Spring Break
News in Brief
Issue date: 2/14/08
Researchers team up for new study on pollutants
Two Hopkins chemists have decided to combine their areas of expertise for a new study involving chemical reactions in environmental pollutants.
Justine Roth is an assistant professor in the Krieger School's Department of Chemistry. Her research focuses on the redox reactions - that is, the gaining and losing of electrons - of enzyme-bound metals, especially in reactions with oxygen.
Alan Stone, from the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, is an environmental chemist interested in using Roth's methods to learn more about how pollutants react with naturally occurring substances in the environment.
Their research could be helpful in predicting which pollutants are immediate threats to public and environmental health.
Within the next six months, Roth and Stone plan to hire a postdoctoral fellow to conduct the study under the supervision of the two senior scientists.
A $120,000 fellowship grant from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation will provide the necessary funding for two years of experiment and analysis by the to-be-hired researcher.
Study shows large decline in errors made by pilots
The Bloomberg School of Public Health has released findings which reveal a significant decline in mishaps related to pilot error between 1983 and 2002.
The rate of mishaps caused by pilots dropped 40 percent in that time, though the total number remained the same. The research team found a 71 percent decline in mishaps caused by pilots' flawed decisions, an improvement attributed to advancements in training and technology.
An analysis of 558 airline mishaps examined several possible circumstances of pilot error.
These included carelessness, poor decision-making, poor communication or mismanagement of the aircraft.
The study also included some interesting findings concerning the conditions surrounding these mishaps.
The most common pilot error - making bad decisions about adverse weather - experienced a 76-percent decline, while mishaps related to poor crew communication decreased by 68 percent.
Despite these dramatic figures, the rate of mishaps during the times when the aircraft was motionless or being pushed back from the gate more than doubled.
The researchers also noted an increase in mishaps unrelated to pilot error, many of which are attributed to mistakes by air traffic control and ground personnel.
Susan Baker, from the Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy and Bloomberg's Department of Health and Policy Management, acted as the lead author of the study.
Krieger School introduces online master's degree in museum studies
An innovative new program offered by the Krieger School's Advanced Academic Programs division will allow students worldwide to earn a master of arts degree in museum studies online.
The program will be led by Chair Robert Kargon, the Willis K. Shepard professor of the history of science at Hopkins.
He will be assisted by Associate Chair Phyllis Hecht, former manager of the Web site for the National Gallery of Art.
The program was endorsed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission in October.
Students admitted to the program will have to complete 10 courses, only one of which, an on-site seminar, is not conducted online.
The Web classes will feature text notes, PowerPoint presentations with voiceover, video and bulletin board-style discussions.
To insure maximum communication between the students and faculty, classes will be kept small.
The seminar portion, to take place in Washington, D.C., will involve museum visits, networking with professionals, symposia and a hands-on project.
For students who desire to take part in additional real world experience, arrangements will be made at museums near the students' homes for an optional special project.
Two Hopkins chemists have decided to combine their areas of expertise for a new study involving chemical reactions in environmental pollutants.
Justine Roth is an assistant professor in the Krieger School's Department of Chemistry. Her research focuses on the redox reactions - that is, the gaining and losing of electrons - of enzyme-bound metals, especially in reactions with oxygen.
Alan Stone, from the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, is an environmental chemist interested in using Roth's methods to learn more about how pollutants react with naturally occurring substances in the environment.
Their research could be helpful in predicting which pollutants are immediate threats to public and environmental health.
Within the next six months, Roth and Stone plan to hire a postdoctoral fellow to conduct the study under the supervision of the two senior scientists.
A $120,000 fellowship grant from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation will provide the necessary funding for two years of experiment and analysis by the to-be-hired researcher.
Study shows large decline in errors made by pilots
The Bloomberg School of Public Health has released findings which reveal a significant decline in mishaps related to pilot error between 1983 and 2002.
The rate of mishaps caused by pilots dropped 40 percent in that time, though the total number remained the same. The research team found a 71 percent decline in mishaps caused by pilots' flawed decisions, an improvement attributed to advancements in training and technology.
An analysis of 558 airline mishaps examined several possible circumstances of pilot error.
These included carelessness, poor decision-making, poor communication or mismanagement of the aircraft.
The study also included some interesting findings concerning the conditions surrounding these mishaps.
The most common pilot error - making bad decisions about adverse weather - experienced a 76-percent decline, while mishaps related to poor crew communication decreased by 68 percent.
Despite these dramatic figures, the rate of mishaps during the times when the aircraft was motionless or being pushed back from the gate more than doubled.
The researchers also noted an increase in mishaps unrelated to pilot error, many of which are attributed to mistakes by air traffic control and ground personnel.
Susan Baker, from the Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy and Bloomberg's Department of Health and Policy Management, acted as the lead author of the study.
Krieger School introduces online master's degree in museum studies
An innovative new program offered by the Krieger School's Advanced Academic Programs division will allow students worldwide to earn a master of arts degree in museum studies online.
The program will be led by Chair Robert Kargon, the Willis K. Shepard professor of the history of science at Hopkins.
He will be assisted by Associate Chair Phyllis Hecht, former manager of the Web site for the National Gallery of Art.
The program was endorsed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission in October.
Students admitted to the program will have to complete 10 courses, only one of which, an on-site seminar, is not conducted online.
The Web classes will feature text notes, PowerPoint presentations with voiceover, video and bulletin board-style discussions.
To insure maximum communication between the students and faculty, classes will be kept small.
The seminar portion, to take place in Washington, D.C., will involve museum visits, networking with professionals, symposia and a hands-on project.
For students who desire to take part in additional real world experience, arrangements will be made at museums near the students' homes for an optional special project.
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