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THINKING MATTERS HOME
ARS110 HOME
Thinking Matters at USM:
A Student Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Symposium
A few examples of Creative and Research Activities Presented at Thinking Matters
… and what it means to our students
Geography major Giles Kingsley uses a NASA grant to employ remote sensing software— programs used to manipulate satellite imagery, such as photos, thermal imagery—to track urban development in the greater Portland region over the past 20 years. “Urban sprawl is a huge issue in places like Washington and Baltimore,” Kingsley says. “Portland is a small frame of reference. The data could eventually be used for better land use. That’s my goal, for the data to be used to figure how we want to use our land and water.”
Media studies students Drew Wyman, Stephen Turcotte, and Courtney True worked together to write, direct, shoot, and produce a film on behalf of Portland Trails’ Schoolground Greening Coalition. The film is intended to supplement the group’s efforts to foster support for making school playgrounds places to learn as well as play.
Senior exercise physiology students Alicia Croteau and Tyler Ravlo investigated how useful iPod’s PumpOne program is in motivating students age 18-25 to fight weight gain through more regular exercise. The interactive program leads users through hour-long workouts that can be conducted at home or at a gym, providing guidance and encouragement while avoiding the expense of a personal trainer.
“There are companies out there that are hired to do what we’re doing,” Ravlo says. “They have a product or service, and they need people to conduct research to test their claims about them. We’re testing our theory about the PumpOne program.” Tyler Ravlo recently told his faculty advisor, Exercise & Sport Science Associate Professor Chris Scott, that his Thinking Matters project “ … was a life-changing experience.” Tyler is now in a doctor of physical therapy program in Canada.
Another former student of Scott’s who did a “TM” project, Jill Fernandes, says that her Thinking Matters project “ … sure did prep me for what was to come in grad school!” Jill is now obtaining a masters in nutrition at the University of Rhode Island. From 2006-2008 Dr. Scott, who is the 2009 Thinking Matters co-chair, published five articles co-authored with eleven (11) of his students who did Thinking Matters projects—thus giving each student’s professional resume a jump-start in fields from physical therapy and sports science to nutrition.
We invite you to visit the Thinking Matters Homepage to find a description of its history and purpose at USM, as well as several more pictures and summaries of all the presentations that have taken place. |
