The Weather Underground: Application of Computer Technologyto Science in Michigan Secondary Schools

科学界面临的挑战是，需要接触那些传统上不被工程和科学所吸引的学生。该项目将通过创建一系列计算机服务，提供对当前天气和气候变化信息的交互式访问，为密歇根大学和密歇根州中等教育的教师和学生之间建立联系，最初的重点是密歇根州东南部。利用密歇根州名为micnet的独特计算机网络容量，该网络在该州几乎每个主要城市提供本地电话端口，并通过大学大气研究公司（UCAR） UNIDATA计划向大学社区提供资源，这项计划将为中学提供最先进的互动天气信息系统。该系统提供的实时数据，加上与地球科学教师合作设计的交互式计算机模块，将提供一系列气候和天气相关主题的动画背景资料。虽然该项目的主要目标是为底特律市中心及其周边地区提供教育激励的交互式计算机系统和电子天气和气候模块，但可用计算机网络的独特性质将使该州的几乎每个学校系统都可以访问。随后，该项目的成功完成可能最终使相同的系统可用于其他城市和州。

The scientific community is challenged by the need to reach out to students who have traditionally not been attracted to engineering and the sciences. This project would provide a link between the University of Michigan and the teachers and students of secondary education in the State of Michigan with an initial emphasis on southeast Michigan, through the creation of a range of computer services which will provide interactive access to current weather and climate change information. Taking advantage of a unique computer network capacity within the State of Michigan named MichNet which provides local phone ports in virtually every major city in the state, and the resources available to the university community via the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) UNIDATA program, this project would provide secondary schools with access to a state-of-the-art interactive weather information system. The real-time data available via the system, supplemented by interactive computer modules designed in collaboration with earth science teachers, will provide animated background information on a range of climate and weather related topics. While the principal objective of this project will be to provide educationally stimulating interactive computer systems and electronic weather and climate modules for application in inner city Detroit and its environs, the unique nature of the available computer networking will allow virtually every school system in the state to have access. Subsequently successful completion of this project could eventually make the same systems available to other cities and states.