TheIntellectualMagazine_STEM2018

JANUARY 2019
R
STEMCON: FACT VS FICTION
SPECIAL EDITION

CONTENTS
4 Welcome Remarks
5 A Tribute To “Bill” Hrudey
12
10
PHOTO CREDIT - Terry Sampson
6
8
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
ROY BODDEN - A Man Of Substance
The Physics Of Hollywood Movies
The Science Of Magic
Research Ethics & Science Integrity
Virtual Reality For All
Jumping Into Collegiate Esports
Growing Plants On Mars
No Lab Required
Fingerprint Fun!
16 17
15
On The Cover
It was only in 2001 that the term STEM, as it refers
to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
was introduced by the National Science Foundation in
the USA. Before that, the term stem firmly belonged
to the realm of plants. Vines as pictured on the cover
provided the inspiration for the STEM theme in
this special edition. A vine is a climbing stem and it
aptly represents the growth of STEM Carib from year
to year since 2012 – just like a vine which displays
growth based on long stems. A vine tends to use rock
or other plants supports for growth. This enables the
plant to reach sunlight with a minimum investment of
energy, just as UCCI and Harrisburg University form
the support systems that have allowed STEM Carib in
Grand Cayman to reach the pinnacle of light it has.
17
18
20
22
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
32
Science Fair Winner
STEM Carib Conference Pictures
Building Bridges Through Robotic Olympics
Discovering The Truth With Maps
Understanding & Dealing With The Problem
Of Space Junk
Is It Art? Is It Engineering? Could It Be Both?
Nanotechnology & Medical Biotechnology
Digital Domestic Violence
STEM Education: It’s About Student Voice &
Choice
Our Still Dangerous Sun
About UCCI
Meet The Intellectuals
29
22
25
27
STEM is a term that has
become increasingly
popular in education when
referring to this group of
topics (Science, Technology,
Engineering, Mathematics).
A solid STEM foundation is
not only a foot in the door of
the world’s fastest growing
job market, but has become
crucial for the future success
of all students.
The University College of the Cayman Islands,
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and
the STEM Carib 2018 organising committee extend
our heartfelt gratitude to the 24 international and local
STEM experts who took time to share their knowledge
and inspire our attendees.
We also acknowledge the budding scientists and
engineers from the Rotary Science Fair and the UCCI
STEM Camp, whose participation herald a bright future
for STEM in Cayman and the region.
In addition, we recognise the 850+ conference
attendees, parents, students, teachers, principals,
professionals in the field, STEM enthusiasts, media
friends and the general public who supported the event
and attended over 40 engaging sessions. Sincerest
thanks also go out to all our volunteers who worked
tirelessly behind the scenes.
Lastly, we gratefully acknowledge the generosity of
our sponsors, whose demonstration of corporate social
responsibility enabled us to host our biggest, most
successful STEM Carib Conference to date. We hope
that all of you can join us again next year.

From The Editor
Greetings!
Welcome to the third special edition of The Intellectual
Magazine –dedicated to the STEM Carib Conference held
annually in Grand Cayman since 2012. In this issue, you
will get a taste of the diversity of science and technology in
action by the participants of the conference...from features
on domestic violence to developing maps for piecing history
together. It shows the importance of science in fields that on
the surface appear to have little to do with science at all!
This precisely has been the importance of the STEM Carib
conferences, to introduce to the school children of the Cayman
Islands the role that science and technology plays all around
us and its viability as careers in a range of options. Harrisburg
University of Science and Technology has continued to partner
with UCCI to make the STEM Carib conferences rise to
greater heights. That aside, this conference was overshadowed
by the exit of two powerful gentlemen –both responsible in
their own ways for the success that STEM Carib has become.
We unfortunately lost Dr. William Hrudey early in 2018 to
cancer. He was the founder of the STEM Carib Conferences
and the visionary who made such a difference with his passion
for science, technology and learning. His absence was a
screaming sad silence this year.
The other gentleman without whom STEM Carib could
not be the reality it has become is the President of UCCI,
Mr. Roy Bodden. This was Mr. Bodden’s last conference
as the President of UCCI as he retired at the end of 2018.
Both these gentlemen have left their indelible marks in the
history of Cayman Islands as it pertains to education. The
Intellectual salutes both these gentlemen. In this issue, you
will find a tribute to both these gentlemen. As we enter a
new year 2019, a new beginning, we welcome Dr. Stacy R.
McAfee who takes up the helm as President of UCCI on the
retirement of President Bodden. We live in a time where
progress is science is happening at a dizzying pace and it
is such a joy to be part of that journey through this special
edition of The Intellectual –art, science and architecture. Stay
curious, folks!
Cogito, ergo sum.
Dr. Shirin Haque,
Editor-in-Chief
The Cayman Islands, like other
Caribbean Islands, is also known
for its unique “Caribbean Style”
of Architecture and is a reflection
of the many cultures and ethnic
groups, Native Amerindians,
Spanish, French, Dutch, British,
Indian and African that help shape
the Architecture of the villages and
towns of the entire region.With new
materials, modernism has brought
a transformation to the built
environment in Cayman, especially
now that tourism has replaced the
plantation trade as the driving
economic force in the Caribbean;
luxury accommodations featuring the latest amenities have now dominated the architectural
landscape as thousands of tourists, from all over the world, visit the Cayman Islands every year.
This blend of historic styles from Europe and indigenous styles with modernism is what has led
to a unique “Caribbean Style” in architecture.
The Caribbean is also home to hurricanes, heat, rain, and intense humidity. All of these factors
also played into the overall design and features of many Caribbean homes and buildings. Heavy
rainfalls contributed to the choice of gable roofs. Cool Caribbean breezes led many to adopt
large, open verandas in their homes, to take advantage of the cooling breezes and to offer a
place to take in the beauty of the natural surroundings. Shutters were, and still are, a critical
feature of many buildings with an eye toward withstanding the forces of hurricanes.
All photography in the magazine unless
otherwise stated is by Richard McLeod.
The opinions in the articles in The Intellectual reflect the authors’ points of view. Total or
partial reproduction of the contents of this magazine without the express authorization of the
editor is prohibited. The publisher is not responsible for the contents of the advertisements
published in this magazine.
E D I T O R I A L T E A M
Dr. Shirin Haque, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
Yuddhistra Sharma
Creative Design & Marketing
Deva Sharma
Consultant
Sharmin Haque
Chicago Office, Illinois, USA
The Intellectual Magazine
Tel: 1-868-684-9823
E-mail: the.intellectual.magazine@gmail.com
Website: http://www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
FOLLOW US:
R

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Welcome to the
2018 STEM Carib Conference
President J.A. Roy Bodden, JP
University College of the Cayman Islands
It is with sadness that I record the passing of Dr. William
(Bill) Hrudey, MBE. Dr. Hrudey was the founder and until his
passing remained the inspiration behind these conferences. His
presence will be sorely missed, but those of us who knew him
realise that it would be his wish that we continue with his work.
Dr. Hrudey has left a rich legacy in his vision and efforts
to promote STEM education at UCCI and by inference, the
Cayman Islands. It was his initiative which led to the partnership
with Harrisburg University. I am happy to report that the
partnership still exists and I take great pleasure in welcoming
Dr. Eric Darr, President of Harrisburg University of Science and
Technology, and his team to this year’s conference.
In a similar vein, I welcome our other dignitaries,
speakers and presenters and look forward to informative,
edifying and enlightening sessions. This year’s conference theme
STEMCON: FACT versus FICTION, accurately captures what
our objectives are. From the opening keynote entitled “The Real
Life Science of Hollywood Movies” to the closing keynote “STEM
for All Kids”, there will be two days of information, activities and
fun. It is my pleasure to extend this invitation to the public to
join us on October 9th through 12th, for this grand time.
President Eric Darr, PhD
Harrisburg University College of Science and Technology
I would like to personally welcome each of you to
the STEM Carib 2018 Conference presented by Harrisburg
University of Science and Technology and the University College
of the Cayman Islands.
Harrisburg University is proud to team up with the
University College of the Cayman Islands to co-present the
conference, which brings together individuals with scientific
habits of curiosity, skepticism, critical thinking, honesty,
ethical reasoning, teamwork, communication and persistence –
Individuals who understand that the STEM fields shape our daily
existence and are vital to our children’s future.
I am sure you will find the presentations, networking
and breakout sessions scheduled during the next few days both
informative and rewarding. Presentations led by experts from
both universities will focus on topics ranging from Cybersecurity
and Forensic Science to Gaming, Engineering, and employment
opportunities in the STEM fields and more. There will be
roundtable discussions and STEM camp projects.
Before I close, I’d like to thank each of you for attending our
conference and bringing your insight, curiosity, and expertise
to the event. Throughout the conference, I encourage you to get
involved. Stay engaged, attend as many sessions as possible and
let’s shape the future of STEM together. My thanks to all of you.
University College of the Cayman Islands
www.ucci.edu.ky
(345) 623-8224
Follow us:
Harrisburg University of
Science and Technology
www.harrisburgu.edu.
(717) 901-5100
Follow us:
4 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
A Tribute to“Bill” Hrudey
Roy Bodden
Approximately one year after taking office as
President at the University College of the Cayman
Islands, I received an invitation from one of the
Rotary Clubs on Grand Cayman. The Rotarians
(generous corporate donors) wished to learn of my vision
for the future of UCCI. I vividly recall informing them of
my objective to broaden the curriculum by introducing
science, engineering and technology into the course offerings.
The exposition of this vision must have been convincing
as, at the end of my talk, I was approached
by a number of Rotarians who
complimented me on the vision. Among
those who expressed congratulations was
a man who seemed confident, convinced
and interested in science.
“Hi, my name is Bill Hrudey and
I like your vision”, the stranger remarked
in a voice that struck me as if he had just
had a revelation. Without taking much
of a break, the stranger enquired, “Would
you like a telescope?”
Without giving any thought to
such a question, I replied hastily, “Yes, of
course. I’ll take the telescope.”
Quickly realizing that I had no idea of the size and
sophistication of the telescope, I began to think that my ready
acceptance may have been ill-advised. What happened next
confirmed my fears for, upon accepting the benefactor’s invitation
to view the telescope, I was both confused and elated.
As if sensing my predicament, Bill Hrudey reassuringly
offered to assist in locating the telescope into a purpose-built
facility. And, with the offer, a bond was established between
donor and recipient which has culminated not only in the
University College of the Cayman Islands receiving the original
12.5” Newtonian telescope, but also the service and support of Bill
Hrudey until his passing in 2018.
That chance meeting and the acceptance of the
telescope has led to the establishment of a first-class solar
observatory on the University College’s Campus. This
observatory is equipped with state-of-the-art ICT equipment
and a powerful array of modern telescopes. Until his passing
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
“Bill”, as we affectionately addressed him, was the lone staffer in
this observatory. Working long hours, he volunteered his services
not only in conducting valuable solar research, but also in teaching,
organising and promoting STEM in these Islands.
A retired neurosurgeon by training, “Bill”, was an equally
passionate scientist and engineer. He designed and fabricated
all the components for the automated retractable roof of the
observatory. His passion for the promotion of science education
led to him entertaining and demonstrating his work to literally
hundreds of school children and adults
from the Caymanian community.
It was, however, his passion
and leadership in establishing the STEM
annual conferences at UCCI for which
he will be remembered most fondly.
From humble beginnings, albeit with
heavyweight contacts, Dr. Shirin Haque
(University of the West Indies, St.
Augustine Campus) and Dr Ed Guinan
(Villanova University) and support from
President Bodden, Kristel Sanchez and the
STEM Planning Committee, the STEM
Carib Conferences have an established
reputation.
Most recently, partnering with Harrisburg University of
Science and Technology (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) has brought
additional eminence and expertise. This past Conference, the
sixth since the inception, was the greatest by all accounts. With
STEM an important plank in the UCCI programme offerings
and excellent support from corporate donors and the Ministry of
Education, it was accurate to record that Dr. Bill Hrudey’s efforts
have now become contagious. The sacrifice and commitment of
this neurosurgeon cum scientist has been a blessing to UCCI.
Those of us who came to know him will always miss his inspiration,
willingness and expertise and, although he is no longer with us,
his exemplary conduct serves to inspire us. Sadly, Bill passed away
earlier this year. His spirit lives on in the inspired minds, both
young and old, which he has touched.
May his soul rest in peace.
PHOTO CREDIT - Lance Parthe
5

