The Scout Report -- Volume 26, Number 29

Established in 2008, HathiTrust is a collaboration between multiple research and academic libraries dedicated to preserving millions of digital records and items. Their Islamic Manuscripts collection digitized materials hosted at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and features more than 1,000 manuscripts (mostly in Arabic). Manuscripts are accompanied by record information, including the author and date of publication. Clicking on "Catalog Record" or "Full View" allows users to open additional information for each text and study the complete digitized copy. Users can browse through more than 50 pages of record summaries or use the search bar at the top of the page to narrow down selections. Filters at the top of the page also invite users to sort the collection alphabetically or by date. Readers who enjoy this resource will be happy to know that this extensive collection is one of many offered by HathiTrust. A complete list of their more than two dozen featured collections can be found via the Collections tab. These collections are a vital part of HathiTrust's goal of "contribut[ing] to research, scholarship, and the common good by collaboratively collecting, organizing, preserving, communicating, and sharing the record of human knowledge." [EMB]

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At first glance, Global Commodities will stand out for two reasons: its impressive visuals and interactive data browsing. This project from the financial news center DailyFX provides "a re-imagined 3D globe where the heights of countries rise and fall to show the import and export levels of a range of commodities over the last decade," (through 2018). Global Commodities uses "macroeconomic statistics" from multiple countries and multiple indicators (for example, GDP and the Consumer Price Index) to create a visually appealing index of global trade. Using their mouse and keyboard, visitors are invited to circle the globe, learning about leading importers and exporters of commodities like gold, copper, and natural gas. For step-by-step instructions on navigating the database, head to the How it Works section (found by opening the menu next to the search icon). While the project only analyzes data up to 2018, viewers looking for timely economic data can browse the rest of DailyFX's site for a plethora of information and news on market data. [EMB]

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On a mission to showcase that creativity is inherent to the STEM field, Colors of Nature uses art-based activities to explore "the intersection of Art and Science." While some of the project's work involved in-person outreach through "public science cafes," readers can still enjoy the online offerings. On the Educator Resources page, visitors can download four different resource kits: "Science and Art Core Practices," "Chemistry and Art," "Biology and Art," and "Optics and Art." Each kit uses STEAM principles to demonstrate connections between the worlds of art and science and comes with guiding questions and activities for educators. For example, Kit 1 introduces students to Suminagashi, "a traditional Japanese marbling technique," and uses it to explore the importance of observation, experimentation, and persevering through mistakes. The project is a collaboration between the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Tucson, Arizona, and the University of Washington Bothell, with support from the National Science Foundation. [EMB]

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Literature lovers may enjoy Open Editions, a site providing "open-source electronic scholarly editions of public domain literature." Guided by the "principles of the Free and Open Source Software movement," the platform is dedicated to accessibility and accuracy. Not only does Open Editions make texts freely available to readers, but the site also "aim[s] to aggregate the literary knowledge that surrounds a text, codify that knowledge, and integrate it into the text." The work of Open Editions is a community effort and, as the site notes, "anyone can contribute ... and help improve the texts in it. No prior experience with programming is necessary." Those looking to participate should explore the Contribute page, which provides instructions for both beginners and advanced users. On the Texts page, readers can explore several classics from Irish novelist James Joyce such as A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulysses. All of the site's content is accessible through a Creative Commons license. [EMB]

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Using "snail mail" to inspire young scientists, Letters to a Pre-Scientist is a pen pal program ensuring all students can visualize themselves in a STEM career. The program seeks to"demystify STEM career pathways," by "pair[ing] fifth to tenth grade student 'pre-scientists' in US low-income communities with STEM professional volunteers during science class," including mentors who "who [do] not fit their stereotypical image of what a scientist looks like or does at work." Since its launch in 2010, the program has expanded into a nonprofit organization with a presence in six states. At the link above, scientists and teachers can learn more about the program, what each of their roles would be, and apply to participate (per their Twitter account, the 2020 program will launch soon). Teachers who are not enrolled in the program can still find classroom resources on the site. For example, the Picture a Scientist initiative invites scientists to submit a picture and letter about their career, and teachers are provided a lesson plan to accompany these prompts. The website also has a Blog that highlights many scientists and their various career paths, as well as offering additional insights on the program. Letters to a Pre-Scientist was co-founded by Anna Goldstein and Macon Lowman (both of whom are passionate about science and community) and receives financial support from individuals, in-kind donations, and institutions. More information about the staff, board members, and sponsors is available under the About drop-down menu. [EMB]

