Convalescent plasma, a potential treatment for COVID-19, has been all over the news recently. And while it might sound new to some, this type of serum therapy has been in use for more than 100 years. Want to learn even more about blood plasma? Our Scientist Spotlight features Charles Richard Drew, the barrier-breaking African American doctor known as the “father of the blood bank.”
We’re also pleased to launch a new addition to our Science Matters role-playing game series: The Case of Rare Earth Elements, where students debate the positive and negative viewpoints of important environmental issues. It’s one of many online offerings you can find in the Learn section of our website.
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📷 Illustration by Claud Li
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Enhance your virtual or in-person classroom with the newest addition to our Science Matters role-playing game series: The Case of Rare Earth Elements. Ideal for high school chemistry classes, students debate the positive and negative perspectives of rare earth elements from all sides, from producers and activists to manufacturers and consumers. The Science Matters series, which includes our most popular game, The Case of Plastics, can also be implemented in social studies classes, in college settings, and in crossdisciplinary projects or clubs.
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Charles Drew in the lab at Howard University, 1942. 📷 Scurlock Studio Records, ca. 1905–1994, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
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A pioneer in blood banking, Charles Drew (1904–1950) is best known for his lifesaving innovations in the use and preservation of blood plasma. He was the first African American to earn a doctorate in medical science from Columbia University and was appointed the director of the first American Red Cross blood bank in 1941. An outspoken critic of racial discrimination, Drew protested against the practice of segregation in blood donation, resigning from his position at the Red Cross, which up until 1950 did not accept blood from Black donors.
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A man in a mine, wearing breathing apparatus and holding a lantern, finds asphyxiated miners. Wood engraving, ca. 1900. 📷 Wellcome Collection
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When Latin America challenged a new era of colonization.
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How a 19th-century invention could save lives today.
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Thursday, September 17, 2020
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. EDT
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The new season of the Joseph Priestley Society (JPS) opens with a virtual talk by the Institute’s new president and CEO, David Allen Cole, who will discuss his vision for expanding the organization’s national and global reach.
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Innovation Day poster presentation. 📷 Science History Institute/Conrad Erb
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Tuesday, September 22, 2020
1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. EDT
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Cohosted with the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) since 2004, Innovation Day brings together emerging industry leaders to celebrate today’s innovations and to seek solutions for tomorrow’s challenges. This year’s conference will be held online with a full program of poster presentations, breakout sessions, and ample networking opportunities. Activities will begin with the annual Warren G. Schlinger Symposium and an address from PPG Industries research associate Wei Wang, the SCI 2020 Gordon E. Moore medalist.
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Friday, September 25, 2020
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. EDT
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Join us on Zoom for a virtual Book Club discussion about Paul Freedman’s Food: The History of Taste, a richly illustrated collection of essays by international food historians who present a comprehensive history of changing tastes in food, from prehistory to present day. Advance registration is required. Spots are limited. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
If you’re not already a member, join the Science History Institute Book Club on Facebook, where you can chat with fellow nerds about the latest science-y bestsellers.
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Now more than ever it’s important to tell the stories of science. Help us continue this work by supporting the Science History Institute.
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