The Ohio STEM Role Model Project

Hello everyone! Today’s post is in honor of Native American Heritage Month. Specifically, we are recognizing the Hopewell Earthworks and how they demonstrate the Hopewell Culture’s incredible understanding of STEM subjects. Between 200 and 500 B.C., the area now known as southern Ohio was inhabited by indigenous people known as the Hopewell Culture1. They are one of the groups of indigenous peoples that archeologists refer to as mound builders1. In particular, many experts believe that the Hopewell Culture’s understanding of astronomy, mathematics, and engineering was among the most advanced of all the indigenous cultures in North America1. Evidence of this understanding can be seen in the earthworks themselves as many of these mounds are in precise geometric shapes like circles, squares, and even octagons2. These mounds also show alignment with the cycle of the Moon and the Sun2. The Newark Earthworks, which are located south of Columbus in Newark as well as the town of Heath, are perhaps among the most notable of the mounds1. The complex spans four square miles and experts estimate it took seven million cubic feet of soil to build these mounds1. These mounds included an ellipse and a square, but most of them have disappeared, with the exception of two, the Great Circle and the Octagon1. The Octagon is the more spectacular of the two, with the sides of the mound enclosing an area roughly 50 acres in size, an area so large that four Roman Coliseums can fit inside!1 Furthermore, there are openings in the mounds that, according to scholars, mark the moon’s rising and setting points for an 18.6 year cycle1. Notably, the Octagon’s central axis faces the point on the horizon at the end of this cycle, where the rise of the moon is at its northernmost point1. The significance of the Earthworks received much broader recognition in 2023 when they were chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site2. It is the 25th site in the United States and the first in the State of Ohio1. Hope you learned something new and stay tuned for our next post on December 1st, where the Ohio STEM Role Model Project’s website will officially be launched! Sources: 1Warren, Rich. "Inside the secret world of the Hopewell Mounds—our newest World Heritage site." National Geographic, 20 Nov. 2023, https://lnkd.in/eVXBgUSc. ? 2"Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks." UNESCO World Heritage Convention, 2023, https://lnkd.in/ePtDFwP7.? #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth

Hello everyone! For this edition of “Today in Ohio STEM History”, we recognize a trailblazing scientist who worked at the Manhattan Project: Carolyn Beatrice Parker Carolyn Beatrice Parker was born in Gainesville, Florida on this day in 19172. Following her graduation from high school, she attended Fisk University, which she graduated in 1938 with a bachelor’s in physics1. She then went to the University of Michigan, where she earned her master’s degree in physics in 1941, becoming the first African-American woman to do so1. When WWII broke out, Parker put her scientific expertise to use when she joined the Manhattan Project as a research physicist1. She worked at the Project’s division in Dayton, Ohio, known as the Dayton Project?. This division’s goal was to isolate and purify the radioactive element Polonium1. The element was going to be utilized as the atomic bomb initiator1. While at the Dayton Project, Parker and other black scientists at the facility dealt with racism, with their white counterparts deprecating their capabilities1. Furthermore, they were wrongly identified as custodial workers and forced to do extra work in the lab1. Despite this, Parker and her team, through acid extraction methods, successfully isolated Polonium1. Afterwards, Parker worked as a research physicist at Wright Field1. Following this, she was an assistant professor at Fisk between 1947 and 19511.? She then went to MIT, where, in 1953, she earned her second master’s degree1. She then worked towards her PhD, but sadly never earned it, as she was diagnosed with leukemia1. Parker unfortunately succumbed to the disease in 1966 at the age of 481 2. Parker believed she contracted leukemia from her exposure to Polonium2. The safety protocols at the time were not designed with black women in mind, with one account describing a female employee whose hair became contaminated3. It’s believed the head coverings used were designed for the short hair of her male counterparts3. This, along with the racism Parker dealt with, shows the consequences of racism in science, which we can learn from to prevent history from repeating itself. Stay tuned for our next post on November 25th. Online Articles: 1"Carolyn Beatrice Parker." Atomic Heritage Foundation, https://lnkd.in/eVUFfmkx. ? 2Powers, Anna. "The First African American Woman To Obtain A Graduate Degree In Physics Was Involved In A Top Secret US Mission." Forbes, 31 Jan. 2020, https://lnkd.in/eWS3Cd4t.? 3Prescod-Weinstein, Chanda. "Racial and economic barriers kept Carolyn Beatrice Parker from realizing her full potential." Popular Science, 18 May 2022, https://lnkd.in/eiSDCiVS.? ?"Dayton, OH." Atomic Heritage Foundation, https://lnkd.in/ePiaT2dH.?