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Black History Buff Podcast is "more than just a podcast, the show is a bridge that links communities throughout the African diaspora and enlightens and empowers its friends." Host King Kurus launched the show in 2018 and credits his son as his inspiration. Episodes range in time and theme, from short clips about Black activists and scholars to slightly-longer shows sharing African history and proverbs. The common denominator between these episodes is a commitment to making accounts of Black history accessible and accurate. Listeners can tune in on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, YouTube, and at the link above. The site also features The Black History Buff Blog. Though it has not been updated since 2019, it contains dozens of posts highlighting important people and events, including Wangari Maathai (a Nobel Peace Prize-winning environmentalist) and Vicente Ramon Guerrero Saldana (Mexico's first Black and Indigenous president). The podcast and prose serve a collective mission: reminding visitors that "Black history is world history." [EMB]

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Readers looking to study the "the ideology of race and cultural diversity in America's past and present" may enjoy this free course, Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History, taught by James D. Anderson (Dean and Professor at the University of Illinois College of Education). The content challenges students to "deepen their understanding and appreciation of ways in which race, ethnicity and cultural diversity have shaped American institutions, ideology, law, and social relationships from the colonial era to the present." Not only does this course cover crucial topics, but it is designed for the learner's convenience. For example, the curriculum is divided across four units (meant to spread across four weeks and totaling about 12 hours). Plus, students are welcome to enroll at any time, joining more than 29,000 others who have taken or are currently taking the course. Each unit includes some brief lecture-style videos, readings, and assignments (peer-review writing or quizzes). The course is taught in English with English, Spanish, and Romanian subtitles available. Readers can enroll by making a free Coursera account. [EMB]

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The Leaky Tech Pipeline highlights many of the racial and gender inequalities in technical education and the technical workforce. The site aims "to increase understanding of the causes of disparities in the technology ecosystem, raise awareness about effective strategies and stages for intervention, and drive the development and implementation of comprehensive solutions." Categories at the top of the site invite users to explore data for K-12 Education, Higher Education, the Tech Workforce, and Entrepreneurs. This data reveals racial disparities across the board. For example, 2016 data show that 58 percent of graduate-level computer science enrollees were white, while only 15 percent were Asian, 9 percent were Black, 7 percent were Latinx, and less than 1 percent were Native American. Similarly, 2020 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics demonstrate that two-thirds of the tech workforce is white. Multiple barriers contribute to these disparities, including inequitable access to STEM classes in early education and underrepresentation in mentorship roles. In addition to educating audiences about disparities, the site offers curated resource lists for each category, as well as highlighting a variety of programs and initiatives working to increase diversity in technical fields. The Leaky Tech Pipeline is a project of the Kapor Center, an organization dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusivity in STEM. [EMB]

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Recognizing that "talking about race, although hard, is necessary," this resource from the National Museum of African American History and Culture aims to provide individuals, educators, and caregivers with tools to have productive and conscious conversations. These resources were created in response to the Museum's most frequent question: "How [do I] talk about race[?]" Readers may want to begin by asking themselves the "personal reflection" questions on the program's home page. From there, resources can be explored by topic (e.g. "Historical Foundations of Race" and "Social Identities and Systems of Oppression") or by audience (e.g. parent or teacher). Each of these categories contain a variety of videos, reading materials, discussion questions, and action items. Readers can also sift through the full list of more than 100 materials on the Resources page. This page has a variety of filters to narrow by type, topic, and more. Talking About Race receives financial support from The Atlantic Philanthropies. [EMB]

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Founded in 1998, Project Implicit is a collaboration between scientists at three universities (Harvard University, University of Washington, and University of Virginia) focused on "implicit social cognition." Defined as "thoughts and feelings outside of conscious awareness and control," implicit social cognition is a powerful psychological process that helps us evaluate and address our biases. Understanding our implicit biases is critical to deconstructing stereotypes we hold. Project Implicit's Implicit Association Tests help readers accomplish this. These tests help users assess biases across many topics, including gender, age, and ability. The group also created a "Race Task" Implicit Association Test. The test takes about 10 minutes to finish. It features some preliminary questions about your "beliefs, attitudes, and opinions," and a seven-part test that asks users about images and associations. The results help individuals better understand how their implicit biases affect how they perceive the world. The data has informed several significant studies and research papers. Readers can learn more about this on the Blog page. For additional information on the testing design, check out the Education page. [EMB]

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Readers may remember BlackPast from the 06-23-2017 Scout Report. In addition to the site's Primary Documents section highlighted here (which covers key moments in African American history), the site has a wealth of tools and resources on topics such as genealogy, race, and Civil Rights.

Since 2007, BlackPast.org has been dedicated to providing resources to educators and members of the general public about Black history. One noteworthy component of BlackPast.org is this extensive collection of primary documents. This collection, which features documents spanning from 1724 to 2009, provides an invaluable resource for history instructors and students. Among the dozens of documents included here are the deleted portions of the Declaration of Independence, in which Thomas Jefferson condemned slavery; the 1849 Roberts v. Boston ruling (which rejected Benjamin Roberts's challenge to racial segregation in Boston schools); and Zora Neale Hurston's 1955 criticism of Brown v. Board of Education. The majority of these documents are related to court cases so that civics teachers as well as history teachers will find plenty of resources of interest.

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