Teach students how to use the Win Key

 Advantages of the "Win" Key:

Pressing Win + B disables the keyboard and prevents keys from typing.

Pressing Win + D takes you directly to the desktop.

Pressing Win + E opens "My Computer" directly.

Pressing Win + F opens the search function without using the mouse.

Pressing Win + L locks your computer screen.

Pressing Win + M minimizes all open windows on the desktop.

Pressing Win + P switches the display mode for additional screens.

Pressing Win + R opens the "Run" dialog box.

Pressing Win + T activates the taskbar.

Pressing Win + U displays the "Ease of Access" menu.

Pressing Win + F1 opens the "Help and Support" menu.

Pressing Win + Up Arrow maximizes the current window to full screen.

Pressing Win + Left or Right Arrow moves the current window to the left or right.

Pressing Win + Shift + Left or Right Arrow moves the current window to another screen.

Pressing Win + Plus (+) zooms in on the screen.

Pressing Win + any number key opens the corresponding application pinned to the taskbar.

Predicting Insect Emergence

by Bridget Baron

Introduction

From the grass you walk on to the food you eat, and even the clothes you wear, your daily life relies upon insects. Urban life often feels disconnected from nature, but that could not be further from the truth as urban life relies upon the global ecosystem. Because the global ecosystem is propped up by insects, it is not an exaggeration to say that human beings are reliant on insects for our survival. As such, scientists spend significant time tracking insect populations.

This report discusses the reasons why tracking insect populations is important, as well as summarizes my exploration of using one example of software scientists predicting insect emergence, the Degree-Days, Risk, and Phenological event mapping (DDRP) program created by Brittany S Barker, Leonard Coop, Tyson Wepprich, Fritzi Grevstad, and Gericke Cook.

Insects and Agriculture

75% of all crop plants depend on insects for pollination (National Geographic). This includes food crops as well as plants like cotton that are used to produce textiles. Insects maintain healthy soils, as well. Dung beetles, among others, are insects that specialize in the decomposition of decaying organic matter. They return nutrients to the soils, which allow more plants to grow and keep the circle of life turning. There have even been some cases where introducing termites into arid fields made them fertile again within less than a year (National Geographic). Termites and other ground-burrowing insects (like ants!) aerate soils with their tunnels. This allows water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach deeper down and protects soil quality (National Geographic).

However, not all insects are beneficial to agriculture. Pests are insects that consume or destroy beneficial or domesticated plants. In the United States, several of the most harmful pests are invasive species, such as the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle and the Asian Longhorned Beetle (USDA). Invasive species come from other ecosystems and are often generalists. Generalists are not reliant upon a single source of food and adapt well to competition and new environments (i.e. raccoons). Conversely, many native species are specialists. These are species that have evolved to rely on a small number of food sources to avoid competition (i.e. pandas). These species often play vital roles in their native ecosystems but are very vulnerable to competition when an aggressive invasive species arrives to eat their food and use their habitats.

(Photo by the Author: New York Carpenter Ant Camponotus novaeboracensis)

My Project

After becoming interested in insect tracking, I stumbled across an open-source program called DDRP (Degree-Days, Risk, and Phenological event mapping). It uses weather data to calculate degree-days (measures of heating-cooling within a single day) and temperature stress to insects. DDRP then uses that information to predict the emergence, number of generations, and present life stages of various invasive insects. 

I decided to learn how the program worked and try running it for myself by following these detailed instructions. While attempting to run the program on my home PC, I encountered various challenges:

• I knew very little about programming and had no knowledge of R, the language used to create DDRP. To learn,  I followed beginner tutorials such as Codecademy’s R lesson series and utilized ChatGPT to interpret sections of code I was unfamiliar with over the course of six weeks. 

• I also faced various issues with my setup. One issue was that the program could not create a template file of the specified region. The reason for this was that some of the optional sets of instructions of code (called packages), like Rgdal, that DDRP relies on are no longer supported in R. I had to uninstall R and RStudio and download an older version that ran all of the packages I needed. 

• I then had some difficulties regarding the permissions for my file system. Something was preventing my files and folders from being taken off of “read-only” status. I spent several hours troubleshooting this via Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.ai, but was not able to completely resolve the issue without risking damage to my computer by changing its operational code.

• There was one other major issue I was unable to resolve completely. For some reason, after changing to an older instance of R, the inputs were being nullified. This prevented the program from actually running the calculations that it needed to in order to operate. In order to diagnose the issue, I edited the code to have the computer print the values of the “year” variable as well as the “keep_leap” variable. These were the two values that were being nullified. Their purposes are to specify the start year for the calculations, and to specify whether the 366th day in leap years should be factored into the calculations. 