Hello everyone! To commemorate Veteran's Day, today’s post recognizes a veteran who put their life on the line to save one of their own: Helen G. McClelland Helen G. McClelland was born on July 25, 1887 in Austinburg, Ohio1. There is no information known about her early childhood. The earliest known information about her after her birth was in 1908 when she enrolled at the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania2. Following her graduation in 1912, she went to work at a hospital in Virginia1. Two years later, when World War I broke out, she answered the call to serve by joining the American Ambulance Service in France the following year1. In 1917, after the United States joined the war, McClelland wanted to continue serving, so she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps2 3. She would get assigned to British Casualty Clearing Station No. 61 with the American surgical team2. The station was located along the border of Belgium and France2. On August 17, 1917, the station was attacked by the Germans2 3. During the attack, one of McClelland’s fellow nurses, Beatrice MacDonald, was hit in the face with shrapnel, and was bleeding out and at risk of dying1. McClelland would treat MacDonald while at the same time also treating others that were injured by the bombs, all the while ignoring the danger that surrounded her2. Thanks to her actions, MacDonald survived and was able to help treat more patients1. For her heroism, McClelland was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross as well as the British Royal Red Cross, First Class2. She is one of only three women to have earned the Distinguished Service Cross2. Following the disbandment of her station in 1919, McClelland left the Army Nurse Corps2. Then, in 1926, she would work as a nurse at a Pennsylvania hospital2. In 1933, she would be promoted to the director of the nursing department, a position she would hold until retiring in 19562. Helen G. McClelland died in December of 1984 in Columbus, Ohio at the ripe old age of 973. Her legacy, however, would not be forgotten, as in 1995, she would be posthumously inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame2.? OSRMP thanks Helen McClelland and all veterans for their service. Stay tuned for our next post on November 18! Sources: 1"Helen G. McClelland." Ohio Department of Veterans Services, https://lnkd.in/era5nPeW. ? 2Patterson, Jack, et al., . "#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Helen Grace McClelland." U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 30 Mar. 2022, https://lnkd.in/eaYNf-4z. ? 3Atta, Burr V. "Helen McClelland, 97, war nurse." The Philadelphia Inquirer, 22 Dec. 1984, https://lnkd.in/e3q_UdiE.

For those of you who saw our previous post announcing our website launch for October 12th, we want to announce that the launch date has been pushed to December 1st. We apologize to anyone who was looking forward to seeing it on the 12th, but we felt that we needed more time to make our website even better. Stay tuned for our next post on November 11th and for the launch of our website on December 1st!

Hello everyone! Today’s edition of “Today in Ohio STEM History”, is dedicated to all of the bird lovers out there. Today’s featured scientist made a major career shift to pursue a passion for birds, and would conduct research on them right here in Ohio: Samuel Prentiss Baldwin Samuel Prentiss Baldwin was born in Cleveland, Ohio on this day in 18681. During his childhood, Baldwin became interested in the birds who lived in the local woods2 3. He enrolled at Dartmouth College, where he studied geology and biology2. Surprisingly, though, Baldwin decided to pursue a career in law instead, graduating from Case Western Reserve University with a law degree in 18952. His career as a lawyer, however, would be short-lived as an illness would force him to retire in 19021. Afterwards, he would briefly pursue a career in business before switching to ornithology1. In 1914, Baldwin would go all in when he established the Baldwin Bird Research Laboratory at his Gates Mills estate, a forested farm that covered 450 acres3. The laboratory would become home to groundbreaking research. It was here that Baldwin pioneered the technique of bird-banding to study bird migration1 2. The lab also produced the wrenograph, which determined the attentiveness birds had towards their eggs, by keeping track of when the birds entered and exited their nests1. Furthermore, Baldwin also made breakthroughs regarding temperature regulation in birds, along with determining that birds, like their ancestors, the dinosaurs, are warm-blooded3. The lab would be very productive, with over 30 studies being produced by 19362. Samuel Prentiss Baldwin passed away on December 31, 19381. Following his death, the research at the laboratory came to an end2. His legacy, however, would endure. Following his death, his wife would donate much of their estate to create the S. Prentiss Baldwin Bird Sanctuary, and an ordinance in the 1960s would designate the entirety of Gates Mills a bird sanctuary3. Hope you learned something new and stay tuned on November 1st for a special announcement! Sources: 1"Baldwin, Samuel Prentiss." Case Western Reserve University, https://lnkd.in/eVeVSSDc. 2Roy, Christopher. "Baldwin Bird Research Laboratory." Case Western Reserve University, 14 Dec. 2023, https://lnkd.in/epgu968N.? 3Finocharo, Michael. "Baldwin Bird Research Laboratory." Cleveland Historical, https://lnkd.in/ezNGUg2K. Image Source: Cleveland Historical

