Daniel's Approach to STEM

  June 18th: Professor Catherine Schuman June 18, 2024 Today, Professor Catherine Schuman, a Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Tennessee, talked with the STEM Skills class about her research and her projects.  She currently specializes in the novel realms of artificial intelligence and computing in things like machine learning on high-performance computing (HPC). HPC systems consist of multiple powerful processors, large memory capacities, and fast interconnects, allowing them to handle large-scale computations and data-intensive tasks. Utilizing HPC for machine learning can significantly reduce training times, enable the processing of massive datasets, and improve the scalability and performance of machine learning algorithms. This approach is essential for advancing state-of-the-art models and for applications in areas such as scientific research, big data analytics, and real-time decision-making. Furthermore, she also worked in Neuromorphic Computing....

 

Op-Ed: Digital Divide In a world where information and opportunities are increasingly digital, millions of people in developing third-world countries need more access to the internet and modern technology. This digital divide hampers educational and economic opportunities, continuing inequality, and creating a barrier to progress that is becoming ever harder to overcome. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) , over 2.6 billion people still lack internet access, with the majority residing in developing nations ( https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/stat/default.aspx ). As the COVID-19 pandemic has largely shifted services and jobs to an online system, the urgency to bridge this digital divide has never been more critical. Furthermore, the divide is exemplified by the urgent need for targeted efforts to expand internet access in underserved regions. For example, in the African subcontinent, only 25% of the population uses the internet, compared to 80% in E...

   June 24th: Chatbot June 24, 2024 The STEM Skills class used Python code and flow programs to create and understand chatbots. Chatbots are software applications that are designed to create a conversation that seems like a natural human conversation through text. They can provide information, perform tasks, and engage in dialogue. There are many different types of chatbots with a multitude of purposes.  To start, I was given Python code that allowed me to input various different possible conversations between a user and my chatbot. The chatbot first asks the user's name and then a conversation proceeds. If the chatbot cannot answer the question, it accounts for the user input by producing a message that notifies the user that the chatbot cannot answer the question.  Here is an example chat: Other than Python, we also used Facebook's Chatfuel to understand chat flows and decision-making.  My Chatbot is a light conversation program that has basic conversation ope...

    June 21st: Observations at Ijams June 21, 2024 The STEM Society class went on a field trip to Ijams Nature Center to enjoy and observe the natural environment while taking notes and thinking about the happenings around us. Ijams had multiple trails that observed large bodies of water and other unique natural structures. Additionally, many different insects and animals were interacting and moving around in their smaller ecosystem. Walking through the river trail, I saw lots of very green nature, heard birds and insects chirping, and smelled a smoky and dirty-like scent in the air and surroundings. I spent most of my time at the lake. Here, as I sat down next to the quiet waters, I started to notice many small details in the surrounding environment. My feelings started to reflect the quiet scenery as I felt my body relaxing and calming down.  I was then given the assignment to observe a specific animal and an artifact of the animal. I decided to observe a spider. Occasi...

June 14th: Data Visualization June 14, 2024  Today, the STEM Skills class learned hands-on data visualization using Python code and the Replit program. There were many different ways to visualize data and today's introduction had many different types of visualization techniques through coding. Python Planets Using pre-downloaded code and data about planets, I was able to manipulate the Python code to transform the displays. By changing the size of planets and the shapes in the code, the output reflected my changes. This visualization helps with understanding basic Python and changing visual outputs. Travel and Maps Similar to the planets visualization, travel and maps used HTML and Python to create a visualizer of different cities in the world. It takes precise longitude and latitude from different locations and groups them together as shown in the circles. Once you click the circles, more detailed circles appear that eventually lead to the precise location. Temperature This data v...

   June 17th: AI and Visualization June 17, 2024 Python Planets Using pre-downloaded code and data about planets, I was able to manipulate the Python code to transform the displays. By changing the size of planets and the shapes in the code, the output reflected my changes. This visualization helps with understanding basic Python and changing visual outputs. Understanding AI Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, particularly computer systems. It is most commonly used in advanced machine learning systems and natural language processing systems.  There were many diverse individuals on the Titanic. For STEM Skills, I and my team were given details about individuals and guessed whether they survived or not. My team predicted who would survive the Titanic through mostly gender and age. Generally, women and children survived more often than older men.  Then, using machine learning and AI, I used a Kaggle tut...

  June 14th: No more CAFOs June 14, 2024  Today, the STEM Skills in Society class discussed the ethicality of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) after the previous discussion on animal rights and ethical treatment. Concerns about CAFOs have grown in number as a result of ethical, social, health, and environmental issues. Weighing their benefits and risks to society requires holistic reviews in every field and careful consideration of the matter.  My group was assigned to argue against the use of CAFOs. CAFOs are very controversial, and the reasons against their prevalent use demonstrate why. CAFOS, very easily, generate vast amounts of pollution and waste concentrated in a small area, leading to high risks of large environmental impact compared to smaller traditional farms. Additionally, this compact, factory-like state emits large quantities of greenhouse gases which may result in harmful effects on air quality. From a more nuanced perspective, CAFOs are extr...

