Frontiers of Science Field Experiment

Partner(s): Don Melnick & James Danoff-Burg Columbia College Access: Columbia only Released: October 2004

CCNMTL collaborated with the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC) to create a PDA-based field experiment activity in NYC parks for the Fall 2004 Frontiers of Science course. 550 students participated in the experiment using Pocket PC's running Fieldworker (http://www.fieldworker.com) software. Working in groups, students were assigned to identify and collect plant and ant species for biodiversity analysis in designated park locations throughout Manhattan. Student data was automatically compiled into a database for quick distribution and analysis at the end of the study. The results of the study were written up by CERC and shared with local agencies including the NYC Parks Commission, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and International Wildlife Trust.

Related categories: Field-Laboratory | Sciences