoughts on the experience in my next journal entry. Until then…

* Marygrace Quote of the Day: “That’s so great what Josh is doing with the Peace Corps in Africa. That’s something I’d definitely love to do someday. Do you think there are lots of bugs?”

* Movie Quote of the Day: “His name was Robert Paulson. His name was Robert Paulson.”

At last, my Verizon DSL issue has been resolved! It only took me three and a half weeks and over 10 hours of waiting on hold. What is really aggravating is that once I finally got in contact with the “Resolutions Specialist”–the highest level of technical support–all the person did was “reset” a mysterious, un-named “something” on their end with the simple push of a button. Now why couldn’t they have done that in the first place?!?

I’m tired and don’t feel like writing much more tonight, so it is at this point that I will end my entry. I apologize to anyone who was looking forward to reading something amusing, appalling, depressing, shocking, or just plain pitiful tonight. I just won’t be able to accommodate you.

But here is a quick bit of reading that you might find entertaining. We all had a nice laugh when we read the UCLA Bruin newspaper yesterday:

Former co-director of the UCLA Drug Policy Analysis Program was convicted Monday of running one of the largest LSD laboratories in history – out of an old missile silo. William Leonard Pickard, who was employed at UCLA for nearly two years, and Clyde Apperson, his assistant, were convicted Monday of two counts each of conspiring to distribute and manufacture large amounts of LSD. On Oct. 31, 2000, the Drug Enforcement Agency discovered an old missile silo in Kansas that had been used as an LSD lab. The lab had been taken apart and was packed up in storage boxes. In the silo, agents found 90.86 pounds of LSD and 14 canisters of a chemical needed to produce LSD. The canisters were valued at over $1,000,000. Pickard and Apperson were arrested on Nov. 6, 2000 outside Wamego, Kansas while trying to move their drug lab using a rental truck. According to court testimony, Pickard and Apperson formerly produced LSD in Sante Fe, New Mexico. Every five weeks, they produced 2.2 pounds of LSD – approximately 10 million doses. The LSD, which could be sold for about $10 per dose, was being shipped to California and Europe for distribution, according to court testimony. Pickard, who was employed at UCLA from 1999 until about two months before his arrest in 2000, was the co-director of the Drug Policy Analysis Program. The program, which is a part of the School of Public Policy, focuses on researching the effects of drug policy issues on the public, said Mark Kleiman, professor of public policy and director of the program. Kleiman, who worked with Pickard, said he did not want to comment on the conviction of his former colleague. “I can’t think of anything to say that will make this situation better and not worse. As you can imagine, this will be a very painful situation for a lot of people,” Kleiman said. Pickard’s employment did not end because of anything related to his later arrest, Kleiman said. The conviction was not Pickard’s first. In 1976, Pickard was convicted of making LSD. In 1980, he was arrested for allegedly selling a hallucinogenic drug, MDMA, more commonly known as ecstasy. In 1988, he was arrested for allegedly vacating a LSD lab hidden in a Mountain View warehouse as it was raided. Pickard faced 20 years in prison if convicted in 1988, but according to a court affidavit, charges were dropped because he was an informant. According to trial evidence, three of the four complete LSD lab seizures in the history of the DEA have involved Pickard and Apperson, including a lab in Oregon in 1996, a lab in Mountain View in 1998, and the lab in Kansas in 2000. Pickard and Apperson each face a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison. Their sentencing is set for Aug. 8.

Please wish us luck tomorrow as we search for the invisible “Haines Hall” somewhere on the north side of campus.

* Erin Scoggins Memory of the Day: When your neighbor took Shawna’s camera into the bathroom and filmed himself urinating.

* Movie Quote of the Day: “Because you told me to.”

Today marked the end of another fun-filled spring break in California. Once again, I decided to pass on the Lake Havasu or Cancun “Naked Fests”, and instead, spend some time relaxing in “So Cal” with family and friends. By the way, the chances of me ever saying “So Cal” again are about zero, so cherish this moment if you so desire.

Mom and I had a wonderful time together in LA this week. We started off by meeting with her sister (my aunt) Carol for breakfast on Thursday morning, and then broke off for an afternoon of mother-son reflection time in Santa Monica. The weather was how do you say, PERFECT, and with the usual variety of street performers doing their thing, it was a nice mix of relaxation and entertainment. To cap off the night, we saw “The Quiet American”, the movie that landed Michael Cain a Best Actor nomination. Funny how he was neither quiet nor an American in the film, and thus by simple laws of deduction, he was not a “quiet American” either.

Anecdote #1: Our one big goal was to see the protesters who spend their weekends on the corner of Wilshire and Veteran parading in front of the Los Angles Federal Building. On the way to the airport, there was a huge rally going on, and I thought it would be a great idea to get a picture to post on the journal/website. Of course, anyone who knows my mom knows that when you combine moving vehicles and split second decision making involving new technology–in this case, my digital camera–the chances of success decrease dramatically. I’m sorry to say I won’t have any protest pictures to show today because MG mistakenly had the camera facing the wrong direction as she took the shot. Instead, we are left with this lovely picture of me maneuvering brilliantly in my Accord.