Roy Bodden
It was back in 2012 that I first met the
President of UCCI, Mr. Roy Bodden,
as I visited the campus and Grand
Cayman for the first time ever. It was
to run a teachers’ workshop in Astronomy
on the invitation of the late Dr. William
Hrudey, the director of the Astronomy
observatory being commissioned at UCCI
at the time. Little did I know then, what a
marvelous future was in store for Science
for the next six years for the people of the
Cayman Islands! With the bold vision
of Dr. Hrudey and the unconditional
unstinting support from President Bodden
– these two gentlemen set to change the
trajectory of the lives of the youths in
Grand Cayman and make them players
in the world of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics. The first
STEM Carib was held at UCCI just a
mere six months later from when the idea
took birth. UCCI has some of the finest
people among its staff and Ms. Kristel
Sanchez, Director of Marketing and
Ms. Wendy Lauer, executive assistant
to the President, were the background
a man of substance
Shirin Haque
foundations of the programme,
playing major roles in its success and
implementation without breaking a
sweat.
Thinkers and game changers
happen along only rarely in the world.
They carry a different energy about them.
Humility and deep concern and caring
for their people are a hallmark. This was
unmistakable in Roy Bodden since our
first meeting ever, and if you happened to
observe him walking among the students
in the corridors of UCCI. He connected
with them and they connected with him
as a beacon of hope. He and UCCI were
their portal to education and a better life
and more opportunities.
He understood the condition of
the Caribbean people and in particular
that of the Caymanians. Our histories
define us and none embodied that better
than Roy Bodden. It is a gift to us all that
he has penned his thoughts and written
and published several books on the
social, cultural, economic and political
evolution of the Cayman Islands.
In 2017, UCCI ran a summer
school for students of Harrisburg
University in Solar Astronomy. In his
opening remarks, Roy Bodden gave a very
short but immensely moving speech on
the history of the islands. I came to learn
and understand the Caymanian situation
and history much better myself despite
being an island girl. Each island carries
its own pains, torments and striving. It is
thus no surprise that his latest published
work is “Reflections from a broken mirror:
Poems about Caymanian Society”. He
describes himself as a ‘self-imposed griot
and poet’, as he uses the medium of verse
to utter an anguished cry for his beloved
Cayman Islands. It is the cry of the son of
the soil. The cut is deep.
The islands of the Caribbean
are small, some having populations no
more than a city or a very small town in
the developed world. In such a scenario,
the intellectual is needed more than ever
to make a difference. Roy Bodden is truly
such a man of substance and he has left
behind him a legacy at UCCI during the
nine years he has been at the helm. Many
hearts and minds are forever changed
and indebted to him. Thank you, Roy, for
making a difference in the Caribbean and
especially in the Cayman islands Islands.
You have certainly left your mark and with
your leadership, we will continue to rise!
6 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
and still we rise!
J.A. Roy Bodden
We’ve been
Beat down, spat on and frowned upon
Kicked around, ran out of town and taken as
a clown
Disrupted, interrupted, and bankrupted…
Talked about, called a lout and made to shout
Expelled from school, played for a fool and
called a ghoul
Slapped in the face, allowed no grace, and
cursed for our race…
Spooked and scorned and told: we should have
never been born
Sundried, hog tied and left by the way side…
Cheated, unseated, and defeated…
• The Cayman Islands:
Social, Political and Economic Challenges 1950-1978 (Nor’Wester magazine Oct 1978)
• The Cayman Islands in Transition:
The Politics, History and Sociology of a Changing Society.
• Stories My Grandfather Never Told Me:
A Collection of Caymanian Short Stories;
• Patronage, Personalities and Parties:
Caymanian Politics From 1950 to 2000;
• A Gathering of Old Men -
a collection of stories from Guard House
• Reflections from a Broken Mirror –
Poems about a Caymanian society
BOOKS
By Roy Bodden
Told we were read and left for dead
Mortified, falsified and petrified
Jumped upon, dumped upon and stumped
on…
We’ve been
Battered, splattered but never flattered,
Run around, put in the ground and chased by
a hound
Coverted, deserted and perverted
And still we rise!
t h i s c e r t i f i c a t e i s p r e s e n t e d t o
f o r h i s v i s i o n , l e a d e r s h i p ,
s e r v i c e a n d d e d i c a t i o n
t o t h e a d v a n c e m e n t o f
S T E M E d u c a t i o n i n t h e C a y m a n I s l a n d s
a n d a l l o w i n g m a n y y o u n g p e o p l e
t o r e a c h f o r t h e s t a r s .
Reproduced with permission by author J.A.
Roy Bodden as it appears in “Reflections
from a broken mirror – Poems about
Caymanian Society” (2014)
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
7

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Don’t Try
The Physics of
Hollywood Movies
Using Movies to Teach Physics
Adam Weiner
“Have you ever asked yourself while watching some phenomenal stunt in an
action movie, eye popping technology in a science fiction movie, or those amazing
superheroes, “Could any of that really happen, is this at all possible?” Well,
armed with a fundamental knowledge of some basic physics principles we can
answer many of these questions. We can effectively assess the convergence
between the fantasy of film and real scientific principles as we understand them
and we can use our analysis as a stimulating way to teach the subject of physics.
I was invited to address these issues at the recent STEM Carib Conference.
The focus was on Superheroes: Fact versus Fiction and I attempted in my
presentation to illustrate how we can use science to assess what we see in the
fictional world of film and use the whole thing as an engaging educational tool.”
8 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
This at Home!
I
have been a high school physics
teacher in California for the past 23
plus years, and over that time I have
discovered (among other things!)
that the more accessible, and engaging the
applications that we do in class are to the
students, and the more they connect to
their own experience, the more the students
enjoy and get involved in the subject.
We have approached this in a variety of
ways, however one of the most successful
applications with the students has been the
analysis of scenes in Hollywood movies as a
springboard to applying some real Physics.
Over the years of doing this both informally
and as a student project I have discovered
that when put in this context my students
suddenly became really interested in the
results of their analysis. While end-of-thechapter
textbook problems may be relevant
and necessary exercises in developing
understanding of concepts, it is rare that
the students find these compelling and
exciting. No one has probably been kept up
at night wondering about the coefficient of
friction necessary to keep a generic block
from slipping on a hypothetical incline. Yet
if instead we are trying to find out what the
actual physical limitations to the top end
running speed of “The Flash” are based on,
what we know to be true about frictional
forces, the answers often become a much
more urgent, interesting and relevant
concern.
In the presentation at STEM Carib
we took a variety of movie scenes from the
Superhero movie world and analyzed them
as examples in applying real world science
to the fictional universe, and demonstrated
how these could be incorporated into a
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
Physics or science class as a way of teaching
a fundamental concept. We looked first at
some of the technical and physical issues
that would have to be addressed if you were
a non-super-powered superhero such as
Batman or Iron Man. For example, would
Batman’s wings work as shown in a scene
from “The Dark Knight”? We find, that by
applying the principles of Newton’s Laws
of Motion and Conservation of Energy, his
flight trajectory as portrayed in the scene
is in fact plausible. On the other hand, his
collision speed when he hits a window later
in the scene is realistically upwards of 50
miles per hour and therefore realistically
probably not survivable for a normal
human even if he has fancy armor like
Batman does.
In the realm of those heroes
with actual, bona fide superpowers, we of
course recognize that we cannot hold these
strictly accountable to science as we know
it or we wouldn’t have much to talk about
and might as well go home. Nevertheless,
what we can do is, acknowledging these
powers, discuss some of the requirements
and consequences that still would have to
be true.
For example, basic laws of physics
are often completely disregarded in the
action sequences involving superheroes.
Newton’s Third Law (for every action there
is an equal and opposite reaction) usually
disappears for superheroes. In a scene from
the movie “Hancock”, the hero of that name
flings a beached whale back into the ocean.
Analyzing the action by applying Newton’s
Third Law we find however that in reality
the reaction force acting back on Hancock
would be so big that it would cause him to
recoil at a speed fast enough to send him into
orbit! The movie illusion with superheroes
is that if you have super strength, reaction
forces do not apply. But they do! Another
issue with superheroes is with energy.
That is, where do they get it? In X-Men
first class Magneto is able to lift a nuclear
submarine with his magnetic field thus
giving it a humongous amount of potential
energy. But that energy had to come from
somewhere. But where would he get it?
Well eating food is normally how it is done.
However, to do the kind of heavy lifting we
see in the movie, if Magneto metabolizes
like a normal human he would have to eat a
large pizza every 6 minutes, 24 hours a day.
That might lead us to some speculations in
the realm of Modern Physics and we might
hypothesize that his stomach acts more
like a nuclear fusion reactor than a normal
human stomach, and he converts mass to
energy according to Einstein’s mass energy
equivalence equation E = mc 2 which is of
course much more efficient than pesky old
chemical metabolism!
The above examples are pulled out
as some highlights from my presentation
at STEM Carib (without the specific
quantitative part of the analysis), and they
represent only an informal taste of what
you can explore with “movie Physics”. It’s
fun to do, and I think it is a powerful way
of engaging students’ attention in the study
of physics and other sciences.
9

