Science & Tech

Watching the skies for shooting stars and meteor showers is a favored past-time for people all over the globe. The beauty and rarity of these types of events is often talked about but not often understood by many. To get a better understanding for the science behind meteor showers, how comets leave dust trails, and the scientific way to watch meteor showers we turned to Professor Katie Berryhill. In this podcast she shares her expertise on Perseid meteors in particular.

Having the ability and innate willingness to help others is a unique gift. Some come by the opportunity by chance, while others take a step further and reach out to help wherever possible. Morris Koffa, is a special individual who did just that. He helped establish a non-profit organization, Africa Environmental Watch, whose purpose is to educate African citizens on environmental issues such as solid waste, toxic waste, community school awareness, hygiene and more. His group also works with the local governments in Africa to provide better education for its citizens through curriculum’s, some that he helped to create, as well as helping to look for ways to improve conditions on drinking water. He accomplishes all of these monumental tasks while in the middle of his second master’s degree with American Public University, and while in the process of also completing his Ph.D. Listen on to learn more about environmental impact concerns in Africa, and the Africa Environmental Watch.

How does a species get to the point of being endangered? We truly need to understand the magnitude of this type of issue and how it effects the species. To explore this topic in depth we invited Dr. Kris Thoemke, Environmental Science Faculty Member at American Public University, to speak on getting to this dangerous point, and how the environment can be an influencer in marking a species for extermination. He also explores the ways in which people can make a difference in turning a delicate situation like extinction around for the better.

Dr. Amy Burkman, Program Director of the M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision at American Public University, talks about the budget deficit in the classrooms and how to combat it with innovative technology use.

Brian Freeland, Program Director of the Sports Management and Sports and Health Sciences programs at American Public University, talks with fellow faculty member Dr. Spiro Doukas on how online will change the way we view sports. Everything from the way technology is used in the locker room, to interactive sports viewing, and then onto 3 things aspiring sports marketers can learn in the classroom to be successful.

Dr. Kathy Hogan, Program Director at American Public University System, talks about Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and its applications to today’s media.

On April 22, 2011, an explosion rocked the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers, sinking the rig, and releasing a massive amount of crude oil into the ocean. Nearly 4.9 million barrels of oil (200 million gallons) are believed to have leaked into the Gulf, fouling shorelines, crushing local economies, and damaging the environment to an extent that’s yet to be fully determined. Join American Military University and Dr. Chris Reynolds with a deep dive one year later into the lingering effects of the Gulf Oil Spill.

Listen to this podcast to learn how to use your tablet for your studies. This podcast is sponsored by OnlineLearningTips.com.

In this podcast, sponsored by OnlineCareerTips.com and OnlineLearningTips.com, you will hear about five great gifts for your techie sweetheart.

What are the available options for students looking at careers in space studies? Besides being an astronaut, students can look into career options with government and private corporations, engineering, and much more. One of the best ways to carve a path into this field is through internships. In 2013 APU student, Andreea Mosila, will be starting a second internship with NASA. In this podcast she talks about the opportunities in the field, and the experience she gained from it. Dr. Anderson, Program Director for the Space Studies programs at American Public University, provides career expectations from an educators standpoint, and what kinds of information can be cultivated from an online space studies program.

Not everyone loves math, but the facts are that math is part of our everyday lives. While in school you’ll need to take a few math courses, some more than others. With that thought in mind, why not change your perception of it to get through it? Here is a great podcast with Bill Owen, Program Director for Mathematics at American Public University. He shares some secrets to succeeding in your math classes. You may come out enjoying your math problems after listening.

Careers in environmental sciences are popular, but unless you know the landscape you may not know where to find them. We recently interviewed Dr. Carol Pollio, Program Director for Environmental Sciences at American Public University, for her insight on breaking into this industry. Besides the typical internship, and networking there are a few other things you need to know about polishing your resume and volunteering. Check out her podcast below for more valuable insight.

A “green” business is one that has adopted certain policies and practices that take into account the environmental impact of the business’ operations. Elizabeth Gray, Chair of the Sustainability Committee at American Public University System, talks about best practices in a green business and ways to be more eco-friendly in the office.

We recently interviewed AMU Environmental Policy and Management graduate student, Sarah McNair, on her sustainable tiny house for her capstone project. In this interview she shares all the sustainable components the house will be equipped as well as the DIY process of such a unique effort. You can follow her blog at http://smallhousebigadventure.com.

What is the nature of gaming today? In the context of online learning educators are discovering the added value of gaming in the classroom. Gaming can often develop skills in strategic thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, team work, and complex decision making.With so many games to choose from like Math Blaster, Hypertext Adventures, and Typing of the Dead, to name a few, there is a lot of potential for its use in education. To talk on the subject we invited Dr. Novadean Watson-Stone, Program Director for the Information Technology programs at American Public University. In this podcast she talks about is currently being done in the online classroom in regards to gaming, and takes us into the future use of gaming in the classroom.