Anecdote #2: I’ve been to LAX five times in the past week (for Brandon, Pejman twice, Erling, and Marygrace), and every single time I enter I can’t help but laugh hysterically at this bizarre billboard. I can’t figure it out. Is the bear applying for an account? Or is the bear taking the man’s money to buy things? Either way, anyone familiar with grizzly bear attacks knows that this man will definitely need his money to pay for the medical bills he’ll incur after the bear smashes his skull in with one swift blow. I guess I couldn’t blame the guy if he falls into the bear’s trap… just look at that innocent little smile the bear has. Ahhhh

With Spring Break over, I should have a more regular schedule of journal and webpage updates. In case you’re keeping track, we are scheduled to take a second quarter of neural systems, and weekly journal club, and our usual rotation lab work.

* Movie Quote of the Day: “We’d have more luck playing pick-up sticks with our butt-cheeks than we will getting a flight out of here before daybreak.”

I’m not exactly sure what “props” are. I don’t know what it means or what it is short for. I don’t know where they come from. What I do know is that you give them to certain people and that makes them happy. And, that in turn, makes me happy. I’m not in the habit of giving these so-called “props” to people, particularly because I’m never really sure when they are mine to distribute but also because of my general confusion surrounding the whole topic. Today, however, is a special day in that I am quite aware of my “prop” possession. Keep in mind that while I may appear to be “giving” them with ease, I still have no clue how I am transporting them from me to their recipients. Therefore, once I perform the giving component of the transfer, it is going to be up to the receiver to finish the deal. I am not responsible for a “prop” that may be lost during the process. Anyway, I just wanted to give “props” to the following people:

-Libby and Deborah, for providing coma-inducing, bread-like treats soaked in some kind of super sugary solution, also known as Krispy Kremes.

-Libby, for saying two of my favorite French words, “bouton” and “Centre Median”.

-Libby, for inspiring the Movie Quote of the Day.

-Seth for putting up with an hour of sitting next to “Earing Boy” at lunch.

-Me, for missing class to wait on the phone for the Verizon DSL line repair technician for an hour and a half this morning.

-Edna, for giving me correct change at lunch.

* Movie Quote of the Day: “Pardon my French, but Cameron is so tight, that if you stuck a lump of coal up his ass, in two weeks, you’d have a diamond.”

I spent an hour on the phone with Brandon last night, and there was virtually no progress made on the internet crisis. There remains little hope in my mind that this problem can be resolved considering that the Master of Computer Disasters himself couldn’t help me. I tried calling Verizon again last night but ended up waiting on hold for over an hour. I fell asleep with the phone on my shoulder and when I woke up two hours later, the stupid Verizon music was still playing and that stupid Verizon women was stilling saying, “Your business is important to us. All technical support personal are currently helping other customers. Please hold for the next available representative.” Yeah, well I got your representative hanging right here!

With my neuroanatomy final quickly approaching, I’m either going to have to wait until next week to figure this out, or I’m going to skip to Plan B: Operation Format Harddrive. When all else fails, a quick format and reinstallation of Windows always does the trick.

Anyway, I’m in the lab and there is work to be done. Perhaps there will be an entry later, perhaps not…

One more thing. I am using the silly mood function for this entry only. I want everyone to know that this is a one-time thing and that I am otherwise fundamentally opposed to its existence.

* Movie Quote of the Day: “Get him a bodybag! Heeheeheeheee!”

I have been violated. Abused. Stripped of the very fabric of my being. And if Verizon doesn’t get my DSL connection up and running tonight then somebody is going to pay. It has now been two days since my DSL service stopped working, and I’m beginning to feel lost without it. No website updates, no journal entries (from home at least), and no mass emails advertising “Free Penis Enlargements”!! I guess this is just a sign of how dependent I’ve become on a constant feed to the internet. Without it, I feel naked and vulnerable. Hopefully they will figure out the problem and I can resume my regular (and rather obsessive) maintenance of the website and journal–there are handful of submitted movie reviews that need posting, including Jen C.’s clobbering of Gangs of New York and my review of the French movie Irreversible.

Speaking of Jen, I just wanted to share with you a snippet from our cell phone conversation this weekend:

John: Jen, can you hear me?
Jen: No!

Right…

Anyway, so I got my car washed yesterday at The Blue Wave Hand Wash on Westwood and Santa Monica. The “Hand Wash” component of their business is questionable, though, given that the car is only dried by hand. But, in general, it is reasonably priced for the low-end packages and not too long of a wait. Plus, there are usually a host of expensive cars to look at, along with the attractive, mindless women who accompany their middle-aged, loafer-wearing male drivers. The external wash was satisfactory, though the employees really went the “extra mile” on the interior. Unfortunately, later that night, someone spit a spitwad on my door. Who does that? It is pretty far from Tempe, but I’m still not going to rule out Nick Field or Matt Hendricks. Not after what they did to Reasa and Beth’s lockers freshman year… and sophomore year…

* Movie Quote of the Day: “Uh yeah that’s just about the most awful thing I’ve ever seen.”