Governor Brown Appoints Chabot Space & Science Center CEO Zwissler to Bay Conservation and Development Commission

OAKLAND, Calif., May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On May 7, the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the appointment of Chabot Space & Science Center CEO and Executive Director, Alexander Zwissler, 56, to the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). The appointment requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation.

BCDC is a state agency dedicated to the protection and development of the San Francisco Bay and the encouragement of its responsible use. BCDC's 27-member Commission works with regional partners and other municipalities to ensure healthy, sustainable use of open water, marshes, salt ponds, mudflats and other wetlands. The Commission oversees permitting development near the Bay and addresses regulatory and adaptation strategies regarding rising sea levels. When BCDC was established, only four miles of the Bay shoreline were open to public access. By drawing attention to the Bay, the Commission has played a major role in making the Bay and its shoreline a national recreational treasure.

Chabot Space & Science Center is a major regional center for STEM education and public programming. In addition to astronomy and space sciences, Chabot in recent years has been an educational resource for K-12 Earth and climate science education, including originating the national award winning Bill Nye's Climate Lab and a regional leader in teacher professional development with the Energy & Climate Science Teacher Institute. 

Zwissler, a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, has held his position at Chabot since 2007, leading expansion and development of new programs and initiatives. Previously he was executive director of the Fort Mason Foundation in San Francisco, and prior to working in nonprofit organizations, spent over 15 years in in the cable television and telecommunications industry in both the US and the UK.

Zwissler currently serves as the co-Chair of the Gateways East Bay STEM Network, and on the board of directors of the Association of Science and Technology Centers, Techbridge, and the San Francisco Market Street Railway. In 2012, he was appointed to the statewide Education and Technology Task Force by California Superintendent of Education, Tom Torlakson.

Chabot Space & Science Center, a Smithsonian affiliate, and Bay Area Certified Green Business, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit interactive science center whose mission is to inspire and educate students of all ages about Planet Earth and the Universe. Founded in 1883, the Center is located at 10000 Skyline Blvd. just off Highway 13 in the Oakland hills. For more information, visit www.chabotspace.org.

SOURCE Chabot Space & Science Center

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ADVISORY: Fattah Speaks to Major Science and Policy Leaders on Federal Investment in Research

WASHINGTON, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Fattah (D-PA), the lead Democratic Appropriator for science, research and technology, will be the main speaker Friday at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual Science and Technology Policy Forum in Washington, DC.

Congressman Fattah will speak on the current policy issues affecting researchers and their institutions and what impact the issues have on the federal budget. The Forum is widely viewed as the major public meeting in the United States on Science and Technology policy issues.  The nation's top major science policy leaders, including government and industry officials, university faculty and administrators, diplomats and others interested in public policies affecting science and technology will be in attendance.

The Pennsylvania Representative will also update the audience on the Fattah Neuroscience Initiative which is designed to make game-changing progress in the understanding of and therapies for brain development, cognition, disease and injury. The initiative also calls for developing public-private partnerships in brain science research.

According to Fattah, "Scientific research sponsored or conducted by the United States government has benefitted all Americans. However, the effort to protect and promote scientific research is never-ending and never easy in the halls of Congress."

WHO:      
Congressman Chaka Fattah

WHAT: 
American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Science and Technology Policy Forum

WHEN:
Friday, May 3, 2013  
8:15 AM

WHERE:
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
13th & Pennsylvania NW • Washington, DC

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

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Teen arrested, expelled for ‘science project gone bad’

A 16-year-old girl was arrested and expelled from her high school after what a friend called a "science project gone bad" resulted in a small explosion.

WTSP reports that Kiera Wilmot of Bartow, Fla., is accused of mixing household chemicals in a small water bottle that later exploded at her high school. No one was hurt.

