Author Archives: alan

Holiday greetings from the Dalai Lama

His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, has a message for us (reposted from Lion’s Roar): My hope and wish is that, one day, formal education will pay attention to what I call education of the heart. Just as we take for … finish reading Holiday greetings from the Dalai Lama

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The name of our beautiful reward is not profit

Ursula K. Le Guin is one of Portland’s greatest enduring gifts to the world of letters. I keep three of her so-called “young adult” books in my nightstand and I have obtained several copies of her rendering of the Tao … finish reading The name of our beautiful reward is not profit

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The True Source of Chemical Bonds

Move over G.N. Lewis. Forget electron sharing, bonding orbitals, and ionic attraction. xkcd has finally deduced the secret of chemical bonding. (And guess what? I see some unexpected connections between C and U chemistry!)

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Eric Mazur on Assessment

Eric Mazur is well known in science teaching circles for the innovative teaching approaches that he has popularized. He pays close attention to student behavior and data on student performance, and he also thinks deeply about what is going on … finish reading Eric Mazur on Assessment

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Environmental Summit echoes one year later

The Dalai Lama Environmental Summit was held in Portland in May 2013. Many thousands attended. Maitripa College, the first Tibetan Buddhist college in the Pacific NW, has released a free 11 minute video highlighting some of the speakers, ideas, and … finish reading Environmental Summit echoes one year later

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Do what we must: Divest !!!

(Update: On 11 Oct 2021 the Reed College Board of Trustees announced its decision to divest the college’s endowment from fossil fuels. Read about it here.) Reed’s plans to divest all fossil fuel holdings from its endowment were announced today … finish reading Do what we must: Divest !!!

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Prof. Cynthia McClure, 1953-2014

In a few days I’ll sit under the big white tent and watch a few hundred Reed seniors walk across the platform and accept their diplomas. It will be a proud, happy moment for the graduate, their family, and all … finish reading Prof. Cynthia McClure, 1953-2014

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And the Oscar goes to…

While I’m on the topic of science animations (see Animation Students take on Science), here’s another one that certainly deserves a larger audience. (And maybe should have attracted a little more notice at last Sunday’s Oscar ceremony?) What is a … finish reading And the Oscar goes to…

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Animation students take on science

The Commercial Animation students at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts may have thought that their science days were over, but their professor, John Serpentelli, had other ideas. Last year he asked his class to create animated movies that would bring … finish reading Animation students take on science

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This Machine Surrounds Hate

The Times reported today that Pete Seeger died in Manhattan yesterday. He was 94. That means he was already 70 when I arrived at Reed. My older brother was the first one to share Seeger’s name with me and it … finish reading This Machine Surrounds Hate

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