Hello everyone! October is World Blindness Awareness Month, so for today’s post we highlight a scientist who, despite his visual impairment, defied the odds and achieved success: Floyd Poruban When Floyd Poruban was a toddler in Lorain, Ohio, his parents noticed something wrong1. A doctor's visit found that Floyd had under 10% vision, making him legally blind1. The doctor said to take him to a place with sunshine and fresh air, so the family moved to the country in Avon, Ohio1. While living there, Poruban was able to drive a tractor and avoid the animals and other obstacles1. In high school, he worked at a tomato greenhouse folding 1,000 baskets per week2 3. Those experiences inspired him to pursue horticulture2. In 1957, he enrolled at the Ohio State University, becoming the first blind person to be accepted into the school’s science program1. While there, he proved his disability did not define him. In one class, his professor instructed students to distinguish between the American and European Cranberry bush2. The plants are very similar, and the students with normal eyesight struggled to distinguish them2. Poruban, on the other hand, differentiated them easily2. The professor assumed he cheated3. How did Poruban do it? He used his sense of touch, noting that one plant had smooth buds, and the other had sticky buds2. That difference between them was not recorded before, and was later added to the school’s plant identification guide2. It was also at the school that he met his future wife Ann2. He would graduate from Ohio State with his bachelor’s in horticulture and his master’s in plant pathology in 1961 and 1964, respectively2 3. Following graduation, Poruban struggled to find employment, as no one was willing to hire him because of his disability1. For that reason, he decided to take the entrepreneurial route when, in 1964, he and his wife opened the Poruban Nursery in Avon, Ohio1. The business began in a single greenhouse, but quickly outgrew the space so he applied for a loan to buy land1. However, he was denied the loan solely on the basis that he was blind1. Poruban, undeterred, fought back and got the loan1. As of 2019, his nursery is still in business, and Poruban, who was 81*, still worked there, and his son Rich helps him run the business2 3.? *Poruban’s birth date is not specified in the sources, but based on the information given, he was likely born in 1938. Hope you learned something new and stay tuned for our next post on October 26th! Sources: 1Marx, Matt. "Buckeye Trailblazer." The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, 21 June 2019, https://lnkd.in/eiD6exae.?? 2Graves, Amy B. "Listen and learn: More than seeing is believing." Ohio Farm Bureau, 26 Apr. 2017, https://lnkd.in/eMPiAy6g.? 3Cary, Joan. "Growing in the Dark." Lion Magazine, 1 Oct. 2019, https://lnkd.in/e3QuBcbe.

