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Society on Social Implications of Technology The (Society on Social Implications of Technology) SSIT works on issues such as environmental, health and safety implementations of technology, engineering ethics and professional responsibility, peace technology and social issues related to energy, information technology and telecommunications.
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The true inventor of radio, Nikola Tesla developed the technology that harnessed alternating current (AC) electricity. He was an important contributor to the birth of commercial electricity. Tesla laid the foundation for the rotating magnetic field, alternating current devices, robotics, computers, and missile science. We experience Nikola Tesla's contributions to science every time we switch on a light, listen to the stereo or watch television. The lecture covers the brief history of Tesla's Wardenclyffe laboratory, report on the current status of the property and an overview of recent efforts to preserve this historic landmark of modern electro-engineering. Since the 1930's the property had been used by the Peerless Photo Company, to manufacture emulsions for photographic film and paper. In 1969 it became part of Agfa-Gevaert Inc. In 1987 production ended, marking the beginning of a lengthy process to clean up inactive hazardous waste on the site from years of photo-processing activities. At a May 2009 rally at the site, the local community and officials of all levels of government reaffirmed their strong support for the preservation of Tesla's historic laboratory.
I. Malinowitzer, Administrator and Coordinator at East Islip High School, discussed the Career Academy programs at the high school, their success and the student participation and enthusiasm. Two avenues have been implemented for the students. Environmental Green and International Business. 1- The International Business program has students work on a virtual enterprise such as the creation of a company. A business plan, financial statement, marketing plan, CEO, CFO, sales operation, etc. are developed. College participation (e.g. Dowling) and corporate support (e.g. Ford) mentor the students. 2- An example of the Environmental Green is a project for the students to produce a self contained environmentally friendly pond that is forever sustainable without human interference. The students successfully accomplished the invitation of three helicopters from the military services to land at the East Islip high school grounds. The movie documenting the incoming helicopter/ interviews/ etc of the event was created entirely by the students. Emphasis is placed on real world applications and problem solving. The academy approach allows teachers and students to take the textbook and bring it to life in a real world setting. The Long Island Section IEEE is committed in its efforts to continue to study and support K-12 education at schools across Long Island.
In this seminar sponsored by the Long Island Section's SSIT, PACE and Life Member Affinity Group, the topic of Ethics in Engineering was probed. Several actual case histories were presented, and attendees were invited to participate and answer the question "What would you have done? The significance and value of distinguishing between legal, moral and ethical aspects of technical dilemmas was also discussed and prompted a lively discussion. The session concluded with participants describing situations involving engineering ethics in which they had personally been involved.
An IEEE Long Island Section Ad Hoc Committee has been discussing the effectiveness of the educational programs and projects aimed at attracting more students to scientific and technical professions and improving the learning outcome of those K-12 students who participate in math and science courses. Many of these programs are well-supported by government and private funding but we are also concerned about the effectiveness of these programs.
Are instructors broadly aware of these
programs and have they and their students benefited from participation in
one or more of them? Equally important, have they used certain programs
and found them disappointing in certain aspects. Have some
The flip side of GPS Navigation is examined. That is, that the technology is not just doing for us but also what the technology is doing to us. The conventional wisdom insists that we have better things to do than find our own way from here to there without turn by turn directions. It may be true that losing the ability to find one's own way, as once we were compelled, may be no great loss, as a tributary feeding into the river of what is going on across the board of human skill erosion, it is a symptom of far more serious summing going on. The lecture discusses the loss of cognitive abilities that can lead to fatal or potentially fatal incidents. Mindlessly following GPS turn by turn, has led to wrong way down one way streets, plunge headlong into ditches, cause train accidents, make dangerous turns or illegal turns and set the stage for accidents by hesitating on busy roads and road traffic.
Hurricane intensification can be prevented by cooling critical areas of the sea surface. Deep cold water can be pumped up and distributed at the surface through long perforated fabric hoses. Water overlying the Gulf Coast continental shelf from Texas to the Florida Keys can be cooled by water pumped from 200-meter depth using electric power transmitted by sub-sea cables from the shore grid. Portions of the Gulf of Mexico's Loop Current and its warm-core eddies might be cooled by moored pumping stations powered by Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC).
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| Home | 2011-12-20 | ||
Vice
Chairperson
Nikola
Tesla and his Historic Wardenclyffe Laboratory
Mary Daum, Jane
Alcorn, Margaret Foster & Christopher Wesselborg