Notes from the Electronic Cottage 9/30/15

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Guess what? Now we can all sing Happy Birthday in public without worrying about getting sued for copyright infringement, machines can learn on their own to lick humans at Pong and other classic video games, a robot can beat all humans at Rock Paper Scissors, and, as the Wall Street Journal put it “Facebook ‘Likes” Mean a Computer Knows You Better Than Your Mother.” Listen up.

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WERU Special: Social Justice Ally Building 9/29/15

Producer/Host: Anita Arnold
Engineer: Amy Browne

Program Topic: White Ally Movement in Maine

Key Discussion Points
a) Ally Training and connection to Wabanaki Reach Training
b) Qualities of Allies
c) White privilege connection to racial justice
d) Maine’s Ally Movement

Guests:
Barbara Kates, Community Organizer/Ally Trainer for Maine Wabanaki Reach
David Smith, Member of White Ally Group in Belfast, Maine

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Coastal Conversations 9/25/15

Producer/Host: Natalie Springuel
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Maine coastal and ocean issues

Program Topic: Phenology and Citizen Science

Key Discussion Points:
How can phenology (the tracking of seasonal changes within plants and animals in our communities) help inform climate change research?
What are the impacts of global climate change on our backyard plant and animals?
What are some of the indicator species that volunteers are tracking and why?
How can Maine citizens become involved in phenology projects like Signs of the Seasons, the Loon Count, and others?

Guests:
Hannah Weber, Research and Education Projects Manager, Schoodic Institute
Abe Miller-Rushing, Science Coordinator, Acadia National Park
Esperanza Stancioff, Associate Extension Professor, UMaine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant
Susan Gallo, Wildlife Biologist, Maine Audubon

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