Hello everyone! Today’s post is a special Halloween-themed edition of “Historical Marker Highlights”, where we give a shout out to a historical marker related to Ohio STEM history! Today’s historical marker recognizes a notable piece of communication technology that, for a time, had a spooky side effect. The marker in question is located in Mason, Ohio and commemorates the Blaw-Knox Antenna1. The story of the antenna dates back to 1922 when the WLW radio station was established by Powell Crosley Jr., a native of Cicninnati1. In 1928, the station’s operations moved to Mason, Ohio, with the first signal being transmitted on October 4th of that year1 2.? It was the first signal in the country to be transmitted at 50,000 watts1. However, Crosley wanted to go bigger, and WLW was given permission to experimentally transmit signals at a mind-boggling 500,000 watts1 2. On May 2, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially opened WLW at 500,000 watts1. To transmit such a powerful signal, which was ten times more powerful than what any other station was using, the Blaw-Knox Antenna was used1. The antenna stood at an incredible 831 feet in height, and the strong signal it produced had one spooky side effect, with locals hearing broadcasts being emitted from everyday objects such as radiators and barbed wire fences, and water faucets, among other things1. Could you imagine washing dishes and all of a sudden you're hearing voices from your faucet? Imagine how creepy that would be. That spooky phenomenon wouldn’t last though, as the FCC would order the station to broadcast back to 50,000 watts beginning on March 1, 19391. As of 2021, the antenna still stands, with the only other major change since the reduction in wattage being the reduction in height from 831 feet to a still very tall 747 feet in order to prevent cancellation between sky-waves and ground-waves2 3. Hope you learned something new and stay tuned for our next post on October 19th! Sources: 1"5-83 Blaw-Knox Antenna." Remarkable Ohio, https://lnkd.in/e7xhe3Hm.? 2Hawkins, Jim et al. "The Big One: Cincinnati's Legendary WLW." fybush.com, Jan. 2002, https://lnkd.in/ewrru7Rp. 3"First and only 500,000 watts broadcast tower to share its historical footprint with retailers." WirelessEstimator.com, 11 Aug. 2021, https://lnkd.in/eqqftMzz.

Hello everyone! For this edition of “Today in Ohio STEM History”, we are giving a shout out to a black engineer who made a major contribution to the Apollo space program: George Robert Carruthers George Robert Carruthers was born on this day in 1939 in Cincinnati, Ohio1. He had developed an interest in science at an early age, so much so that at the age of 10 he built his own telescope1. Following the death of his father when he was only 12 years old, Carruthers and his family moved to Chicago, where he continued to pursue science1. He competed and won awards at high school science fairs, usually being one of the few African-Americans at these fairs1. After graduating high school, Carruthers enrolled at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana1. It was earned that he earned three degrees, which were a bachelor’s in physics (1961), a master’s in nuclear engineering (1962), and finally, in 1964, he earned his PhD in astronautical and aeronautical engineering1 2. After graduating, he accepted a position at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)2. It was here at the NRL that Carruthers led a team that developed a 50-pound ultraviolet camera that was able to record at the higher end of the UV spectrum2. He received a patent for the camera in 1969 and was first used the following year on a space flight where it, for the first time, showed evidence of molecular hydrogen in outer space2. In 1972, the camera was used on the Apollo 16 mission, where it took roughly 200 images from the moon’s surface of astronomical phenomena like galaxies and stars2. The camera also permitted pollutant concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere to be measured for the first time1, as well as imaging of natural phenomena like polar auroras2. Carruthers later developed instruments that would capture images of Halley’s comet and that were used on the space shuttle1. George Robert Carruthers passed away at the age of 81 on December 26, 2020 2, but his legacy lives on. In December of 2022, NASA honored Carruthers legacy by naming an upcoming mission after him3. The mission is called the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, which will capture light from the geocorona, the area of Earth’s atmosphere where ultraviolet light is emitted3. The mission is expected to launch in 20253. Hope you learned something new and stay tuned for a special Halloween-themed post on October 12th! Sources: 1George Robert Carruthers." Biography, A&E Television Networks, 24 Feb. 2021, https://lnkd.in/eFr7hWgT. ?? 2"George Carruthers." Lemelson-MIT, https://lnkd.in/eEQW8WcY.? 3Hatfield, Miles. "NASA Names Mission in Honor of Dr. George R. Carruthers, Visionary Behind First Moon-Based Telescope." NASA, 2 Dec. 2022, https://lnkd.in/eCZqjrYT.