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
The
Science
of
Magic
Richard McLeod
The keynote speaker had spoken of the physics
of comic book and Hollywood heroes and
the magic show partly reflected this. Water
in a glass jug turned black when the magic
words were spoken (Harry Potter), a playing card
with a large hole that finger went through was turned
around and the hole was peeled off (cartoons) and an
unbendable signed coin was bent by saying the magic
words (super strength). In other magic, ropes changed
length, balls in a tube impossibly changed their order
and finally, in a flash of fire, three cupcakes appeared
in an empty baking tin, for 3 student volunteers to
taste. It is difficult to describe a magic show in words.
You would have to be there to experience it. Judging
by the excitement of the more than 100 primary school
students together with a few teachers and other adults,
they enjoyed the show.
10
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
An HU student is pictured conducting Acid Mine Drainage research
withProfessor Rachel Fogle.
Research
Ethics
&
Scientific
Integrity
Rachel Fogle
Science, technology, and medicine are driving
forces in our society. Although ethics topics
are widely taught across a multitude of
disciplines, very rarely are ethics methods
established in that learning process. If learning
stops at ethics topics, there is a disservice as those
individuals are only equipped to respond to the
particular topics to which they have been introduced.
Therefore, as research and technology are changing
society and the way we live, it is crucial that scientists
understand the ethical and social aspects of their
work.
Highlighting the difference between
consequentialist and deontological ethical systems,
the historical “trolley problem” allowed a platform
for introduction of a specific ethics method.
Suppose you are the driver of a trolley car
cruising at 60 mph and you just lost braking power.
You feel helpless, as you are heading directly towards
five workers on the tracks. But… you then notice
that there is a sidetrack up ahead, and there is only
one worker on those tracks. Your steering wheel
works, so you can turn the trolley car onto the
sidetrack. What do you do?
This scenario, along with expanded options
(and some engaging discussion!), introduced the
difference in locating morality in the consequences
of an act versus locating morality in certain absolute
moral requirements (certain duties and rights)
regardless of the consequences.
Like a scientific method is applied when
addressing a scientific question, it aims to teach
persons to apply a particular ethics method
when addressing an ethical dilemma. The SFNO
Framework developed by James M. DuBois –
Stakeholders, Facts, Norms, and Options – allows
organization of information and, notably, can be
applied to essentially any ethical dilemma.
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
SFNO Framework - So Far No Objections
Stakeholders
• Who has stake in the
decision being made?
Norms
• What ethical principles,
norms, or values are at
stake?
• What prefessional codes or
laws?
Facts
• What facts are relevant to a
solution?
• Which may generate
disagreement?
Options
• What actions deserve serious
consideration?
• If ideal is not possible, which
compromises are most attractive?
Two specific topics of interest via case studies included 1) research
misconduct – learning the differences between falsification, fabrication,
plagiarism, and related questionable research practices and 2) plagiarism versus
self-plagiarism and related questionable writing practices. These case studies
allowed persons, in a team environment, to “walk through” an ethical decision
making process to come to a course of action. Broadly, once teams identified the
ethical dilemma (or question), a multiple-step process was then followed. The
information was organized by the SFNO framework, the primary conflict was
identified (e.g., was the primary conflict between stakeholders, facts, or norms),
the decision was justified, and a course of action was selected.
While many of the ethical principles in science relate to the production
of unbiased scientific knowledge, which is crucial for continual advancement
of knowledge and extension of research findings, scientists face a multitude
of other ethical dilemmas on a much more regular basis than one would like
to think. There are ethical decisions relating to human subjects research, the
welfare of laboratory animals, conflicts of interest, data management practices,
mentor/trainee responsibilities, authorship and publication, and the list goes
on and on. Although the frequency with which scientists commit scientific
misconduct is a matter of controversy, scientists have increasingly been in the
spotlight for negative reasons. Promotion of scientific integrity, development of
guidelines for scientific research, and investigation of allegations of misconduct
are some of the main tasks of the Office of Research Integrity, founded in 1992.
Therefore, equipping the next generation of scientists with a more defined
ethical framework will provide a more solid foundation for responsible conduct
of research.
11

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Virtual Reality
For All!
Charles Palmer
Students and faculty of the Interactive Media program
at Harrisburg University devote considerable time and
resources to exploring new technologies. We explore how
technical tools and advances can be applied to create new
careers and businesses. Through this work, we have been
successful in training our students to become innovators
and subject matter experts. Over the past several years
virtual and augmented reality tools have seen substantial
growth in several broad markets.
For STEM Carib 2018, Professor Charles Palmer
worked with a small group of UCCI students to
experiment with building virtual reality experiences.
Using a web browser and their mobile phones,
students used primitive shapes to construct a simple scene.
The workshop included instruction on topics as diverse
as working in 3D space, rendering with the tag structure,
modifying objects through variable manipulation, and
using hexadecimal colors. Although the students built only
simple scenes, these skills are transferable across the 3D
development landscapes. Entrepreneurial students can use
these skills to build applications for marketing, training,
entertainment and advanced scientific visualization.
Web VR is a great introduction to the virtual
reality development. It’s completely free and works within
the Firefox web browser. But don’t just take our word for it,
go to http://bit.ly/WebVR_Demo and follow along with the
simple instructions to build your own project.
VR Fun for the Family
For the third year in a row, Harrisburg University facilitated a few hours of fun in Virtual Reality. Virtual Reality is used in
a wide variety of industries. Psychologists use VR to heighten traditional therapy methods and find effective solutions for treatments
of PTSD, anxiety and social disorders. Companies like Walmart and American Airlines use the platform to train new employees in
customer relations and safety procedures. Its even being used to help people with autism develop social skills by putting them in
scenarios like job interviews and blind dates.
This year, HU setup an Oculus Rift virtual reality system where guest had the opportunity to experience a virtual carnival
midway. Using a headset and controllers, guests were able to test their basketball skills, whack virtual moles, shoot flaming arrows and
play several other games.
12 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Jumping into
Collegiate
Esports
Although, many people are still asking “what is
esports” those in the know, know its huge impact
in the video gaming world. Simply put, esports is
Players gather as a team or as solo combatants to
compete in virtual arenas for an audience. In most
cases the audience is online, but large contests like
this past summer’s Overwatch League Grand Finals
are hosted simultaneously to a sellout crowd of 19,000 in
the Barclays Center and an estimated 350,000 online via the
streaming media service, Twitch.
Esports games vary from “multiplayer online battle
arenas” or MOBAs, to real-time strategy games like StarCraft
2, to hybrid games like Rocket League (a mashup of demolition
derby and soccer), to digital versions of traditional sports
(FIFA, Madden and NBA2K) And the esports audience is
huge, by anyone’s standards.
President Eric Darr and Professor Charles Palmer
presented facts about the growing industry and how
communities can rally behind the sport to develop local
teams and compete on the global stage. The talk included
statistics such as revenue generated in 2018 ($906M), audience
demographics (38% women, 62% men), top Twitch streamers
(FaceItTV), top game (Fortnite, 18% market share) and the
growing number of collegiate teams (101-member teams in
NACE). The professors also debunked several myths about
esports and share valuable insight into competitive gaming for
players and investors.
Aside from sharing information about the industry,
Dr. Darr and Professor Palmer also illustrated how colleges
and universities can build academic programs to support this
lucrative industry. Many of these careers, such as network
technician, IT support, market analyst, content creator and
game developer are rooted in STEM disciplines and are easily
mapped to traditional degree curricula and core competencies.
If you were not able to attend the lively talk, be sure
to visit the UCCI Youtube channel to watch the presentation
in full. And don’t forget to follow the HU Storm (http://
instagram.com/HUstormesports) as they continue to dominate
the collegiate esports landscape.
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
Eric Darr & Charles Palmer
competitive video gaming.
Game Types
• Multiplayer Online Battle Arena
League of Legends, DotA, Smite
• Real-time strategy
Starcraft
• First person shooter
Overwatch, Call of Duty, CS:GO
• Fighting
Street fighter, Super Smash Bros.
• Sports
FIFA, NBA2K, Madden
• Battel Royal
Fortnite, PUBG, Clash Royale
• Other
Hearthstone, Roacket League
Global Statistics
• Revenue will reach $906 million this year (up +38.2%)
• Brand investment expected to reach $694 million
• 588 major Esports events in 2017 generated $59 million
• Prize pools for 2017 broke the $100 million
• 2017 League of Legends World Champions watched by
49.5 million
• 2018 Overwatch Finals hit 10.8 million (not bad for the
first season)
ESPORTS REVENUE STREAMS
GLOBAL | 2018
MERCHANDISE & TICKETS
$95.5M
+16.2%
GAME PUBLISHER FEES
$116.3M
+11.0%
11%
SPONSORSHIP
$359.4M
+53.2%
13%
2018 TOTAL
$906M
+38.2%
YEAR ON YEAR
40%
Key Takeaways
MEDIA RIGHTS
$106.7M
+72.1%
18%
19%
ADVERTISING
$173.8M
+23.8%
• Global industry providing technical careers
• Scholarships provide greater college opportunities
• Aligns with STEM
• Builds partnerships at the local, national and international
levels
• Builds competencies in that areas like communication,
critical thinking, collaboration, and teamwork
13

