For immediate release:
Cal State L.A.'s New Interactive Global
Warming Web Site Featured in Science Magazine's NetWatch this
Month
ÂGlobal warmingÂs future impact depends on factors such as
human population growth and fossil fuel use, begins Science
magazineÂs NetWatch feature highlighting Cal State L.A.Âs
new Global Warming Web site in its April 2005 issue.
Science <http://www.sciencemag.org> is one of the worldÂs most
prestigious scientific publications.
The interactive Web-based activity for high school and
introductory college courses was designed by Cal State L.A.Âs
masters of interactive science Web sites and project directors
Robert Desharnais, professor of Biological Sciences, and
Gary Novak, professor of Geological Sciences.
Desharnais and NovakÂs Global Warming illustrates
principles of global warming and climate change due to natural and
human-caused factors. The site explores climate through an
overview demonstration of the energy budget model and future
climate change activities; animated and interactive tutorials; and
online assessment quizzes. It also shows teachers how to register
a class in order to access the database of individual student or
classroom results (for free!).
Other CSULA individuals involved in the creation of the
tutorial include faculty member David Mayo (Geological
Sciences), postdoctoral associate Mel Limson (Biological
Sciences), software engineer David Risner, and graphics
designer Bobby Berberyan. The work is supported in part by
grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the
California State University.
Previous activities developed by the CSULA creative team
include Earthquake, Virtual Dating (about geologic time--not
a way to find Âthat special someone, explains the introduction),
and Virtual River, all accessible at
www.ScienceCourseware.com.
Working for California since 1947: The 175-acre hilltop campus of California State University, Los Angeles is at the heart of a major metropolitan city, just five miles from Los Angeles civic and cultural center. More than 20,000 students and 170,000 alumniÂwith a wide variety of interests, ages and backgrounds--reflect the cityÂs dynamic mix of populations. Six colleges offer nationally recognized science, arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education and humanities programs, among others, led by an award-winning faculty. Cal State L.A. is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Jazz Orchestra and to a unique university center for gifted students as young as 12. Among programs that provide exciting enrichment opportunities to students and community include a noted alternative energy technology initiative; an NEH- and Rockefeller-supported humanities center; a NASA-funded center for space research; and a growing forensic science program, to be housed in the Los Angeles Regional Crime Lab now under construction. www.calstatela.edu
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