A screenshot of the program crashing while attempting to create the template.

A screenshot of the variable nullification issue.

Conclusion

Ultimately, I wasn't able to get the program successfully and completely running on my device, but I learned a lot. I strongly encourage others with an interest in data science – especially as it relates to environmental science – to conduct research and leverage programs like DDRP. It might or might not end up working as expected, but it’s the process of trying things and learning from mistakes that creates the toolset to advocate for change. It’s our world. We all have a part to play in taking care of it.

About Me

Hello! My name is Bridget Baron and I’m an upcoming first year at Barnard College in New York City. As a Senior at Alexandria City High School in Alexandria, VA, I worked as an intern at the Virginia Tech Thinkabit Lab. My major scientific interests are climate change and insects, and working with the VT Thinkabit Lab gave me the opportunity to explore one of the cross-sections between those two: insect phenology. My research into the phenological cycles of insects, and how they’re impacted by climate change, is what led me to this particular research project. 

Bringing Animals Back from Extinction

 

Bringing Animals Back From Extinction. Science or Fiction? 

by Zhihan Shi

The famous movie franchise Jurassic Park is all about bringing dinosaurs and other famous extinct animals back from the dead. The first movie was made in 1993, and bringing extinct animals back in just three decades is a bigger possibility than ever. While scientists are not bringing extinct animals back just yet, biotechnology has made significant progress in de-extinction. De-extinction is a field of science involved in resurrecting species that have gone extinct (Carrington). 

The Science Behind De-extinction

How exactly does de-extinction work? A paraphrased definition of de-extinction by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is that it is the ecological replacement of an extinct species by adapting a living organism to serve the ecological function of that species through various means. Essentially, bringing back an extinct organism requires an existing living organism, preferably one closely related (Neuman).

Cloning, also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), is one of the main techniques utilized in de-extinction. This procedure involves inserting the nucleus of a somatic cell from the extinct species into an egg cell whose nucleus has been removed. After that, the egg is encouraged to grow into an embryo that can be placed inside the body of a closely related species' surrogate mother (Neuman). The famed Pyrenean ibex, an extinct subspecies of the Spanish ibex, was used to test this technique; however, the cloned animal died shortly after due to a lung defect (Brian). 

Another technique is genetic engineering, in which researchers modify the DNA of a closely related extinct species by inserting genes from the extinct species, producing an organism that is strikingly similar to the original. Tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 are used in this process. As Dr, Carina Schlebusch puts it, “The genome editing approach is the most viable and, with the availability of DNA-editing techniques such as CRISPR–Cas9, it may be feasible in the near future.” By altering the genome of the Asian elephant, the woolly mammoth's closest living relative, it may be possible to revive the mammoth (Schlebusch). 

A proposed outline of bringing back the mammoth using biotechnology. 

Source: https://www.worldwildlife.org/

Current Examples of De-extinction

Many companies and researchers are trying to be the first to perform de-extinction. A notable example of de-extinction is the endeavor to bring back the woolly mammoth. To produce a hybrid with the mammoth's cold-resistant features, such as thick fur and subcutaneous fat, scientists are attempting to insert mammoth genes into the Asian elephant's genome. By promoting grassland ecosystems in the Arctic tundra, this initiative, headed by Harvard scientist George Church, aims to create a mammoth-elephant hybrid that may be released into the wild to aid in the fight against climate change. A similar project was done by the company VOW, where they created a mammoth meatball using extinct animal DNA (Carrington). 

Another example is the attempt to bring back the passenger pigeon, a species that was once abundant in North America but went extinct in the early 20th century due to overhunting and habitat destruction. Scientists are using genetic material from preserved specimens to attempt to recreate the species by editing the genome of the band-tailed pigeon, a close relative of the passenger pigeon (Novak). 

Figure 1: A depiction of the woolly mammoth

Source: www.NPR.org

Conclusion

De-extinction is a promising new field that may see success in the upcoming years due to biotechnological breakthroughs. Different scientific methods have been proposed for de-extinction and it is only a matter of time before one succeeds. As new projects arise for bringing back extinct animals, the ethics of these experiments may need to be called into question. In my next blog post, I will cover more on the future of de-extinction, including new technology like AI and ethical dilemmas. Stay tuned! 

