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Associate Professor of Mathematics Lauren Rose was invited to give a workshop as part of SIGMAA Inquiry-Based Learning’s Workshop Series. Rose showed that one way to develop and explore active learning strategies is through the use of puzzles and games, which can be used to introduce and explore mathematical concepts related to the course material, or as a way to invite exploration. The benefits include fostering mathematical habits of mind, creating inclusive collaborative environments, leveling the playing field, and creating a non-judgmental space for all students to thrive. Rose embraces the fun of teaching and learning mathematics. She modelled ways that educators, no matter their familiarity with these games, can incorporate Rubik’s cubes, EvenQuads, Dominos, and Julia Robinson Math Festival puzzles into meaningful classroom activities. 
 

Clara Sousa-Silva, assistant professor of physics at Bard College, delivered the presentation “Alien Life, and How to Find It” for the D&H Canal Historical Society in High Falls, New York. Sousa-Silva’s research looks for signs of life elsewhere in the universe using astronomical tools to detect faint signals emitted by potential alien biospheres. In her presentation, she discusses how molecules interact with light so that they can be detected on faraway worlds, and breaks down how those interactions can broadcast much about a planet—including how any molecule associated with life can leave specific signatures. “You can think of our atmosphere and its light as a planet-sized message communicating to the galaxy that we have oceans and forests and varied ecosystems with rich life cycles,” she said. “What are we looking for when we look for a planet and try to find out if it’s inhabited by something, anything? Well, we know the laws of physics are universal, and we know that chemistry is universal. We can and have tested many of these physical and chemical boundaries of the universe, and we know the rules that bind them. But what might be the universal laws of biology?  Well, we don’t know, but we can start with what we do know.”