Three minute talks about STROBE thesis projects, part one.

This hands-on workshop will give students a great taste of modern scientific computing in Python using the Jupyter Notebook environment. Jupyter notebooks are executable documents that interleave narrative (rich text, math equations, figures, links) with code. The notebook workflow ties together high-level descriptions of hte analysis, code and results in a single document that is easy to share or re-run. Even beginners can read and re-run analyses modifying parameters and exploring the effect on teh results, either on the cloud or on personal computers. Int his workshop, we will interacively explore a single-molecule fluorescence microscopy video, performing tasks such as background subtraction, denoising, region of interest extraction, segmentation and analysis of blinking time-trajectories (on-off trajectories) of individual emitters. We will use numpy, scipy, matplotlib, pandas and more. Some basic experience with Python is preferred. The analysis will be performed on a cloud service accessed with own laptop (browser-only, no installation required).

Here is a link to workshop materials: Workshop Materials

Owing to their lack of long-range order, measuring local structural variation in amorphous materials is challenging. Electron microscopy is uniquely able to characterize ordering and symmetry in disordered materials at the 2-5 nm length scale, enabling new insight into this class of materials.

Dr. Claire Hansell provides an overview of publishing in chemistry and materials science from her perspective as an editor at Nature. The time between manuscript submission and the binary outcomes of acceptance or rejection can often seem like a black box of intrigue, witchcraft, denial, confusion and much more. However, that is not the intended external face of peer review, and editors make judgements on what is best for any given manuscript every day based on just a few rational principles. Claire Hansell is a senior editor at Nature, previously at Nature Chemistry, and her talk will (hopefully) enlighten as to what goes on at an editor’s desk, with a specic focus on what editors at Nature are looking for in submissions.

Dr. John Spear provides an overview of Modern Electron Microscopy: Atomic Imaging. There have been numerous recent advancements on the Titan platform TEM for high resolution imaging in both Materials Science applications and also cryo-EM for protein structure determination. Not only have there been improvements in the technology itself but also in the degree of automation in these instruments lowering the expertise needed for acquiring high quality datasets.

Dr. Ralph Jimenez provides an overview of Live Cell Fluorescence Imaging. Fluorescence imaging is a widely used method for resolving molecular events in cells and tissues. The development of genetically-encoded fluorophores and a detailed understanding of their photophysics is critical for quantitative bioimaging. Dr. Jimenez provides an overview of the properties of fluorescent proteins and biosensors and describes some of his research to quantify and improve the performance of these imporatnt biological probes. Dr. Jimenez also describes a new research direction aiming to dramatically enhance bioimaging by employing quantum optics techniques.

Dr. Dan Moorer provides an introduction to leadership and project management as a preview of courses offered in the Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Program and the University of Colorado Boulder. Leadership and project management skills are essential for a successful career in STEM across academia, industry, and government, yet many STEM trainees often overlook opportunities to build fundamental professional skills that will propel their success in their future careers. Dr. Moorer outlines the importance of leadership and project management, highlights their use in STEM careers, and shares information on formal training to improve these skills.