Why is HIV/AIDS and school important?

The capacity of the education sector to deliver the “Social Vaccine” is reduced by the impact of HIV/AIDS. The epidemic is damaging education systems by killing teachers, increasing rates of teacher absenteeism, and creating orphans and vulnerable children who are more likely to drop out of school or not attend school at all.

The education sector has a central role in the multisectoral response to HIV/AIDS. But current evidence shows that the education sector response by both countries and agencies has often been slow and inadequate. This does not appear to reflect a simple lack of resources: although the overall resource envelope may be inadequate, those resources that are currently available (e.g. from the World Bank Multi-Country AIDS Program and from the Global Fund) are underutilized by the education sector. Indeed, few education systems have begun to address HIV/AIDS systematically and many countries have yet to develop a formal strategy for an education sector response to HIV/AIDS.

At the request of countries affected by HIV/AIDS, the UNAIDS Inter Agency Task Team (IATT) for Education was established as a mechanism for coordinating action on AIDS and education among the UNAIDS co-sponsors, bilateral donors and Civil Society. In 2002, the IATT established a Working Group, coordinated by the World Bank, with the specific operational aim of helping countries to “Accelerate the Education Sector Response to HIV/AIDS in Africa”. Working with country teams, the Working Group identified four key areas for support:

• donor coordination
• leadership in the education sector
• capacity building
• sharing of information on good practices in sectoral responses to HIV/AIDS

Key elements of this activity include sub-regional and national workshops that bring together education, health and national AIDS teams to share good practices and develop more effective strategies that result in implementation at the school level. The workshops are a point of entry for dialogue to:

• promote sectoral leadership
• identify gaps in knowledge and build capacity
• share information and build networks
• strengthen stakeholder coordination
• identify new resources for the education sector

How does the World Bank support HIV/AIDS and education?

In developing countries, the World Bank is focusing on developing stronger links between education and other sectors, especially health, to mainstream HIV and AIDS in new programs, and on making resources for HIV and AIDS available to the education sector. Since November 2002, education teams from 34 national governments and 49 State governments in Africa have sought the assistance of the Working Group to assist them in undertaking situation analyses, and strengthening education sector strategies, policies and work plans. The work has focused on five key thematic areas:

• management and planning
• prevention
• workplace policy
• ensuring education access for orphans and vulnerable children
• tertiary level institutions.

At the request of countries affected by HIV/AIDS, the UNAIDS Inter Agency Task Team (IATT) for Education was established as a mechanism for coordinating action on AIDS and education among the UNAIDS co-sponsors, bilateral donors and Civil Society. In 2002, the IATT established a Working Group, coordinated by the World Bank, with the specific operational aim of helping countries to “Accelerate the Education Sector Response to HIV/AIDS in Africa”. Working with country teams, the Working Group identified four key areas for support: donor coordination, leadership in the education sector, capacity building, and sharing of information on good practices in sectoral responses to HIV/AIDS.

(education)

Read More..

As smart meter deployment continues on schedule and on budget, I would like to revisit a topic we touched upon in my column last November. I mentioned that when I look at the Naperville Smart Grid Initiative (NSGI), the benefits fall into four main categories that I call the “4Es” of Smart Grid: Energy, Environment, Education and Economy.

Education has been a long-standing focus of the City with any major initiative or project and will also play a critical role in our society’s ability to become more energy efficient.

When I talk about education with respect to the smart grid, I am referring to its ability to provide more choices and options for our customers. The smart grid will empower customers to securely track their energy use online via an ePortal. Rather than waiting until the end of the month to see how much electricity you have used, you will be able to log into the ePortal and see current usage, rates and many other useful pieces of information. This information may also be accessed through optional new thermostats that can be installed in your home.

Another great feature that the smart grid makes possible is new optional time-of-use electricity rates that will allow customers to save energy and money on their electric bills. In addition to these new rates, the city is also planning for demand-response programs that will allow customers to automatically reduce energy and therefore save money.

Currently, our grid is not sophisticated enough to account for the real costs of electricity. Like many goods or commodities, the price of electricity fluctuates. Electricity actually costs significantly more to produce during the day, when more people are using it, than it does in the middle of the night. We currently charge customers a flat rate for electricity consumed regardless of the time of day. We will continue to offer flat rates to residential and small commercial customers in the future with completion of the smart grid. Large commercial and industrial customers will be transferred to rates that include both energy and demand components.

