Spring fever has taken hold of the campus, Biology and Chemistry Professor Erin Rehrig took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to have her Life Science for Educators class work on their Timeline of Life on Earth on the quad. This course covers a broad array of life science topics including cellular, organismal, and human biology. It is designed to provide a foundation in the life sciences for education majors (K-8).

When the weather warms in North Central Massachusetts, you don't let it go to waste, which is likely why Mathematics Professor Nermin Bayazit held her Informal Math Modeling class outside on the Hammond Hall Patio this afternoon. The course covers relations, patterns and functions using multiple representations and focusing on the manner in which these concepts connect to mathematical ideas specified in the Massachusetts Mathematics Curriculum Frameworks.

Students in Earth and Geographic Sciences Professor Reid Parsons' Earth Systems Science class test the affect of temperature on ocean current in their lab. This course gives students a holistic view of Earth and the spatial relationships between its physical, chemical, geological, and biological systems. Students are taught  fundamental scientific principles of physical geography and discuss human-earth interactions. 

Students in Biology Professor Christopher Picone General Biology II Lab are studying invertebrate anatomy, In this particular lab, the invertebrates  being studied are worms and lobsters. 

Students in Professor Danielle Wigmore's Exercise Physiology II course ascertain baseline statistics for their experiment to record possible physiological affects of beet root supplement after two weeks. The subject is given the supplement and instructions on dosage. The course is designed to cover physiological response to acute exercise and chronic adaptations to exercise. This part of the multi-phased lab based course examines the  cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and the impact of different environmental conditions on exercise responses and capacity. It also introduces research methods in exercise science.

Mathematics Professor Ben Levy reviews problems with students in his Precalculus class. The course prepares students for the study of calculus. Topics covered include real numbers, equations and inequalities and analytic geometry, as well as polynomial, rational, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions. 

Environmental and Earth Science Professor Christopher Picone discussed forms of energy in his Intro to Environmental Science class. Students were shown the rooftop photovoltaic solar panels (PVs) installed here at Fitchburg State University in 2011. Later, a demonstration of how a turbine does was interlaced with a lesson in wind power. The goal of Introduction to Environmental Science is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts and methodologies required to understand interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.

Our Nursing Simulation Laboratory assists nursing students in learning critical thinking and clinical judgment skills in preparation for their healthcare careers. The “manikins” act as lifelike patient simulators, wherein instructors provide real-time feedback via a control center, giving students as close to a hospital simulation as possible. Fellow students watch as their classmates work through the simulation. In this scenario, Kevin has obstructive kidney stones. After the simulation, the class meets to discuss the experience.

This afternoon, the university's Career Services and Advising Center sponsored a Health Sciences career fair in the Hammond Main Lounge. The program was open to all students in all majors, with a focus on positions in; nursing, biology, chemistry, and exercise and sports science.

Our Nursing Simulation Laboratory assists nursing students in learning critical thinking and clinical judgment skills in preparation for their healthcare careers. The “manikins” act as lifelike patient simulators, wherein instructors provide real-time feedback via a control center, giving students as close to a hospital scenario as possible. In this scenario, Willie is recovering from surgery after a car accident.