Citation:

Brian, Thomas. “Extinct Ibex Clone Dies at Birth.” ICR, https://www.icr.org/article/extinct-ibex-clone-dies-at-birth/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024

Carrington, D., & editor, D. C. E. (2023, March 28). Meatball from long-extinct mammoth created by food firm. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/28/meatball-mammoth-created-cultivated-meat-firm. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024

Martinelli, L., Oksanen, M., & Siipi, H. (2014). De-extinction: a novel and remarkable case of bio-objectification. Croatian Medical Journal, 55(4), 423–427. https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2014.55.423. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024

Neuman, S. (2021, September 15). Scientists say they could bring back woolly mammoths. But maybe they shouldn’t. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2021/09/14/1036884561/dna-resurrection-jurassic-park-woolly-mammoth. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024

Novak, B. J. (2018). De-extinction. Genes, 9(11), 548. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes9110548. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024

Schlebusch, C. M. (2022). Genomics: Testing the limits of de-extinction. Current Biology, 32(7), R324–R327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.03.023. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024

About the Author

My name is Zhihan Shi and I’m a senior at Innovation Academy. I’m interested in biotechnology and I’ve been learning about it through classes at my school. Inside of biotechnology, I’m interested in microbiology and molecular biology. 

Zhihan Shi | He/Him

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhihan-shi-01aa85271/

zhihankshi@gmail.com

The Impacts of AI on Cybersecurity

 The Impacts of AI on Cybersecurity

Abraam Ibrahim, 2024 Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Intern

Introduction

In 2024, an estimated 77% of businesses were either using or were exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in their business processes (National University, 2024). The light-speed pace of AI development and adoption has massive implications across all industries and sectors. Finance experts using AI to assist in trading, doctors using AI for ultrasound measurement, and factory owners employing AI to create smart factories are just a few examples. The ever-advancing field of cybersecurity, already well-known for its rapid acceleration, is among the most impacted by this AI revolution. 

This article explores the anticipated impacts that the rise of AI could have on cybersecurity, and how AI's ability to enhance authentication, automate tasks, and improve threat detection and response is revolutionizing the field while simultaneously introducing new challenges and threats.

The Power of AI in Cybersecurity

AI can streamline and automate a wide variety of security tasks. Authentication, incident response, threat detection, intelligence, and other tasks can be significantly improved or even replaced with AI assistance. By leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning (DL) capabilities, security experts can make cyber operations more effective and efficient. Similarly, AI integration into security solutions will enhance the overall security posture of organizations by enabling faster and more informed response and defense measures, ultimately reducing the time to detect and mitigate threats.⁤ 

AI in Authentication

Authentication, the process of validating users, has always been an indispensable guard against security breaches. As the thinking goes, if malicious parties can be prevented from ever gaining access to a target (database, account, server, etc), then all damage can be mitigated preemptively. Accordingly, cyber professionals have created increasingly secure login methods to enhance security and user convenience (biometric, MFA), which have now become the industry norm. 

With the advent of AI-enabled machine learning algorithms, security professionals are now employing user behavior analytics (UBA) to detect unusual activity during a sign-in attempt. An algorithm can take various inputs, such as the typing speed, cursor movement, touch input, and biometric data (voice, fingerprints) to determine the validity of an individual request and authenticate legitimate while flagging and reporting suspicious sign-in attempts.

Cybersecurity Automation

AI’s ability to tirelessly sift through massive amounts of data has profound implications for the industry. AI will enable professionals to focus their time on the most important areas while providing cost-saving benefits due to increased efficiency.

Pause before Graduate School?

I went to graduate school right after college, and I regret it. I wish I had waited and joined the workforce first.

Story by insider@insider.com (Rashi Goel)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careersandeducation/i-went-to-graduate-school-right-after-college-and-i-regret-it-i-wish-i-had-waited-and-joined-the-workforce-first/ar-BB1qOgYs

• Right after I graduated from college, I went straight into grad school.
• I wish I had waited to go to grad school and instead followed my other interests.
• I want young people to know that they don't have to rush into getting their master's degree.

The final exams for my bachelor's degree took place in March 2005, and by June, I was enrolled in my master's program.  

The two-month break didn't feel like one, as it was a whirlwind of applications and entrance exams. I would have loved to travel, write, and contemplate my future career path, but instead, I plunged straight into further studies. After pursuing a bachelor's in business administration with a major in marketing, I felt compelled to continue studying marketing, resisting exploring other options.

I should have known an MBA was not the right choice. Reflecting on my childhood and teenage years, I realized that my academic pursuits overshadowed my growing interest in nature and the outdoors. I was passionate about environmental systems, tree-planting drives, camping, and painting nature scenes. This inclination starkly contrasted with the desk job awaiting me in the corporate world.