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Growing Plants on Mars - Mars
Gardens in the University:
Growing Vegetables in Martian regolith simulant
Edward Guinan, Gianinna Guzman & Scott Engle
Within the next few decades NASA and private
enterprise missions such as SpaceX-Mars plan to
send human missions to Mars with the ultimate
aim to establish a permanent human presence
on this nearby planet. For a self-sustaining colony on Mars it
will be necessary to provide food by growing plants in heated/
sheltered greenhouses. As part of an undergraduate student
project in Astrobiology at Villanova University, experiments are
being carried out, testing how various plants grow in the Martian
regolith (soil). The plants are being grown and tested in Mars
iron-rich regolith simulant commercially available from The
Martian Garden (TheMartianGarden.com). This Mars regolith
simulant is based on Mojave Mars Simulant (MMS) developed by
NASA and JPL for the Mars Phoenix mission. Additional reagents
were added to this iron-rich basalt to bring the chemical content
close to the actual Martian regolith. It is ~90% similar to regolith
found on the surface of Mars - excluding poisonous perchlorates
commonly found on actual Mars surface. Since Mars is 1.52 a.u.
from the Sun, the ambient surface solar light insolation is about
~43% Earth. A wide variety of plants and vegetable are being grown
and tested. These include carrots, spinach, dandelions, kale, soy
beans, peas, onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, and of course
potatoes, and sweet potatoes. In Spring 2018 barley and hops
have been planted in the MMS in larger quantities with the
hope of making Martian beer. Also earthworms and red worms
have been introduced to test their viability. The worm castings
(excrement) will be used to enrich the Martian soil. The results
of this project will be discussed from an educational viewpoint as
well as from usefulness in Martian botany research.
I brought 5 kg of Mars soil simulant and gave it out to
grade and high school teachers and students so that they could
experiment testing growing plants in Mars soil. I suggested trying
out a local vegetable like ‘dasheen bush used in making callaloo,’
as well as lettuces and micro-greens.
We thank the Dept. of Astrophysics and Planetary
Science (Villanova University) for financial support and the
Biology Department for the use of their campus greenhouse.
14 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
No Lab
Required
Antoinette Gayle
The interactive science experience session
entitled ‘problem solving with chemistry’
was a continuation of the plan for the
UCCI STEM conference to provide more
hands-on activities for primary level students. The
ideas for the activities were born from the thinking that
children should be able to do science at home with their
parents and teachers can do science at schools with
their students without needing a lab and specialized
equipment or using harmful chemicals.
With more than 50 participants in each of
two sessions hosted in the chemistry lab at UCCI, the
session was a tremendous success. The activities were
a great hit as students were guided through chemical
principles of static electricity, buoyancy, acid-base/
indicator interactions, membranes, surface tension and
friction using safe, everyday substances such as milk,
food colouring, fruit, turmeric, rubbing alcohol, and
balloons. A few of the activities are outlined on the
right:
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
Surface tension: Painting with milk
Placing a ½ - 1” layer of milk on a bottom of a wide
container formed the ‘canvas’. Students then added drops of
food colouring in different areas of the bowl without crowding
the drops or shifting the container. A drop of dish soap was then
placed in the center of the container. The dish soap lowers the
surface tension of water in the milk, causing the liquid molecules
to move away from the center of the container taking the food
colouring with it, thus creating a ‘painting’.
Indicators: Sending a secret message
Using Chinese whispers (Chinese telephone) is not the
best way to send a secret message as invariably, the message
becomes garbled or changed in some way as it is passed from one
person to another. Students created invisible ink and used it to pass
secret messages to their friends using the principle of indicators.
Tumeric, found in curry powder, changes colour based on the pH
of the solution. Writing a message using a cotton swab dipped
in a baking soda solution, results in ‘invisible’ writing once it is
dried. Applying turmeric (or curry powder) dissolved in rubbing
alcohol (this was done with a paint brush) results in a bright red
colour and causes the ‘invisible’ writing to become visible, thereby
revealing the secret message.
These, among other activities and demonstrations, kept
the children from grades 3 – 6 occupied for over an hour. The
teachers were just as fascinated with the activities and with the
idea that they could do chemistry with their children and students
using basic, everyday supplies which are safe for everyone and
can be found in any home.
15

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Fingerprint
Fun!
Terrill Frantz
It’s highly personal …. Your fingerprints
are unique among the 70+ billion
human fingers on this planet, just as
you are a unique person amongst
every one of us. Even the fingerprints
of identical twins are unique to their
sibling’s!
Since the 1930s, and to this day, fingerprints are commonly used
to identify persons at a crime scene, but as recently as 2005, your
fingerprint could be used to unlock your laptop; and as of around
five years ago, your fingerprint could even be used to unlock your
phone. Of course, now even a car or a door-lock can be opened with just
your fingerprint.
In the past, the technology for imaging a fingerprint and
comparing it with a collection of prints “on file,” was a time-consuming
and laborious task. A “print” of a finger was taken and stored on a piece
of paper, then placed somewhere on a pile, perhaps in a shoe-box.
Today, fingerprints are collected using a simple imaging scanner. The
electronic image (think, digital photograph) is then transformed into a
mathematically-friendly set of encoded data, which is then stored in an
electronic database, usually on a computer disk.
At the 2018 STEM Conference, students were introduced to a
“fingers-on” experience with a modern fingerprint processing system.
The students learned about and explored the steps in fingerprint
collection, electronic storage, and computational comparison in a onehour
workshop conducted by Associate Professor Terrill L. Frantz of
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
Indeed, students were especially curious about how an image
of a finger could be obtained on their phone to unlock it and why no
“green light” was visible during the process – the fingerprint system used
in the workshop used a different image capture process that featured a
green light-oriented scanner. Some pondered how easy it might be to
“fool” the system with a fake finger, or even the finger of a corpse!
At the workshop, even some adults got into the action by
wondering how such a process could be used in their work, both in
the classroom and in the administration. Of course, application of
fingerprinting can be a sensitive issue, given the increasing concerns
about personal privacy, identity theft and overall security.
For readers still curious about how fingerprints are cataloged
and processed electronically: First, on your phone invisible rays are
pointed outward from within the screen and the tiny ridges in your
finger reflect back to an electronic sensor capturing the tiny variations in
your skin; yes, very tiny! (some devices can sense the minute differences
in pressure provided by the tiny variations in your skin when you place
your finger in the screen.) From the pixelated image that is captured,
software inspects the patterns on the image with an aim of identifying
the unique features of the fingerprint. Such features include the (left or
right) loops in the lines, any whorls, arches, and “tented” arches. Some
processes even classify individual sweat pores in the finger. Anyway, these
characteristics and their specific positions on the finger are recorded as
data. This data is transformed into a special variable called a “hash” that
makes the data quickly indexable for storage and later retrieval. When
electronic fingerprints are compared, the “hash” values are compared
mathematically and a closeness “score” is computed. From this single
number--the score--analysts can immediately accept the match or select
the ‘possible’ match for closer, usually human, comparison.
The science of fingerprinting is improving every year and we can
easily imagine that the technology will only improve in its usability and
comparative-accuracy. We can certainly expect that not only fingerprints
but several other biometric-based techniques for identification, e.g., face
and voice recognition, will become more prominent in our daily lives.
Fingerprints are a fascinating gift from nature!
16 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
S
C I E N
C
E
A
I
R
W
I
N
E
R
Finlay Dacker began researching the inventor Archimedes and with that his
Archimedes Screw. An Archimedes Screw is a simple machine that consists
of a screw inside a hollow pipe. In the olden days, the screw is usually
turned by manual labor or cattle to move a low body of water to irrigation
systems, or in modern times by means such as a motor. As the shaft turns, the
bottom end scoops up a volume of water. This water is then pushed up the tube by
rotating the pipe until it pours out from the top of the tube
Finlay built 3 different Archimedes Screws, where the length of tubing
would determine how many turns were needed to move the water, and with that
how much water would be moved with each Archimedes Screw. Finlay built his
models with PVC-pipes and 3 different lengths of clear tubing: 7”, 4” and 2”. Also,
to better see the results of his experiments he placed the clear tubing on the outside
of the pipes and used coloured water to be moved from one container to the other.
Finlay concluded that the length of the tubing indeed affects the amount
of turns needed to move the water. Moreover he concluded that other factors, such
as width of the tubing may also have an effect on moving the water as well as time
needed. These factors may make usage of the screw extremely costly in present
times. However this would have to be established by further experiments.
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
17

