2010 — 2017 |
Gilbert, Cole |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Blinding Speed: Effects of Relative Motion On Visually Guided Pursuit
Ever photograph a moving object using a camera set at too slow a shutter speed? If so, then you know that the resulting image may be low contrast and blurry. Similar optical principles apply to biological visual systems. When the speed of retinal photoreceptors and/or neurons in the brain is not fast enough to overcome the relative velocity between the observer and the target, the visual image can become too blurred for the observer to recognize objects. Humans rarely experience this effect because we move slowly, but many animals move quickly and suffer motion blur during pursuit of targets. This project will investigate the visual and locomotory systems of fast-running, predatory tiger beetles that go blind while chasing prey and must stop briefly (tens of milliseconds) to re-localize the prey and then run again. The basic question is why does the beetle run faster than its eyes and brain can process target images? Dr. Gilbert will use a combination of 1) electrophysiological experiments on nerve cells at different levels in the beetle's visual system to test their response to moving targets, 2) behavioral studies of tethered beetles chasing computer generated, virtual reality images to quantify the effects of motion blur on pursuit tracking, and 3) computer modeling of the perception of the moving world viewed by a simulated beetle visual system to determine whether the beetle goes blind in all areas of the visual field or whether some running strategies may reduce blur in certain areas and allow continued tracking. By investigating an extreme biological example of the effects of motion blur on a tracking system, Dr. Gilbert will discover design principles about the nature of all visual systems, as well as provide insight into the limits of man-made machine vision systems and possible strategies for overcoming deleterious effects of motion blur. In terms of broader impacts related to education and nurturing of future scientists, the project will provide interdisciplinary training between engineering and biology for a post-doctoral fellow and undergraduate students.
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2012 — 2016 |
Park, Travis Rayor, Linda Ross, Robert Gilbert, Cole |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Partnerships to Prepare Science Teachers For Inclusive, Back-to-Nature Education
This Capacity Building project is designed to make the Cornell Teacher Education Program, which prepares students for New York state certification in K-12 agriculture, secondary biology, chemistry, physics, or earth science, grade 7-8 science, or grade 5-6 science, a viable candidate for a future Noyce Phase I Scholarship award. The Cornell University team, from the Department of Entomology, Department of Horticulture, and the Paleontological Research Institution, are partnering with Moravia Central School District, Tully Central School District, Brooklyn Academy of Science and the Environment, the Cannon River STEM School, Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell Plantations, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell Outdoor Education, and the Mohonk Preserve. Targeted initiatives are addressing teacher recruitment, teacher preparation, and teacher induction support.
The project's theme is "science for all" which summarizes the goal of nurturing creative and passionate scientists while fostering the development of scientific literacy for everyone to inform their decision making on issues of personal health, safety and public policy. The project is organized around the specific idea that local natural environments are among the best classrooms for learning in the natural and physical science disciplines. Taking science outdoors is leading to better engagement in science, for teachers and students, improvements in health, a better understanding of the "messy" nature of real science, and an appreciation of the power of interdisciplinary approaches to scientific problems.
The back-to-nature approach for science education is having a broad impact because it is accessible and effective for all students, including those living in more "built-up" areas of the country, and those with disabilities that challenge their access and success. Of special note for aiding in the success of the project is the Professional Development School, in which university faculty and school teachers work together to design and implement learning opportunities for pre-service teachers and for themselves. Also contributing to project success is the Cornell New Teacher Support Corps, a group composed of highly effective retired or part-time science teachers, who are serving as mentors for the project alums.
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