Had I taken some time off after college — a gap year perhaps — I would have prioritized travel, indulged in creative writing, and done an internship. Those experiences would have better prepared me for life beyond the university bubble. My MBA

High School Internships and Senior Experience Externships this summer

The work-based learning staff at Virginia Tech's Thinkabit Labs in the Washington, D.C. Area is welcoming students from nearby schools in Alexandria, Arlington, DC Public Schools, Fairfax, Falls Church, Loudoun, Manassas, Manassas Park, Prince George's County (MD), and Prince William County.  

We welcome students interested in any career path, but we are particularly oriented to support internships in Computer Science, Engineering (any), Environmental Science, Health and Medical Science, Natural Resources, Physical Computing, Public Policy / Government, and Social Sciences. 

While in-person and hybrid internships are encouraged, virtual internships may be limited due to the burdens of remote internships on staff. All internships should be 280 hours or more to meet the requirements of a high-quality work-based learning experience as defined by VDOE.  We strongly encourage in-person participation Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Senior Experience externships (40 hours) in May and June are available for any high school senior.

Send a message expressing your interest to Thinkabit@VT.edu.  

Register today - Invent Virginia / Invent DC regional event - April 13, 12 noon to 3pm

 Last-minute registration is possible, but please try to register online in advance to minimize delays when you arrive.

The form will require only a few minutes.  Those under 13 will require a parent to complete the form.

https://forms.gle/ojA1cyxNB8Pvchv79   

If you're unsure about a past registration, it won't hurt to register again.

Invent Virginia Regional Expo - April 13, 12pm - 3pm

Virginia Tech launches Invent Virginia and Invention D.C. K-12 Expos and Competitions Educators and advocates for STEM education and Entrepreneurship can begin spreading the word about upcoming opportunities for young inventors and innovators to showcase their ideas.

Virginia Tech is sponsored by RTX and Amazon in the Community to promote invention and innovation demonstrating the importance of design processes and communication skills. Invent Virginia provides curricula, support for local, regional, and state Expos and competitions: 

• April 13 Northern Virginia and DC Regional Expo;
• April 20 Coastal Virginia Expo in Norfolk; and 
• April 21 virtual Statewide competition. 

The statewide event will nominate up to seven for the national Invention Convention Worldwide at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan in early June (5-7). Projects completed through Technology and Engineering courses, TSA, PLTW, Science and Engineering Fairs, Odyssey of the 

Drone Soccer Competition - Saturday, March 16, 930am, Long Bridge Park

 

Research Intern Blog Post: The Risks of AI in the Workplace - Divine Doamekpor

 VT THINK-A-BIT LAB

The Risks of AI in the Workplace:

What causes the most concern with AI?

Divine Doamekpor, Thinkabit Lab Research Intern

Source: Primer.ai

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a vital part of modern society, offering numerous benefits in multiple fields (e.g., efficiencies, information aggregation, supporting research). However, the rapid advancement and widespread adoption of AI technologies also raise significant concerns regarding their potential risks. This report explores such concerns commonly discussed in the media, including the overreliance on AI, inherent biases in AI systems, and the impact on employment leading to job layoffs.

Over-Reliance on AI:

One of the primary concerns associated with AI is the growing dependence on these systems across diverse fields such as healthcare, finance, education, and criminal justice, where AI is increasingly relied upon to make critical decisions. This reliance is emphasized by examples like the fictional example court case, State v. Alex Turner, where I asked an AI to create a court case and a way to prove innocence, and Michael Cohen's submission of AI-generated fake legal cases to a court. These examples reveal a concerning trend: the readiness to accept AI-generated content without question, underscoring the risk of diminishing human diligence and oversight. As AI tools become more sophisticated and capable of creating convincingly possible accounts of incidents or disputes, society faces ethical and legal challenges. This reliance raises concerns about the diminishing level of human effort and the potential for AI to replace critical thinking and accountability but also reveals our vulnerability in forgoing human verification and ethical responsibility in decision-making processes.

Bias in AI Systems:

AI systems are not immune to biases; they can inadvertently perpetuate and amplify existing societal biases. The data used to train these models often reflect unintentional and/or hidden historical disparities, resulting in biased predictions and decisions. This bias can appear in various forms, such as gender, racial, or socioeconomic bias. For example, an AI system used for hiring might prioritize male candidates over female ones due to the historical data AI was trained on, which may have included more men in specific job roles. According to the Synergia Foundation, “In 2015, Amazon realized that their algorithm used for hiring employees was found to be biased against women.” 