24 engaging STEM experts | 50 captiv
An awesome teaching-
18 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

ating sessions | Over 850 attendees
learning experience!
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
19

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH
ROBOTICS OLYMPICS
Von Ryan Gregorio Abrantes
A world where people from diverse backgrounds work towards the same goal: using STEM to build a better world
for the future generation, this sums up the advocacy of FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology) Global Challenge (FGC). Founded by Dean Kamen, engineer, inventor and entrepreneur, FIRST
Global aims to harness the power of enthusiasm and innovation residing in the minds of the youth and gather them
in one Olympic style Robotics Competition, not only to compete for a title but to share ideas and inspire each other!
A photo of President Pena Neto of Mexico, addressing the participants of the FGC 2018
20 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Team Cayman Islands Robotics Team during one
of the matches
In its second year, FGC was held in
Mexico City, Mexico from August
15-18 in 2018. Students, teachers,
engineers, media organisations,
policy makers and other STEM enthusiasts
flew in to Mexico City and watched as 186
countries competed against each other at
Arena de Ciudad de Mexico. FIRST Global
Challenge aims to highlight the ability of
the participants to construct, program and
control their robots to perform various
challenges based on one of the 14 Grand
Engineering Challenges of the National
Academy of Engineering. The theme for
2018 was “Energy Impact”. Team Robots
must be able to deliver power cubes and
solar panels to different power stations and
turn a wind mill to accumulate as much
points as possible within two and a half
minutes. The Caribbean region was not
left behind as many teams from Jamaica,
Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, Bermuda
and the Cayman Islands, among others
participated excellently in the competition.
Despite being a very intense
competition, FGC has been true to its goal
of promoting cooperation amongst nations,
Cayman Islands Robotics Team poses next to the FIRST Global Challenge Logo
and so, alliances were made between 3
countries to encourage communication
and partnership among the participants.
Alliances can also acquire additional
points if they successfully shared their
power line cubes to an opposing alliance –
this is called a “coopertition bonus”. Many
teams brought spare parts with them to
share with other teams in need. Some
offered help to other teams that had issues
with their robots even if they are from an
opposing alliance. Participants were also
keen to share gifts that reflect the culture
of their countries and so many of them
went home with a lot souvenirs and newfound
friends. Also, worth mentioning,
is the participation and involvement of
girls in the competition. There is still a
continuing effort to encourage women
to take on STEM related professions and
FGC is a fantastic opportunity to highlight
how talented girls are in robotics. 75 out
of the 186 teams who participated were
founded, organised, or brought into being
by women.
As the technical mentor of the
Cayman Islands’ inaugural Robotics Team,
I felt immensely proud and honoured
to be amid all the young people who are
interested in STEM, particularly, robotics.
The participants indeed represented the
best of us and what we can accomplish
together. The youths’ enthusiasm, drive
and energy really inspired me to give more
and work harder to encourage more young
people to fall in love with STEM. FGC,
reminds us that the collective effort of the
youth, governments, parents and educators
can make a significant impact and can be a
huge step towards solving global problems!
Team Cayman Islands presented
their FGC entry robot, named: “The Kraken”
during the 2018 STEM Carib Conference.
Adrian Phillips-Hernaez, Ethan Cronier
and Joe Allom-Perez shared their work in
the building, designing, programming and
controlling of their robot. They also shared
their experiences in going to Mexico City
and witnessing its cultural and historical
richness. Glenda McTaggart, DART et.
Education Program Manager, and Robotics
Team Manager, and Von Ryan Abrantes,
Technical Mentor, accompanied the
Cayman Islands Team to Mexico City.
For more information about the 14 Grand Engineering Challenge, visit the site of the National Academy of Engineering:
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/challenges.aspx
For more information about FIRST Global, visit their website:
https://first.global/fgc/
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
21

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Discovering
the truth
with maps:
Albert Sarvis
Investigating spatial distribution of
historic census data to challenge
preconceptions of race, ethnicity and
economic status
Winston Churchill said “History is written by the victors.” What we read in books, are taught in history class, and see in
documentaries are often that - singular perspective storytelling of past events. Thankfully these are not the only sources
that reveal the past. By using historic United States Census data, college History and Geospatial Technology students
have worked to build maps of historic populations that provide a different take on history using raw data. The “Digital
Harrisburg” project is a collaboration between two central Pennsylvania schools, Harrisburg University and Messiah College, that took
on the monumental task of digitizing and mapping over a quarter of a million census records from Harrisburg Pennsylvania from 1900
to 1930.
22 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Of course digitizing hundreds of
thousands of census records from 100 year
old written archives into modern computer
databases and subsequently mapping
them is no small task. Perhaps that is
why there has not been much objective
and comprehensive work undertaken to
examine this level of historic detail before.
Over the span of 5 years, students and
faculty have worked to digitize and map
these historic records. Finding accurate
base maps that show homes and addresses
from this time period is not overly difficult,
these maps have been archived in many
places, but creating a modern map with
the address information that allows us
to place these historic census records is
enlightening. Once mapped, historians and
geographers can analyze the distribution of
these individuals and glean an entirely new
perspective, THE TRUTH, about them.
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
The census records from the
early 20th century contain a treasure
trove of valuable information. Prior to
1940 information was captured on every
single individual. Attributes such as
Race, Country of Origin, Occupation,
Literacy, and Relation to Household can
be revealed as a pattern across the entire
city. The initial analysis on this project
involved a detailed look at how race
was distributed across the city. More
specifically, a simple spatial analysis of
the “mean center” of distinct population
groups can be displayed. Over the 30 years
mapped so far, the Digital Harrisburg
team has mapped the mean center of the
entire population for each decade and
compared that to the mean center of the
African American population. More
specifically, just those African Americans
living in homes where an African
American was the head of household.
This removed those individuals living
as servants or boarders where White
residents were the head of household.
In the map below we see a dramatically
different path of the mean center, between
these two populations. The dark to light
blue dots represent the African American
population mean center from 1900 to
1930 and the dark red to yellow represent
the entire population mean center. Now
the question is why did the paths of these
points shift to the north for the African
American population after 1910?
This brings us back to the title of
the STEM Carib talk. How do we discover
the truth through these maps? Looking
at the mean center of population example
historians and geographers now see a very
specific historical phenomenon that has
not been revealed in history books up to
this point. As we investigate why these
patterns occurred, by looking at specifically
where individuals moved to, where clusters
of populations grew, and what about the
city environment at the time caused these
shifts, we begin to see the TRUE picture
of early 20th century Harrisburg. The
researchers hope is that these methods can
be replicated in other cities in the US and
beyond to help “Discover the Truth with
Maps”.
23