Principal Ron Pritchard told WTSP that Wilmot is "a good kid" and has "never been in trouble before. Ever." He added:

She made a bad choice. Honestly, I don't think she meant to ever hurt anyone. She wanted to see what would happen [when the chemicals mixed] and was shocked by what it did. Her mother is shocked, too.

WTSP reports that Wilmot was forthcoming with school authorities following the blast. Pritchard also told WTSP that Wilmot "told us everything and was very honest. She didn't run or try to hide the truth. We had a long conversation with her."

The arrest report explains that Wilmot told her assistant principal, Dan Durham, that the explosion was part of a science experiment. However, her science teacher told Durham the explosion was not associated with any school project, and he called the police. Wilmot was arrested and charged with the possession and discharge of a weapon on school grounds and the discharging of a destructive device.

The Polk County School District released a statement:

Anytime a student makes a bad choice it is disappointing to us. Unfortunately, the incident that occurred at Bartow High School yesterday was a serious breach of conduct. In order to maintain a safe and orderly learning environment, we simply must uphold our code of conduct rules. We urge our parents to join us in conveying the message that there are consequences to actions. We will not compromise the safety and security of our students and staff.

Wilmot has plenty of supporters, though. A petition at Change.org argues that Wilmot's "life should not be turned upside down, her future crushed, because someone wants to make a statement." Signers are asking authorities to drop the charges. So far, the petition has over 1,500 signatures.

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'B4Udrink' Uses Latest Science To Estimate BAC

Encourages responsible decision making regarding alcohol

ARLINGTON, Va., March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With April's Alcohol Awareness Month quickly approaching, The Century Council, a national, independent not-for-profit funded by distillers, re-launched an interactive online program, "B4Udrink," offering the latest available science to estimate an individual's blood alcohol concentration (BAC). 

Based on the most up-to-date science, Dary Fiorentino, Ph.D., of DF Consulting, an expert in alcohol pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, has created a revised algorithm for B4Udrink which now includes the effects of height and age on an individual's BAC in addition to gender, weight, and alcohol consumed. The newly revised B4Udrink "Virtual Bar" also illustrates the effect food can have on an individual's BAC, including how a meal high in fat has little effect on one's BAC yet a meal high in carbohydrates or protein may decrease an individual's BAC.  Dr. Fiorentino provided all calculations utilized in the "Virtual Bar."

In addition to the algorithm, The Century Council re-designed the "B4Udrink" program's interface to be more mobile-friendly, making it more accessible to young adults on the go. 

"The B4Udrink 'Virtual Bar' gives people the ability to virtually explore different scenarios regarding how they think their night might go, discover their drinking limits and plan accordingly. This information empowers individuals to make educated, responsible decisions when going out socially," said Ralph Blackman, The Century Council's President and CEO.

This "Virtual Bar" allows users to estimate their individual BAC level based on gender, height, weight, age, and the type and number of drinks consumed, as well as the time until their BAC returns to zero. As the user's simulated "night" progresses and their BAC increases, the "Virtual Bar" interface provides descriptions of how alcohol might affect them, providing the user with more information about their BAC throughout the drinking occasion.

According to the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, binge drinking peaks among those age 21 to 25. The B4Udrink 'Virtual Bar' may prove especially useful in helping to educate these individuals on the effects of binge drinking.

For more information about the B4Udrink program or to access the 'Virtual Bar,' visit B4Udrink.org.

About The Century Council
The Century Council is a national not-for-profit leader in the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; Beam, Inc.; Brown-Forman; Constellation Brands, Inc.; DIAGEO; Hood River Distillers, Inc.; and Pernod Ricard USA. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, The Century Council promotes responsible decision making regarding beverage alcohol and develops and implements innovative programs and public awareness campaigns which ignite action through strategic partnerships. Established in 1991, The Century Council's initiatives are highlighted on its website at www.centurycouncil.org.

CONTACT: Darron Moffatt, The Century Council
MoffattD@centurycouncil.org; (202) 637-0077

SOURCE The Century Council

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