Research and Education
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/
The National Institute for Conservation works to preserve a wide range of objects related to history, and they frequently create partnerships with conservators, museums, and civic groups who share their passion for preserving the past. On their site, visitors can learn about their current programs, which include the Heritage Emergency National Task Force and the Conservation Assessment Program. Dedicated preservationists and archivists will want to click on over to the "Heritage Health Index" section. Here they will find a summary and complete report from 2005 on the state of America's collections which includes four primary recommendations for future conservation efforts. Another campaign that visitors will want to read about is their "Rescue Public Murals!" initiative. The initiative is designed to identify murals that are in danger of being destroyed or which are already in steep decline. Visitors can look at their list of highly endangered murals and also check up on some recent preservation success stories. [KMG]
http://linear.ups.edu/opentexts.html
A number of online textbooks have been created in the past several years, and this course in linear algebra is a nice addition to the existing repertoire of such educational materials. Professor Rob Beezer of the University of Puget Sound created this introductory textbook, and he still maintains the site and provides updates periodically. The material covered in the textbook includes systems of linear equations, matrix algebra, and Jordan canonical form. Visitors can download copies of the textbook in the pdf format, or they can just read through the text online. The entire text is provided at no cost, and visitors are welcome to make modifications and then distribute their own modified version. [KMG]
http://www.academicintegrity.org/
Academic integrity at all levels of education has come under increased scrutiny, and a number of organizations and institutions are dedicated to providing high-quality information and public outreach programs about this topic. One such organization is The Center for Academic Integrity, which is affiliated with the Robert J. Rutland Institute for Ethics at Clemson University. While some resources on the site are only available to dues-paying members of the Center, a number of helpful resources are available at no charge to the general community. Some of these resources can be found in the "Educational Resources" section, and they include articles on academic integrity, online ethics tutorials, and information about conducting faculty workshops. This area also includes a model code of academic integrity that might serve as a template for those looking for a place to start. [KMG]
http://www.potato2008.org/en/index.html
The potato has been around for some 8000 years, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has created this site to promote 2008 as the International Year of the Potato. The intent of the site is to promote the role of the potato as a way to alleviate world hunger and to help achieve a number of internationally agreed upon development objectives, including the Millennium Development Goals. On the right-side of the homepage, visitors can read fact sheets on the potato, learn about world potato production, and even view a photo gallery of potatoes from around the world. Along the top of the site, visitors will find the "Potato World" section. Here they can learn about world potato production over the past two decades via a set of statistics and a nice map. Clicking on each region of the world will reveal even more detailed country-level statistics, including acres in potato production and consumption rates. The site even has information about a world potato photography contest, and most of the information on the site is available in Russian, English, French, Spanish, and Chinese. [KMG]
http://mathgateway.maa.org/do/Home
Created through a partnership with the National Science Digital Library (NSDL), the Math Gateway was developed by the Mathematical Association of America. The site provides a veritable cornucopia of information for educators and those who are curious about anything from algebra to the history of mathematics. Visitors can start their exploration through the site by using the search engine at the top-left hand corner, or they look at the "Content Highlights" displayed prominently here. Some of these highlights include tips for writing an interactive mathematics text, using statistical samples from a real estate database, and so on. The site also encourages visitors to register for membership, which will allow them to create their own personalized library of resources. Rounding out the site is a selection of tips for searching the materials here and a fun "This Day in Mathematics" feature. [KMG]
http://www.who.int/entity/pmnch/Countdownto2015FINALREPORT-apr7.pdf
The World Health Organization (WHO) performs a great deal of research related to maternal and newborn health and survival, and this recent report represents some of their latest work in this area. Working together with a wide range of partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Bank, the WHO released this 111-page report in April 2008. The report is based on data drawn from national surveys and global databases, and it measures coverage of basic health services proven to reduce maternal and child mortality. It also effectively assesses the strength of health systems, the status of policies related to maternal, newborn and child health and how equitably health services are distributed. Interested parties who might not have time to read the entire document can instead just read the brief summary, which provides an overview of the main findings. [KMG]
This very interactive and visually stimulating exploration of Polish heritage was created through a unique partnership between The National Library of Poland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Cultural and National Heritage. Entering the site, visitors will hear a dramatic musical score and a series of sections that allow them to look through the French, Lithuanian, Italian, and German influences on Polish culture throughout the centuries. In the "French Connection" area, visitors will travel across an illuminated manuscript to an area that includes a video clip describing the early relationship between French culture and what would later become Poland. This section also includes a brief essay on this relationship and a selection of digitized documents which includes the Wilanow Psalter from the 13th century and the Parisian Calendar from the 14th century. The other cultural sections adhere to this general layout, and overall this site serves as a model for other institutions hoping to create like-minded digital exhibits and collections. [KMG]