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Heavens
What a Mess!
William P. Schonberg
Understanding and
Dealing with the
Problem of Space Junk
The near-Earth region of space is
full of man-made and naturallyoccurring
objects. Some of the
man-made objects are useful
(for example, satellites that still work),
while many of them are not and no longer
serve any useful purpose (that is, they are
space junk). Some of these pieces of space
junk are fragments from explosions while
others are from the breakup of satellites or
rocket boosters. Since 1957, the near-Earth
population of trackable space objects has
grown from 1 to over 18,000. These objects
are typically softball size or larger. Of these
18,000+ trackable objects, only several
hundred are operational spacecraft. In
addition to the trackable objects, there are
several hundred thousand objects the size
of marbles and several million objects the
size of sand grains.
The rate at which rockets are
launched into space has remained relatively
constant over the past 50 years or so, at
approx. 100-150 launches per year. In the
early days of the Space Age, these rockets
were mainly Russian and American;
recently, however, China and other
European countries have begun to send up
rockets of their own as well. The purpose
of about two-thirds of these satellites is
typically communication, whether for
commercial or military operations. The
other third or so are for weather, research,
and other reasons. In recent years, several
companies have announced plans to
launch several thousand satellites of their
own, mainly for communication purposes,
but also to provide a sort-of space-based
world wide web.
All spacecraft that operate in
low-earth-orbit (such as the International
Space Station and the large constellation
satellites being planned for launch) are
susceptible to high-speed impacts by these
pieces of space junk, which is also called
‘space debris’ or ‘orbital debris’. The threat
of damage from high-speed orbital debris
particle impacts has become a significant
design consideration in the development
and construction of long duration earthorbiting
spacecraft. Even a marblesize
piece of space debris can inflict
considerable damage to or even destroy an
orbiting operational spacecraft or satellite;
a sand-grain-size piece of debris can
even puncture a spacesuit! To protect our
astronauts, considerable resources have
been expended by NASA, the European
Space Agency (ESA), and many other
countries around the world to design and
build spacecraft that can survive in the
hostile space environment and which can
be protected from damage by pieces of
space junk.
Of course, not all spacecraft
will need the same amount of protection.
Something like the International Space
Station, which is extremely valuable and
occupied by people, is heavily protected.
Alternatively, a satellite in geosynchronous
orbit is unlikely to be hit by a piece of debris
and so typically has only a little or even no
built-in protection. The basic spacecraft
protection approaches are called Passive
(which involves shielding a spacecraft
or its critical components), Active (such
as a collision avoidance maneuver), and
Operational (the way a spacecraft is
oriented as it travels around the Earth).
It is clear that it is up to us to
keep the space debris problem from
getting worse. As space-faring nations,
we need to, for example, ban anti-satellite
testing and other deliberate fragmentation
activities. We can also improve spacecraft
design to limit accidental explosions
during mission operations or at the end
of a spacecraft’s useful lifetime. This can
be done by making sure we deplete any
remaining fuel or battery charge at the
end of a spacecraft’s mission life (so-called
“spacecraft passivation”). If we do not
take steps to keep the space junk situation
under control, the resulting unchecked
growth of space junk could lead to a chain
reaction of collisions that might then
create a permanent, dense, earth-orbiting
debris cloud (aka the Kessler Syndrome).
24 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Is it Engineering? Is it Art?
Could it be Both?
William P. Schonberg
We often talk about engineering and art as if they were
totally different. And, not surprisingly, if you look at
a map of a typical college campus, the engineering
building is often as far away as possible from the
arts building. It’s almost as if we are determined to keep engineering
students away from liberal arts majors! However, I believe that there is
a strong, natural interaction and connection between these two areas,
that this linkage should be reinforced, and that more people should
be made aware of it. Many works of art rely heavily on engineering,
and many engineering marvels have an intrinsic beauty that we all
can appreciate.
Of course, the reality is that technology is
everywhere in society. It is an integral part of our daily
lives - what we do, how we learn, and how we interact with
others. Because technology is a part of everything we do, it
shapes how our society evolves, and where it will evolve. To
be a contributing member of today’s society, and especially
if you are a decision-maker or leader who will need to make
good decisions about technology issues as they arise in the
future, I believe that everyone should be technologically
literate at least at some level. One way to give everyone a
basic level of technical literacy is through the arts.
The relationship between “art” and “technology”
has always been a close one. Both artists and technologists
create works for everyone either to enjoy, or use, or both. In
other words, “the arts help technologists communicate more
beautifully, while technology helps artists to communicate
in new and powerful ways.” –Luce Myers, Missouri S&T.
There are many well-known works of art that can
be said to showcase a variety of technological forms and
advances. These include, for example, the modern Crown
Fountain in Millennium Park – an interactive sculpture
in downtown Chicago that uses LEDs to display digital
videos on two 50 ft. towers that are placed on either end of
a black granite reflecting pool – and the Statue of Liberty
– a huge sculpture in New York Harbor that was designed
by Frederic Auguste Betholdi, built by Gustave Eiffel (of
Eiffel Tower fame), and given to the people of the United
States as a gift by the people of France in the late 1880s.
One only need glimpse the interior to of the statue to grasp
the structural engineering marvels that are used to support
its various features and elements. Engineering marvels
are not only technological creations, they are works of
art as well. Of particular note are the bridges designed by
Robert Maillart, a Swiss civil engineer whose novel bridge
designs and clever use of materials inspired engineers for
generations to come around the world.
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
TOP: Inside the Statue of Liberty
(Photo: Panzarella/Flikr/CC BY 2.0)
BELOW: Robert Maillart’s Salginatobel Bridge, Switzerland
ABOVE: Statue of Liberty,
New York Harbor
Camouflage Art is a relatively new art-form that cleverly
hides technology we develop that, while helping us reach new levels
of productivity, is not very pleasant to look at. In particular, cellphone
towers and windfarms are frequently referred to as eyesores by the
public. In response to such criticisms, some areas have developed
clever ways of masquerading cellphone towers so they blend with
local geography and terrain (as, for example, either palm trees or tall
evergreen trees).
If we are successful in these endeavors, we will begin to
provide a huge sector of our society the opportunity to play a part in
shaping its and our destiny. Our leaders will possess the information
and knowledge they need to make more informed decisions on issues
that affect us and our planet. And, society as a whole will be better
served – all members of society will be able to work together to move
our civilization forward into its proper future.
25

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Nanotechnology &
Medical Biotechnology
Fascinating but real Technologies!
Leena Pattarkine
For STEM Carib 2018, the theme was ‘Fact or Fiction!’ Looking
at several commercialized technologies spanning healthcare
(new cancer drugs, diagnostic devices, prosthetics etc), food
and agriculture (Golden Rice, Probiotic Yogurts, Intelligent Food
packaging), environment (bioenergy, water filtration devices),
and even day-to-day life (sunscreens, waterproof fabrics,
smart bandages), it is very obvious that Biotechnology and
Nanobiotechnology have revolutionized these fields. The two
sessions offered at the conference provided the perfect backdrop
for validating this revolution tying it to the conference theme
through hands-on activities!
The ‘Medical Biotechnology’ session activity focused on Blood Biomarker-
Based Cancer Diagnostics. This topic attracted tremendous response as
evident from a jam-packed room. Using simulated blood samples from 6
patients, students learnt how this type of diagnostics can help physicians as
well as patients to detect cancer early, using a minimally invasive process. Students were
introduced to several important medical biotechnology concepts such as development
of cancer, biomarkers and their relevance to cancer, and diagnostics. The activity as
well as the short presentation was received very well as apparent from the numerous
questions and the feedback.
The second session was dedicated to Nano-biotechnology. Nanotechnology
is a field that deals with structures on nanoscales - 10 -9 m. These miniaturized structures
exhibit some novel and remarkable properties which are exploited for creating
innovative technology. One such property called ‘non- Newtonian’ behavior is being
researched for developing ‘a liquid body armor’. Currently used body armor, are very
heavy and not comfortable to wear.
This nanotechnology-based approach is supposed to help create an ergonomic,
flexible, and light-weight protective gear for soldiers. These nanoparticle suspensions
are called as shear-thickening fluids, meaning they thicken upon application of force.
They form hydroclusters upon impact and harden, thus help protect from the force
impact. This is a transient response, i. e. as the impacting force is removed these
particles go back into the suspension phase.
Using corn-starch, water and
eggs, the activity demonstrated to the
students, the impact-protecting ability of
these suspensions. The most convincing
step was that the egg suspended in the corn
starch slurry did not break even after being
dropped from first floor to the ground. The
teachers and students, both were equally
excited to do the activity.
As evident from several
commercial products mentioned earlier
in this article, human life is positively
impacted because of biotechnology and
nanobiotechnology. Moreover, these
are perfect examples of STEM field!
Biotechnology program at Harrisburg
University has been championing these
educational paths through its degree
programs, summer courses, and its efforts
through Capital Area Biotechnology
Partnership, CABP (http://harrisburgu.
edu/the-capital-area-biotechnologypartnership-supporting-central-pasinnovation-economy/).
CABP offers a
wide range of activities for teachers as
well as students to push Biotechnology
education in the K-16 space. There is no
fee for joining, so if interested in being
a member, reach out via email to CABP
Director at lpattarkine@harrisburgu.edu.
26 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Digital
Domestic
Violence
J.D. Mosley-Matchett
It is undeniable that we live
in an age of technological
marvels. We can now
wear three times more
computing power on our
wrists than the world’s fastest
supercomputer could muster
back in 1985.
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
Thanks to the Internet, all kinds of household gadgets are becoming “smarter” as we
turn on lights, make coffee, and control the ambient temperature with a simple voice
request. Our doorbell can show us who is on our front porch and facilitate a 2-way
conversation, even if we are physically located on the other side of the world. We
speak a few words and the latest fashion or breaking news or a piping hot meal is promptly
delivered to us.
It’s called the “Internet of Things” (often written as “IoT”). The technological marvels
these communication and processing tools make possible are proliferating exponentially and
entering every facet of modern life. Yesteryear’s science-fiction concepts have now become
rather ordinary and commonplace.
As technology relentlessly spawns a perpetual stream of “intelligent” devices,
organizations that fight domestic violence are issuing warnings that our household helpers can
all too easily be used to torment us. Or, as Women’s Aid (UK) notes, “The Internet provides
perpetrators of domestic abuse many ways to control, threaten, and intimidate their victims.”
All too often, one domestic partner is the “tech savvy” one who installs the
latest digital wonders—perhaps without the other partner even being aware of it. Many
of these gadgets can be controlled via the Internet from virtually any location, and as
such, a culprit can create terrifying situations such as causing the television to blare in
the middle of the night, or the doorbell to ring incessantly, or the heating/cooling unit
to create intolerable temperatures. The New York Times has described instances where
victims of such abuse believed they were going insane, and some had actually been placed on
psychiatric holds to evaluate their mental states.
As Times reporter Nellie Bowles wrote, “Abusers — using apps on their smartphones,
which are connected to the Internet-enabled devices — would remotely control everyday
objects in the home, sometimes to watch and listen, other times to scare or show power.
Even after a partner had left the home, the devices often stayed and continued to be used to
intimidate and confuse.”
Perpetrators are using smart phone apps and home security devices to stalk and spy
on their victims. IoT-based financial abuse can drain online bank accounts, max-out credit
cards, and generate new online debts. Even worse, reports are surfacing of adult children using
these tactics to take advantage of their elderly parents.
Unfortunately, legal remedies are almost non-existent for some of these
21st century tools of domestic violence. Adjusting a “smart” thermostat or turning
on an Internet-enabled television is not normally considered legally punishable.
Even when a restraining order is issued by a court, the provisions are ordinarily
associated with preventing physical contact--which is not at all necessary for creating digital
havoc in a home.
So why don’t these victims simply unplug the equipment that seems to have
run amok? Unfortunately, removing or
disconnecting the offending devices can
escalate the problem, driving the aggressor to
physical violence when the online connection is
severed. And the social isolation created by shutting
down the household’s Internet access can further
isolate people who already feel alone and desperate.
To address this mounting domestic violence
challenge, researchers at University College London
have launched a “Gender and Internet of Things”
study to identify the functions of common devices
used in domestic violence situations. An online
search engine called Shodan (www.Shodan.io) has
been specially developed to help persons determine
which of their devices are connected to the Internet
and locate whomever may be using them.
In addition, a number of organizations that
address domestic violence issues have websites and
reference materials that advocate cybersecurity and offer
helpful advice:
HACK BLOSSOM
https://hackblossom.org/domesticviolence/#threats
Offers defense strategies for
persons experiencing online
threats.
PATHWAYS TO SAFETY
https://pathwaystosafety.org/
Aims to empower American
victims of interpersonal and
gender-based violence while in a
foreign country.
MENS ADVICE LINE
http://www.mensadviceline.org.uk/
Provides advice and support for
the 1-in-4 men who experience
domestic violence and abuse.
27