Hello everyone! September is Sickle Cell Awareness month, so today’s post highlights a trailblazing African-American in medicine whose research improved our understanding of the disease: Marilyn Gaston Marilyn Gaston was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on January 31, 19391. Gaston grew up poor, but decided to pursue a medical career after her mother had a medical crisis2: “One day... my mother… fainted in the living room. And I had no idea what was wrong… [B]ack then we didn't have 911 and so I didn't really know what to do... she had cancer of the cervix. We were poor… [and] uninsured, [so] she was not getting health care, ...and that's why she fainted. And from that point on, I knew that I wanted to do something to change that situation.”1 2 Gaston, due to her socioeconomic status, was discouraged from pursuing a medical career1 2. In fact, when she went to the University of Miami, she pursued a degree not in medicine, but zoology1 2. She graduated in 1960, and was on the fence about going into medicine, but the doctor she worked for encouraged her1 2. That motivated her to go all in, and attend the University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine, where in 1964 she earned a degree in pediatrics, and was the only African-American woman in her class3. Afterwards, Gaston did an internship at Philadelphia General Hospital, where Gaston would be inspired to study sickle cell disease (SCD)2. One evening a baby was admitted that had a swollen hand2. Unsure of the cause, her supervisor suggested checking for SCD, which Gaston confirmed2. Shocked that she did not consider this when treating the baby, Gaston delved into researching SCD, which culminated in a breakthrough national study being published in 1986, showing that giving children with SCD long term penicillin treatments was effective in preventing septic infections, and that SCD screenings should occur at birth2. This resulted in national legislation to encourage and fund SCD screenings2. In 1990, Gaston was appointed the director of the Bureau of Primary Health Care2. This made her the first African American woman to head a public health service2. She served in the role until 2001, where she focused on improving healthcare for underserved families2. Since then, Gaston has focused her efforts on emphasizing how essential prevention is with regards to health care strategy1. Hope you learned something new and stay tuned for our next post on October 1st! Sources: 1Huggins, Amy. "Marilyn Hughes Gaston, M.D." Maryland State Archives, 16 Aug. 2006, https://lnkd.in/ep25Q2JN. 2"Dr. Marilyn Hughes Gaston." Changing the Face of Medicine, 3 June 2015, https://lnkd.in/d3nTpeD. ? 3"Marilyn Hughes Gaston, M.D." Maryland Women's Hall of Fame, 2006,? https://lnkd.in/gFsCbXnd. ?

To commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, we are recognizing a doctor who made a life-saving medical breakthrough: Dr. René Favoloro. Sadly, the circumstances around his death are tragic, so before reading his story, read the advisory below: Warning:? Along with Hispanic Heritage Month, September marks National Suicide Prevention Month. We bring this up because that was Favoloro’s fate, so his story is not suitable for everyone, especially young children and people suffering from mental illness. If you feel uncomfortable or think this story could trigger you, please skip it, and wait for our next post. Above all else, please seek help if you are struggling with your mental health, whether it be with a therapist, or in more serious cases, calling a crisis hotline like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline (https://988lifeline.org/) or another related hotline, and if its life threatening, to your nearest emergency room/hospital. As uncomfortable as this subject is, we believe discussing it helps to destigmatize mental health by making it less taboo to talk about. René Favaloro was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina 's Capital, La Plata on July 12, 19231. He graduated top of his class from the University of La Plata in 19491. In 1962, he moved to Cleveland to work for the Cleveland Clinic Foundation1. In 1967, Favaloro performed the first coronary bypass surgery1 3. In 1971, Favaloro left Cleveland and went back to Argentina to start the Favaloro Foundation, which provides medical care by focusing on medical needs over cost, allowing some patients to get free medical treatment1 3. Though his foundation seemed successful, by 2000, largely due to an economic slump in Argentina, was struggling financially1. Furthermore, Maria Delgado, Favoloro’s wife, passed away a few years prior1 2. Favaloro, in a state of crisis, died on July 29, 2000 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound1 2. Despite this, Favoloro’s legacy lives on, as his foundation still exists today1. Furthermore, his approach to healthcare is one to learn from, with the Case Western Reserve University web page on him stating:? “Despite the… lives saved... [from] coronary heart bypass surgery, Favaloro’s bigger legacy may be his… humility, and dedication to… patients. Rather than staying in the United States and becoming a wealthy doctor, Favaloro returned to Argentina to improve their healthcare system, focusing… on poor and rural areas. Favaloro… denounced the idea that only the rich deserve access to quality care...”1. Hope you learned something new. Our next post is on September 22nd. Sources: 1"Favaloro, René Géronimo." Case Western Reserve University, https://lnkd.in/evndPZhp.?? 2"René Favaloro: etched in our hearts." Google Arts and Culture, https://lnkd.in/ecHgeY3j.??? 3"René Favaloro’s 96th Birthday." Google Doodles, 12 July 2019, https://lnkd.in/eYGfSHte. Image Source: Google Arts and Culture