Sunday, June 14, 2020
By:
I never imagined I would conduct historical research without access to physical books. It turns out that books are rather useful when it comes to certain forms of historical research (please contain your surprise).
Fortunately, there are some workarounds! The first part of my week was devoted to learning about the online resources of the Niels Bohr Library and Archives and scouring other online sources. The team at the Niels Bohr Library and Archives has been an enormous help. I was able to find useful material on early Middle Eastern science, both Persian and Arab. I hope to condense my research into a classroom handout to provide an often-overlooked historical background to accompany a lesson on inertia. My goal is to complete my first lesson plan by the end of this coming week!
Though it has been difficult to find good sources at times, there been moments of great encouragement. One of the footnotes I came across in a history of mathematics book chapter (in George Gheverghese Joseph’s The Crest of the Peacock: Non-European Roots of Mathematics) was a real eye-opener. It turns out that we not only have the Islamic Golden Age to thank for the development of the concept of inertia, but we also can thank Arab scholars for our understandings of light refraction, gravity, evolution, and scientific method itself. Yet, this has been omitted from the generally presented history.
In addition to Arabic science, I also spent time looking at other ways to organize the guides that might be useful to teachers. For this task, I looked at several of the completed guides. I was once again struck by the work of the Harvard computers, including Catherine Johnson, an African American woman established the stellar classification system we continue to use. Though the histories of minority groups may be hard to find, the stories are compelling and should be shared.
Today’s issues are worth still more consideration. In regards to recent events, these words are my own. I am glad that AIP particpated in #ShutDownSTEM in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. We were asked to reflect on how to best respond, because, as Rev. Al Sharpton stated in George Floyd’s eulogy, “what happened to Floyd happens every day in this country, in education, in health services, and in every area of American life.” History shows that small actions (and inactions) can compound. I think the first step to responding is identifying our avenues. Are we in a position to influence a company or classroom? Leaders and educators have far more influence than they may realize. I was encouraged by my professors who shared about women who transformed the field of physics, both in their research, and by paving the way for future women in physics. We must listen to the experiences of those in positions we are not. We must take responsibility and act because the small things matter. Furthermore, each of us, in our own ways, are educators, affecting those around us, with our actions, inactions, words and ingrained habits.
Maria Stokes