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
STEM Education:
It’s About Student Voice and Choice
Ray Ann Havasy
Challenging students to get involved and enthused about STEM
begins with HOW we present the material to them. At the STEM
Carib conference the educators realized that the excitement about
STEM can be dampened when it is presented by lecture or prescribed
inquiry. In our sessions we used simple materials such as Play Dough to challenge the
educators to create something useful, to engineer something useful. They had the option
of what to create. By not instructing them, but by guiding them, they saw how their own
ingenuity and creativity played a part in their STEM design.
It is imperative that we give students the opportunity to use their own thoughts and
ideas in their pursuit of knowledge. Research clearly shows that when we, as educators,
allow students to chart their course in learning their achievement soars. As the educators
were challenged to use construction paper to build a flying device that would fly straight
for at least 6 feet, they saw how it took much more engagement on their part to meet
the challenge than if they were given step by step instructions as far as what to build.
Giving students a “voice and choice” as to what happens in class helps them to be
fully engaged. When students are fully engaged learning happens. As educators
we need, whenever possible, to design our lessons so that the students can be
involved in HOW they learn.
28 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Sun:
Dangerous Our Still Effects of large Solar Flares on the Earth
Edward F. Guinan
Solar flares are brief powerful eruptions
of intense high-energy (x-rays and
ultraviolet) radiation and plasma from
the Sun’s magnetic surface. Solar flares
are associated with sunspots & frequently
cause electromagnetic disturbances on the
Earth with radio communications and power
line transmissions. Some large solar flares have
energies up to 10 +32 ergs—equivalent to ~1
billion megaton nuclear bombs. Several flares
of these strengths have been observed from the
Sun over the 50-yrs.
Data from the Villanova University
“Sun in Time” program were used by Guinan
and colleagues to study the flare properties of
the solar-type stars and the Sun from youth
to old age (100 Myr - 8 Byr). These studies
are based on ground-based observations as
well as a wealth of data from NASA’s Kepler
Space Telescope. The ultra-high precision light
measurements available from the Kepler made
it possible to study starspots, flare properties,
and rotations of thousands of solar-type stars.
Using Age-Rotation relations (solar-type stars
spin-down over time), the team determined the
correlation of flares properties of solar-type star
(and thus the Sun) over a wide range of ages.
Superflares (defined as E > 10 +33 ergs - known as X100 flares) were discovered on hundreds of stars mostly younger than
Sun (age = 4.6 Byr). The young solar analogs showed frequent and powerful flares –some were classified at mega-flares with E > 10 +35 ergs.
These huge “monster” flares and accompanied plasma explosions may have played major roles in the evolution of the early atmospheres
of Earth and other terrestrial planets. Interestingly they find that even stars as old as our Sun occasionally produce superflares.
The takeaway from this work is that our Sun, although much less active than it was when it was younger, is still a dangerous star
capable of producing large flares and even rarer superflares with E> 10 +33 erg. These powerful flares could produce catastrophic damage to
our modern technology, including communication & navigation space-borne systems and posing serious dangers to astronauts in space.
Large level flares (e.g. 1859 Carrington Event) are estimated to occur about ~80-100 yrs while superflares such as the medieval 774/75 CE
event, occur about once per ~300-500 yrs. while ultra-dangerous mega-flares may about once per 18,000 yrs.
The paper is dedicated to the late Dr. William (Bill) Hrudey who established a solar observatory on the UCCI campus on Grand
Cayman. This research is supported by grants from NASA.
In June 2013, a joint venture from researchers at Lloyd's of London and Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER)
in the United States used data from the Carrington Event to estimate the current cost of a similar event to the US alone
at $0.6–2.6 trillion.[2] From Solar Storm Risk to the North American Electric Grid Lloyd's 2013.
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
29

Other Adventures In
STEM Carib...
Chemistry of Paint
Catherine Santai
Trolleyology
Rachel Fogle
Human-Centred Research and Technology
Design
Tamara Peyton
Big Wonders of Nano
Mrunalini Pattarkine
About UCCI
The University College of the Cayman Islands has never let size stand in the way of
achievement – and this "Little University that Could" has been making giant strides for
education and community development not only in the Islands, but in the region.
Since its inception as a Community College in 1975, UCCI transformed from being a
part-time establishment to a full-fledged tertiary level institution offering a plethora
of programmes in the Associate, Bachelor and Master's levels as well as Professional
Education and Workforce Training.
At the forefront of the entire operation is its world-class faculty, members of which
possess either Master's and Doctorate degrees. Drawing from their vast classroom and
real-world experiences, they provide global and personalised instruction to over 1,000
students.
In recent years, UCCI has become the institution of choice for many Caymanians and
expatriates alike, as they are able to experience the demands of a University environment
right on their doorstep. Through the delivery of quality programmes, students are
equipped with knowledge and skills that meet the needs of local and international
employers. UCCI also strives to be on the cutting edge of technology by promoting
STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) initiatives and through the
establishment of its very own observatory.
As an important socio-cultural landmark, the University College stays true to its
commitment of making valuable contributions towards nation building. Through its
series of regional conferences, UCCI has brought thinkers and influencers from various
fields of expertise, discussing some of the most pressing issues of our time.
Adapted from http://www.ucci.edu.ky/about/index.shtml
Advanced Manufacturing and Gainful
Employment
Charles Shearrow
Chemistry Magic
Catherine Santai
Frenemy Networks
Terrill Frantz
Our Soil, Ourselves: The connection
between our health and the health of the
soil
Daphne Miller
Fashion Tech
Lisa Morales-Hellebo
Can Wildlife Sense a Natural Disaster?
Christine Proctor
Marine Biology
Katie Correia
Inside the Jaws: Mangrove Myths and
Legends
Martin Keeley
STEM Programs and Advanced
Manufacturing
Chip Shearrow
Lionfish: A Criminal Fish Investigation
Katie Correia
Design Thinking Methods and Processes as
Drivers of Innovation
Tamara Peyton
Start-up Ecosystems
Lisa Morales-Hellebo
30 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

The STEM Carib 2018 organisers gratefully acknowledge
the generous support of our sponsors:
MAJOR SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSOR FRIENDS OF STEM CARIB 2018
Learn more about our partner oganizations in the SPONSORS section of our website:
www.stem.ky

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Meet The
Intellectuals!
ADAM WEINER
weinera@bishops.com
Adam Weiner is a high school physics teacher, and author of the book “Don’t Try This at Home! The Physics of
Hollywood Movies”. As a teacher he enjoys incorporating movies in the classroom as a way to illustrate physics
concepts. In addition to teaching, Adam has written for PopSci magazine and has given public presentations on “movie
physics” at colleges, museums, the USA Science and Engineering Festival, the Academy of Motion Pictures, and
Comic-Con among other venues. He is extremely fond of Star Trek (the original series) and Mr. Spock is his favorite
character.
Albert Sarvis
Assistant Professor
Geospatial Technology
Harrisburg University
asarvis@harrisburgu.edu
Albert Sarvis received his B.A. in Geo-environmental Studies from Shippensburg University in 1991 and M.A. in
Geography at Ohio University in 1994. Mr. Sarvis began his teaching experience as a Graduate Assistant at OU
teaching Physical Geography and Geospatial Technology labs. Mr. Sarvis has also taught graduate level Geospatial
Technology classes at Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs and undergraduate classes at
Harrisburg Area Community College. In 2005 he began working with Harrisburg University as a corporate faculty
member helping to develop and teach the Geospatial Technology program before joining the HU staff full time in
January 2011.
Prior to becoming a full time professor Mr. Sarvis worked for 16 years in the Geospatial Technology consulting industry
spending 11 of those years as a project manager. He obtained his Project Management Professional certification in
2005 and GIS Professional certification in 2007. Mr. Sarvis has presented Geospatial Technology and Project Management at numerous conferences
and workshops during his consulting career and maintains a wide range of Geospatial Industry contacts to benefit both the Geospatial Technology and
Project Management program content and future student careers.
Antoinette Gayle
Senior Lecturer
University College of the Cayman Islands
agayle@ucci.edu.ky
Antoinette Gayle joined the UCCI team in August 2014 as lecturer of all areas of chemistry as well as biochemistry.
Prior to joining the UCCI, she worked in Jamaica as a technical officer and quality systems consultant. Mrs. Gayle has
worked in Education since 2004 and has taught chemistry at various levels at the University of the West Indies, Mona
(UWI) and at St. Andrew College.
Mrs. Gayle believes in the value of a good education and encourages her students to be good problem solvers and
critical thinkers. She holds an MPhil in Chemistry from the UWI and a certificate in teaching from John’s Hopkins
University.
32 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