Similarly, AI used in criminal sentencing could impose harsher sentences on minority groups if the training data mirrors past judicial biases. The COMPAS (Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions) algorithm, which judges use to determine whether to hold prisoners in custody or release them on pending trial, was found to be biased against African Americans, according to a ProPublica analysis.

The consequences of biased AI can profoundly affect individuals' lives in hiring processes, criminal sentencing, and access to essential services, underscoring the importance of addressing and mitigating bias in AI algorithms to ensure fair and equitable outcomes.

Impact on Employment and Job Layoffs:

Integrating AI technologies in the workforce has undoubtedly increased efficiency and productivity. However, this integration comes with significant implications for human employment. Automation and AI-driven systems can potentially replace specific job roles, leading to job layoffs and economic disruption. Industries such as manufacturing, customer service, and transportation are already witnessing the transformative impact of AI, which raises concerns about the displacement of human workers. In this context, the need for reskilling and upskilling programs becomes paramount to mitigate the negative consequences on the labor market. Echoing the sentiment expressed by Richard Baldwin during a panel at the 2023 World Economic Forum's Growth Summit, "AI won't take your job," it is indeed "somebody using AI that will take your job." This highlights the importance of adapting to the evolving job landscape by prioritizing specific AI-related skills in reskilling and upskilling programs.

Source: brookings.edu

Conclusion:

Recognizing and addressing the associated risks of AI, especially in the workplace, is crucial to ensure a future where technology serves humanity responsibly and offers transformative advancements. The rapid integration of AI in various industries poses significant challenges, including job displacement, privacy concerns, increased bias, automated bias, and the amplification of biases. By focusing on these risks, we can strive for a balance between innovation and ethical considerations, aiming to harness AI's benefits while protecting workers from potential harm. This requires the implementation of robust ethical guidelines, the development of AI technologies that complement human skills rather than replace them, and the creation of policies that support individuals affected by automation. Fostering a workplace culture that values human oversight and ethical AI use can mitigate risks and ensure that AI is a tool for enhancing, rather than undermining, the workforce's integrity and well-being. Through these measures, we can navigate the challenges posed by AI in the workplace, ensuring that technological progress benefits all members of society.

Please share comments below.

Using micro:bits for Invention and Innovation – Washington D.C. event for teachers

April 10, 2024 in Washington, D.C.!

EXPLR, the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, Invention D.C., Kid Museum, and the Virginia Tech D.C. Area STEM Education and Workforce Programs are welcoming a limited number of Washington, D.C. area teachers to an April 10 workshop on
Using micro:bits for Invention and Innovation.

Meet Kari Byron from Mythbusters/ Crash Test girl.  

Participants will engage with other educators in learning, using, and experimenting with micro:bit microcontrollers and strategies for teaching and learning physical computing and related concepts in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary learning environments.

This event is hosted as part of US STEM Festival. Location in downtown, Washington, D.C. to be shared with confirmed participants upon registration.

Contact us at 571-482-8298 or InventVirginiaDC@gmail.com

A registration request form can be accessed at https://forms.gle/3qorX6ZahNP9dTG29


Due to limited capacity, submitting this form does not guarantee an opportunity to participate in the workshop; you will receive a confirmation email following the event.

CTE and the Workforce - STEMconnector

 Register today!

Wednesday, February 28th, 1-2 PM EST

Engaging students in educational experiences that align with workforce needs has a long history in the United States dating back well over a century. Today, Career and Technical Education (CTE) constitutes the primary system that enables learners to connect with career opportunities and industry partners. 

CTE programs can support nearly every sector of the labor force. In celebration of CTE Month - February - STEMconnector will host a virtual discussion with Advance CTE, Val Verde Unified School District, and ISTE on how CTE is supporting their workforce development initiatives and how CTE is driving STEM education outcomes. 

The event will include Q&A, allowing participants to engage with the speakers.

Technovation Girls [ Virginia Tech Northern Virginia Center - February 24

 

As Technovation Girls develops its alliance with TAIFA to upskill girls and women in AI, coding, and entrepreneurship, Virginia Tech Engineering is hosting the Technovation Girls Mid-Year Journey on February 24 on the Northern Virginia Center's 1st Floor Thinkabit Lab and surrounding rooms.  

A big focus of the Saturday event is helping young inventors and entrepreneurs to develop their engineering and presentation skills to participate in upcoming expos and showcases.

Learn more by contacting HanhLinh Ho at InventVirginia@gmail.com.