      June 13th: ANIMALhood and PERSONhood June 13, 2024 Today, personhood for animals was debated through the extension of yesterday's discussion on scientific objectivity in the interpretation of animals. Genetically, animals are not the same as humans, but the line and extent to which they can be distinguished is still an ongoing moral debate. There  are profound philosophical questions touching on the nature of personhood, moral consideration, and ethical treatment of beings. The concept of personhood is often debated in philosophy, law, and ethics. Typically, criteria for personhood include various aspects like consciousness, reasoning, self-motivated activity, and communication capacity.  If an entity does not meet all these criteria, whether it is considered a person can vary. For example, infants, people with severe cognitive disabilities, and comatose individuals might not meet all criteria but are still considered persons due to potential, societal, or...

      June 11th: Objectivity in Science June 11, 2024 Using this video as a reference (https://utk.instructuremedia.com/embed/432b792f-59bc-42ff-9901-58b3d7d61771), objectivity in scientific research can be investigated further in the context of lessening bias and reducing error. In the video, a natural predator (the lion) gets pushed away from a buffalo to protect a calf. They utilize the power of numbers and horns to change the original food chain.  In the actions that I observe, the animals have abnormal behavior to what I've learned. Usually, I've seen lions chasing buffalo and other "prey" in many videos and documentaries, but this video displays different behaviors. In acting and emotion, I notice that the usual actions of the lion and "prey" begin, but as the video continues to go on, a shift of emotion and reflection of actions from the bison group towards the lion resulted in a completely different outcome. I base these interpretations on head turns...

     June 10th: CAD Design and 3D Printing June 10, 2024 Today, the STEM skills class learned how to create 3D CAD designs using TinkerCAD or OnShape to 3D print various objects later. I have done many 3D printing activities over middle school and high school and have used various programs and machines to create designs and renders. Most of the time, I use Blender to create designs, so learning OnShape was very new to me. However, I knew how to make 3D designs already, so having a bit of a challenge was not that hard for me.    For today's design, I decided to use a rounded Balenciaga block for printing. Balenciaga is a fashion brand that tends to make "social experiments" - like clothing and items, so a 3D printed Balenciaga box fits perfectly fine.  Here is a picture of my design During this process, I learned how to manipulate various objects and use the specific details in OnShape, as well as the entire process of 3D design. Separating the levels from 2...

    June 7th: Coding (just a little) June 7, 2024 Today, the STEM skills class started to "dabble" into coding using the Python coding language. Although some people may have more experience than others, there were many different opportunities and coding projects that we (as students) could access.    I have learned code and algorithms previously, so I decided to go with the group that knew how to code (a bit). I downloaded Anaconda and began to code. For my coding problem, I decided to do a "guess your number algorithm". The user inputs a number between -50 and 50 and the computer returns three prompts: (1) the player guessed too high, (2) the player guessed too low, or (3) the player guessed correctly. Only #3 will end the game.  For this algorithm, I was given a template. To create such a program, I filled out the if and elif statements with inequalities that were lower and higher than "correct_num" so that a print statement would tell the user if their...

  June 6th: SETI science? June 6, 2024 The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is an effort to detect signs of intelligent life beyond Earth. Large radio telescopes, sophisticated data analysis, and other "scientific" techniques are used by SETI to search the universe for signals that might point to the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, SETI is still investigating the possibility that life exists elsewhere in the universe. However, SETI is a perfect middle ground for an organization that seemingly falls between the current discussion between pseudoscience and science . To ensure credibility and reliability, science depends on empirical data, thorough testing, peer review, and reproducibility via the scientific method. These standards are absent from pseudoscience, which makes its claims less credible and dependable because it frequently relies on anecdotal evidence, ignores contradicting data, and shies away...

 K'NEX and Kars June 4th STEM Today, the STEM had an objective to create a transportation device using the K'NEX given to carry an object from point A to point B. To properly create such a transportation device, the engineering design process had to be used to ensure and maintain orderly conduct and correct planning. The eight steps of the engineering design process are: 1. Identify a need 2. Conduct Research 3. Brainstorm Solutions 4. Select a Solution 5. Build a Prototype 6. Test and Evaluate 7. Redesign to Improve 8. Communicate Your Results My group adhered to these simple steps and decided to use a rubber band-based windable 4-wheeler to carry smaller objects from point A to point B. For the design process, we looked through different amounts of wheels and different designs such as a vertical or horizontal-based vehicle. Our largest constraint was time, but planning out the brainstorming process helped a lot.  Practicing the engineering design process helped me learn many...

  June 3rd: The Self-Driving Trolley Problem June 3, 2024 Amidst the rise of newer developmental technology in STEM and other related fields, major ethical problems take an interesting turn. Most notably in today's society, the rise of artificial intelligence and robotics makes the famous Trolley Problem turn into the self-driving car problem.  For the problem today, the current moral dilemma is regarding the ethical questions surrounding self-driving cars. The self-driving car has three choices for lanes that all result in some sort of damage a) left into the SUV, b) straight into the obstacles, c) right into the motorcycle If I were the programmer, I would have the car choose “left” in the SUV Putting everything in a ranking of most priority to least priority for the self-driving car, I would program the car to first prioritize the safety of the driver and passengers inside. Then, I would program the car to prioritize minimizing damage to other drivers and the environme...

 Welcome To My World All about Daniel Zhang Hello, my name is Daniel Zhang and I'm from Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee is on the east side of the United States and Knoxville is on the east side of Tennesee. I am very excited to introduce my blog, Daniel's Approach to STEM. In this blog, I will discuss my approach and opinions on upcoming novel technology that shapes the world around us. I am interested in many things that bridge the gap between academia and real-world applications especially in the context of STEM and technology. STEM and Technology           I also have a YouTube channel and Instagram. If you would like to access them, here they are.  Instagram  and  YouTube