Charles Palmer
Professor
Harrisburg University
STEM 2018 | Special Edition
As the Executive Director of the Center for Advanced Entertainment and Learning Technologies, Charles Palmer
oversees the design and development of ventures in new and emerging technologies, serves as the Program Lead for
the undergraduate Interactive Media program, is an adviser to the Learning Technology Masters of Science program,
and coordinates the High School Gaming Academy. As an instructor, Professor Palmer mentors students on research
projects in the fields of augmented and virtual reality, mobile computing, web application development, video production,
desktop manufacturing (3d printing), motion graphics and interactive games.
As a technologist, author and international speaker, Professor Palmer lectures on virtual reality, 3d printing, gamification,
interactive storytelling, and simulations linking learning and research to practical outcomes.
Edward Guinan
Professor
Astrophysics and Planetary Science
Villanova University
edward.guinan@villanova.edu
Edward Guinan, a Professor of Astrophysics and Planetary Science at Villanova University, is a pioneer in astronomy
and space science research that studies our Sun, stars, and planets inside and outside our solar system, as well
as the search for life on these planets. His research efforts are primarily aimed at studying the effects that X-ray
& UV radiation from host stars have on their planets and to determine if these exoplanets are potentially habitable.
Recently Guinan worked with a European team to study the potential habitability of the nearest Earth-size exoplanet,
Proxima b and found that this planet is temperate and has the potential to support life. During 2017 he established an
astrobiology-based program “Mars Gardens: The Red Thumbs Project” testing growing vegetables under Mars reduced
ambient light and in Martian regolith simulant. He has published over 700 papers and edited four books. At Villanova,
he teaches Astrobiology, Meteorology, Paleoclimatology and Cosmology. His research has been supported primarily by
grants from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation.
He has been active in establishing and promoting international astronomy education, research and outreach programs in developing countries sponsored
by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Since 2012 he has been the Chair of the Astronomy for Universities and Research Program at the IAU
Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU/OAD). He participates in CARIB-STEM programs held at the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI)
since 2012.
• Principles of marketing
• Buyer behavior
• Marketing policy
• Electronic commerce
• Communication law
• Public relations
• Advertising management
• Marketing research
• Internet marketing strategy
• Business communication skills
• News reporting
J. D. Mosley-Matchett
Associate Professor
University College of the Cayman Islands
jmosley-matchett@ucci.edu.ky
Dr. Mosley-Matchett joined the University College of the Cayman Islands faculty in August 2009, but she is a seasoned
educator with ten years of successful teaching experience at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Her educational credentials include an MBA (December 1986) and a PhD in Business Administration (May 1997) from
the University of Texas at Arlington; a Juris Doctor (law degree) from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas
(August 1984); and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from Old Dominion University in Norfolk,
Virginia (May 1980).
As a professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, Dr. Mosley-Matchett taught the following classes in the College
of Business Administration and the School of Fine Arts:
Locally, she has served as the Managing Director of a Caymanian company called Words & Images and as the Marketing Executive for the Cayman
Islands Tourism Attraction Board. In the U.S., she was the President of Sterling Impression, Inc. for more than 20 years. Her numerous clients have
included the Cayman Islands Portfolio of the Civil Service, the Caymanian Bar Association, IBM, Texas Instruments, and J.C. Penney.
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
33

STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Mrunalini (Leena) Pattarkine
Professor
Biotechnology and Nanobiotechnology
Harrisburg University
lpattarkine@harrisburgu.edu
Mrunalini Pattarkine, PhD, Professor in Biotechnology heads the BTEC program at Harrisburg University of Science
and Technology in Harrisburg PA. Prof Pattarkine has a PhD in Biochemistry from IIT Powai, and has over 25 years
of research experience. In addition to being the program director, she is also the lead faculty for Nanobiotechnology
initiative within the Biotechnology program at the university and is currently directing sponsored research for private
industries. In addition to teaching Biotechnology/Nanobiotechnology courses, Prof Pattarkine also serves as a Director of
Capital Area Biotechnology Partnership (CABP), a Workforce Leadership Grant in Biotechnology though funding from PA
Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED, a $700,000/- grant). Prof Pattarkine has active research
projects in areas such as biosensor development, paper-based analytical devices, antimicrobial properties of plant
biomaterials, and hydrogels for regenerative medicine. Prof Pattarkine has several publications and two book chapters to
her credit. Under her instruction, the university offers several summer courses for high-school students. Prof Pattarkine
has conducted numerous workshops at national and international events, for educators and administrators and is considered an expert in the field by
state administrators.
Rachel Fogle
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Integrative Sciences
Harrisburg University
rfogle@harrisburgu.edu
As a broadly trained physiologist, my research interests are widespread. I am interested in biological systems under
normal and pathological states, proteomics, and bioinformatics. My dissertation project involved the use of proteomics
to detect sex-dependent differences in myocardial protein content following chronic alcohol abuse in a rat model.
Specifically, I utilized chemical labeling technology (iTRAQ) to allow direct comparison between study groups. In
conjunction with the proteomic studies, I utilized echocardiography to monitor changes in cardiac structure and function
with increasing levels of alcohol consumption. This approach provided an excellent platform for correlating alterations in
whole organ structure and function with alcohol-induced sub-cellular events.
One of my specific interests includes the field of quantitative proteomics and bioinformatics. Managing large datasets
generated from proteome-based experiments has led to an appreciation for statistical tools that allow easier data
analysis. As part of my graduate research, I developed a new statistical model using statistical software analysis packages, such as STATA and R, to
allow combination of multiple datasets with related research hypotheses, thereby increasing the sample size for statistical analysis.
More recently, in addition to statistical modeling, I have broadened by research interests to include education research. Specifically, the implementation
and validation of innovative team-based learning curriculum for responsible conduct of research (RCR). It is hypothesized that ethical decision-making
abilities (both short-term and long-term) can be increased through the use of a team-based, interactive RCR curriculum that is malleable to the
instructor, biomedical discipline, and targeted audience.
Ray Ann Havasy
Center for Science Teaching and Learning
Executive Director
rayann@cstl.org
Dr. Havasy has been a scientist, educator, and not-for-profit business executive for over 20 years. She received her
Bachelor’s Degrees in zoology and education from Connecticut College and her Masters and Doctorate Degrees in
biology and education from Columbia University. She has been a science teacher, a district wide science coordinator,
and a middle school principal. Her educational research focuses on inquiry and informal science education and their
connections to student achievement and motivation.
Dr. Havasy has published several articles on science education and was recently recognized for her work by becoming
the Society of Professional Engineer’s Educator of the Year. She has recently made keynote presentations at Columbia
University and Barnard concerning STEM education and has been awarded a major research grant to study girls and
STEM learning. In 2010 Dr. Havasy was named one of New York’s 50 Most Influential Women.
34 www.the-intellectual-magazine.com

Terrill Frantz
Professor of eBusiness and Cybersecurity
Harrisburg University
terrill@org-sim.com
STEM 2018 | Special Edition
Professor Frantz began writing computer software in 1974, as a teenager. Within a year, he was challenging a
computer’s security at a local university. Gradually, he built a consulting business developing for and supporting dozens
of business clients. After completing college, he coded his way to working on Wall Street for some of the largest
global investment banks in several countries. While in industry, he managed several, broader information-technology
teams and development projects.
His work experience spans computers from micros to mainframes, jobs from support to development, to management,
and includes programming using scores of languages. He started developing for the Internet in 1992. Since 2000,
Dr. Frantz has also developed an expertise in Organization Change, Computational Organization Theory, Post-merger
(organizational) Integration, and business involving China. He has earned separate doctorate degrees in Organization
Change, and in Computer Science–from two leading universities in the USA. Dr. Frantz reoriented his professional career
from industry to academics beginning in 2001 and has published numerous journal articles and book chapters since.
Presently, he is Co-chief Editor of the journal Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory (CMOT).
Over the past decade, he has taught technology- and business-related courses in universities in Europe and Asia, as well as the USA. Dr. Frantz’s
passionate desire is to mentor those students who oppose being slave to the technology and instead seek to become a master over that technology….
nerds, geeks, or normal people, alike.
For further information, see http://scholar.terrillfrantz.com
Von Ryan G. Abrantes
Von Ryan G. Abrantes graduated from the University of the Philippines with a degree in Secondary Education major
in Physics and Minor in Mathematics. He has taught in both the primary, secondary and college level and has done
coaching for pre-service and in-service teachers in the Philippines. Currently, he teaches IGCSE and A’Levels Physics
in the Cayman Islands where he also leads the Science Club and STEM Society, coaches the underwater robotics
team, and advises students on their research projects for Science fairs in the school he is currently working in. Von
is the Technical Mentor of the Cayman Islands National Robotics Team. He is also a member of the Cayman Islands
National Choir and plays the piano for Eucharistic celebrations on the island. He loves reading comics, watching sci-fi
and fantasy movies and drawing.
Dr. William P. Schonberg
Professor
Civil Engineering Department
Missouri University of Science and Technology
wschon@mst.edu
Dr. William P. Schonberg is a Professor of Engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He is a
registered professional engineer in the States of Missouri and Alabama, and has over 30 years teaching and research
experience in the areas of shock physics, spacecraft protection, hypervelocity impact, and penetration mechanics. Dr.
Schonberg received his BSCE from Princeton University in 1981, and his MS and PhD degrees from Northwestern
University in 1983 and 1986, respectively.
Laboratories, to name a few.
The results of his research have been applied to a wide variety of engineering problems, including the development
of orbital debris protection systems for spacecraft in low earth orbit, kinetic energy weapons, the collapse of buildings
under explosive loads, insensitive munitions, and aging aircraft. Dr. Schonberg’s scholarly activities have been supported
by contract and grants from a variety of federal, state, and private funding agencies, including NASA, the National
Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, The Army Research Office, and Sandia National
At Missouri S&T, Dr. Schonberg continues to teach a variety of graduate and undergraduate courses in civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering.
In 2014 he was a Visiting Professor at the University College of the Cayman Islands where he taught Engineering Law and Ethics as part of that
university’s new engineering program.
Dr. Schonberg is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; most recently he was
named a Distinguished Scientist the Hypervelocity Impact Society in recognition of his many scholarly accomplishments as well as his dedication to
the Society, its programs, and its student members. In 2007 Dr. Schonberg received a Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Humboldt
Foundation in Germany. This award enabled him to spend 7 months at the Fraunhofer Ernst Mach Institute in Freiburg, Germany working on advanced
protection systems for satellites and developing preliminary designs for safe lunar habitats using in-situ materials for protection against meteoroid
impacts.
www.the-intellectual-magazine.com
35