A director at the Smithsonian Institution has expressed interest in acquiring the hooded sweatshirt worn by Travyon Martin on the night he was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
The Green Goblin may have struck again, with more splatters of green paint found defacing two Washington landmarks Monday. New paint splashes were discovered on an organ in the Bethlehem Chapel inside the National Cathedral and on the statue of Joseph Henry outside the headquarters of the Smithsonian Institution.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
Bad news for museum lovers: Budget cuts from Congress will soon reduce the number of free exhibitions on view each day at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough is telling Congress today that the museum complex must reduce its security contract for gallery attendants because of the…
From: http://www.newser.com/story/166303/budget-cuts-will-close-some-smithsonian-exhibits.html
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Polycom® RealPresence® Video Solutions Help Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art Bring Content and Culture Alive for Schools and Organizations Everywhere
Real-time HD video collaboration available to schools and organizations anywhere in the world opens doors to Smithsonian Institution’s African art collection
SAN JOSE, Calif. & WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Polycom, Inc. (NAS: PLCM) , the global leader in open, standards-based unified communications and collaboration (UC&C), is helping bring the Smithsonian Institution’s vast collection of African art to a global audience via Polycom® RealPresence® video solutions.
Through interactive and real-time video classes, briefings, tours and collaborative sessions of the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA), guests are gaining a new perspective not just on how artists in Africa have expressed themselves through the arts over centuries, but also on the diverse cultures and peoples who live on a continent comprised of fifty-five countries, three times the size of the United States.
“Arts education in public schools has declined in recent years,” noted Deborah Stokes, Curator for Education at NMAfA, one of 19 Smithsonian museums. “Art has been squeezed out of daily class schedules, and school time spent in art class has shrunk by nearly half since 2001. We knew we had to get creative to find a way for schools to enhance their art education without spending resources. With Polycom RealPresence video solutions, we’re bringing content and culture alive to students around the world – teaching students how to look at art, and engage with the museum’s educational programs to enrich understanding, inspire, encourage curiosity, and make connections.”
Combining Art and Science
An example of this approach is the museum’s popular African Cosmos: Stellar Arts tour, which combines both art and science to investigate celestial symbols, earth-sky connections and cultural stories that date to the time of the pharaohs. The educational programming was developed with astrophysicists from the Smithsonian-Harvard Astrophysical Observatory and scientists and educators from the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum. The teaching module enables teachers to fulfill not only their curriculum requirements in art, but also those for science, history and geography.
“One of our academic goals is to incorporate the arts into the STEM initiative,” said Stokes, referring to a growing effort to sharpen global competitiveness by improving students’ proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
AVG Technologies Chief Policy Officer Siobhan MacDermott to Speak as “Visiting Future-ist” for the Future of Information Alliance at the University of Maryland
–(BUSINESS WIRE)– AVG Technologies (NYS: AVG) :
WHAT: The University of Maryland’s Future of Information Alliance will host invitation-only discussions in a series entitled, “The Big Picture of Big Data.” Visiting Future-ists will give 10-minute presentations on the topic as it pertains to their respective industry or discipline.
The Future of Information Alliance was launched at the University of Maryland in 2011. It was created to serve as a catalyst for dialogue across disciplines and to promote research on issues related to the evolving role of information in our lives. By identifying shared challenges and encouraging innovative solutions, the Future of Information Alliance seeks to facilitate a future in which information in all its forms can be an effective resource for all. The founding partners include the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Geographic Society, the Newseum, Sesame Workshop, the U.S. National Park Service, the Barrie School, the Online Academy, WAMU 88.5 and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley. The Future of Information Alliance is co-directed by Ira Chinoy, a University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism associate professor and associate dean, and Allison Druin, a professor at the University of Maryland College of Information Studies (iSchool).
WHO: Siobhan MacDermott is a respected thought leader on the future of Information Technology, consumer dynamics, cybersecurity, privacy, and business leadership. She is currently Chief Policy Officer of AVG Technologies (NYS: AVG) , having worked in senior leadership positions at many reputable U.S. and global technology companies. MacDermott is both a US and EU national, and has worked on four continents and speaks five languages. She received her MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management, is working on her second Masters degree at the Fletcher School, and serves on and advises several boards including the Internet Security Alliance and the Fund for Peace.
AVG‘s mission is to simplify, optimize and secure the Internet experience, providing peace of mind to a connected world. AVG‘s powerful yet easy-to-use software and online services put users in control of their Internet experience. By choosing AVG‘s software and services, users become part of a trusted global community that benefits from inherent network effects, mutual protection and support. AVG has grown …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Dr Michael Pogue, a Research Entomologist in the ARS Systematic Entomology Laboratory, at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, was sent a series of moth specimens from Bahia, Brazil, for identification. The insects were under consideration as a possible biocontrol agent for the invasive Brazilian peppertree in Florida. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Phys.org
