A Handy Glossary of Terms
Argonaut
A teacher or student selected to join the JASON Expedition. Student Argonauts (or Argos for short) work with Host Researchers live on camera for science broadcast segments. Teacher Argos provide chaperone and oversight support of the Student Argos' day-to-day activities.
Barro Colorado Island (BCI)
Located in the center of the Panama Canal, Barro Colorado Island was once a large hill. After the canal was flooded, the hill became an island. BCI is xx square acres and is currently a protected national wildlife reserve. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Center (STRI) runs a research station on BCI, where the JASON Expedition will stage its live broadcast. If you would like to see a map of BCI, here is one of the island plus the surrounding area, and here is one of the island itself.
Broadcast
This is the reason we are down in Panama. We will be providing five one hour-long programs via satellite. These broadcasts will be viewed by students in large auditoriums at their local PINS location. The programs will feature a plethora of live segments with student argos working with scientists in the field on BCI.
JASON
The JASON Foundation for Education is the company I work for. They provide real-science based curriculum for kids in grades 5-8. Every year we focus our curriculum and topic on a different region of the world. JASON XV will be looking at the rainforests of Panama this year. My position is on the content team, working to put cool interesting content on the web site. In Panama I will be helping get all the interesting stories and perspectives out on the web. I will also be in charge of setting up the network connectivity for everyone there. For more info on JASON, go to our home page.
National Geographic Channel
The National Geographic Channel will be airing a pre-taped broadcast on Friday, January 30 and Friday, February 6, both at 1pm. If you get the NGC on cable or DirectTV, I encourage you to watch.
Panama
You know where it is, but here is a pretty map for you to look at. Basically, BCI is located in the middle of the lake you see just northwest of Gamboa along the Panama Canal.
PINS
No one is really even sure what PINS stands for but these are JASON's regional partners, almost like franchises, who resell the JASON curriculum and experience to schools in their area. They also receive the satellite broadcast and bring in all their students and schools to watch it. These PINS tend to be science institutions, museums, aquariums, and univeristies.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI)
STRI is the Smithsonian's rainforest research institute, located throughout various regions of Panama. For the purposes of this journal, STRI will refer to the research station on BCI. This station consists of research labs, support buildings, and housing for resident scientists. This is where I will be staying throughout the Expedition. If you would like to learn more about STRI, go to their home page.
Team JASON Online (TJO)
This is our "gated" web site that only JASON users have access to. It is a diverse content-filled area that is my main focus at JASON. You won't be able to see it, but that's where all the argo journals and features will be going.
Time Zone
Panama is in the same time zone as the East Coast of the US. It's pretty much due south of Florida.
Webcast
If you want to watch a live webcast of the broadcast, go visit our partner EDS. They have a web page. They will be streaming one live program per day.
A teacher or student selected to join the JASON Expedition. Student Argonauts (or Argos for short) work with Host Researchers live on camera for science broadcast segments. Teacher Argos provide chaperone and oversight support of the Student Argos' day-to-day activities.
Barro Colorado Island (BCI)
Located in the center of the Panama Canal, Barro Colorado Island was once a large hill. After the canal was flooded, the hill became an island. BCI is xx square acres and is currently a protected national wildlife reserve. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Center (STRI) runs a research station on BCI, where the JASON Expedition will stage its live broadcast. If you would like to see a map of BCI, here is one of the island plus the surrounding area, and here is one of the island itself.
Broadcast
This is the reason we are down in Panama. We will be providing five one hour-long programs via satellite. These broadcasts will be viewed by students in large auditoriums at their local PINS location. The programs will feature a plethora of live segments with student argos working with scientists in the field on BCI.
JASON
The JASON Foundation for Education is the company I work for. They provide real-science based curriculum for kids in grades 5-8. Every year we focus our curriculum and topic on a different region of the world. JASON XV will be looking at the rainforests of Panama this year. My position is on the content team, working to put cool interesting content on the web site. In Panama I will be helping get all the interesting stories and perspectives out on the web. I will also be in charge of setting up the network connectivity for everyone there. For more info on JASON, go to our home page.
National Geographic Channel
The National Geographic Channel will be airing a pre-taped broadcast on Friday, January 30 and Friday, February 6, both at 1pm. If you get the NGC on cable or DirectTV, I encourage you to watch.
Panama
You know where it is, but here is a pretty map for you to look at. Basically, BCI is located in the middle of the lake you see just northwest of Gamboa along the Panama Canal.
PINS
No one is really even sure what PINS stands for but these are JASON's regional partners, almost like franchises, who resell the JASON curriculum and experience to schools in their area. They also receive the satellite broadcast and bring in all their students and schools to watch it. These PINS tend to be science institutions, museums, aquariums, and univeristies.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI)
STRI is the Smithsonian's rainforest research institute, located throughout various regions of Panama. For the purposes of this journal, STRI will refer to the research station on BCI. This station consists of research labs, support buildings, and housing for resident scientists. This is where I will be staying throughout the Expedition. If you would like to learn more about STRI, go to their home page.
Team JASON Online (TJO)
This is our "gated" web site that only JASON users have access to. It is a diverse content-filled area that is my main focus at JASON. You won't be able to see it, but that's where all the argo journals and features will be going.
Time Zone
Panama is in the same time zone as the East Coast of the US. It's pretty much due south of Florida.
Webcast
If you want to watch a live webcast of the broadcast, go visit our partner EDS. They have a web page. They will be streaming one live program per day.