The smart grid will provide tools that can help customers become more conscious of their energy use and the associated costs through the programs I discussed above. It is through educated choices and leveraging smart grid technology that our society can become more efficient and energy independent.

Finally, the NSGI is giving Naperville-area students a practical tool to learn about energy consumption and conservation and gain firsthand experience on emerging technologies and future careers. Smart grid technology is the future of the utility industry, and smart grid careers are rapidly becoming another way for young adults to earn a living. Our students will be able to learn about this technology right at home in a hands-on, real-world setting.

As always, I applaud the community for its progressive mindset and I hope that each of you will visit www.naperville.il.us/smartgrid.aspx to learn more about the NSGI and new programs that can help conserve energy.

Mark Curran is the director of public utilities — electric with the city of Naperville.

Mark Curran, the Director of Public Utilities – Electric with the City of Naperville submitted 2010

Read More..

School Uniforms

To require uniforms or not to require uniforms: that is the question many school districts are facing these days. Students in many cities are wearing uniforms to school, and parents across the country are facing off over proposals to institute uniform policies. All this fuss over khaki pants and a white shirt?

While private and parochial schools have long required students to follow a dress code or wear uniforms, public schools have traditionally allowed students to wear what they (and their parents) like. Pro-uniform parents say that only worked because schools used to be safer. Now that kids are getting mugged for their designer clothes and expensive sneakers, school uniforms seem a safer alternative to many. Furthermore, uniforms prevent gang members from wearing gang colors and insignia to school, and make it easier for security guards to spot intruders.

Of course, the lack of a dress code isn’t an issue only in high-crime areas. Middle-class students report peer pressure to buy expensive clothing, cliquish behavior exacerbated by differences in what students can afford, and kids wearing inappropriately sexualized clothing that isn’t conducive to studying. Rachel Berman, who graduated from a private high school that required uniforms, says, “the uniforms contributed to a more sedate, professional feel that I think made it easier to focus on school.”

On the flip side, opponents believe uniforms squash creativity and free expression and worry that they could prevent students from expressing their religious or political beliefs. (In fact, the law requires that religious garb like yarmulkes and head scarves cannot be prohibited, and expressive gear like political buttons is allowed unless it interferes with the rights of others, as with gang insignia.) Many schools have an “opt-out” clause for students who choose not to wear the uniform, and most provide free uniforms to those who cannot afford them.

“My two children attend a school with a lower school uniform and I love it,” says Marcia Turner. “Having a specific set of clothes the kids must choose from makes outfit selection a no-brainer. No more fights or discussions about what to wear since that decision has virtually been made for them.”

“You’ll have the popular girls and the nerdier girls with or without the uniforms,” says Daisy Kong, who graduated from a parochial school that required uniforms. Nonetheless, she adds that, “there were days in college where I actually found myself missing my uniform because I didn’t know what to wear and would spend 30-40 minutes shuffling through my closet.”

By Hannah Boyd

Read More..

Nenek Termuda di Dunia Berusia 23 Tahun

Rifca Stanescu dan cucu (DailyMail)

Putrinya melahirkan anak lelaki ketika berusia 11 tahun.

Seorang wanita gipsi menjadi nenek termuda di dunia pada usia 23 tahun. Rifca Stanescu, yang tinggal di desa Investi, Romania, melahirkan putrinya, Maria, saat berusia 13 tahun. Sementara Maria melahirkan putranya yang bernama Ion saat berusia 11 tahun.

"Saya senang bisa menjadi nenek, tapi aku sebenarnya berharap sesuatu yang lain pada Maria - dan sesuatu yang beda untuk saya. Ion adalah anak yang baik, dan ia sudah bertunangan dengan seorang gadis berusia 8 tahun," kata Rifca, seperti dikutip dari Daily Mail.

"Menurutku memiliki anak lelaki adalah hal yang baik, mereka tidak terlalu menderita dibandingkan anak perempuan," katanya.

Rifca lahir pada tahun 1985. Ia menentang keinginan keluarganya dan melarikan diri bersama pria penjual perhiasan yang jadi suaminya, Ionel Stanescu. Saat itu ia berusia 11 tahun dan Ionel 13 tahun. Satu tahun setelah mereka menikah Rifca hamil Maria.

"Aku ingin menikah dengannya, jadi aku setuju, dan tentu saja setelah kami menghabiskan malam bersama maka tidak ada yang bisa memisahkan. Sebenarnya aku pernah berjanji pada sebuah keluarga yang memiliki anak laki-laki ketika berusia dua tahun, tapi aku tidak mau melaksanakannya," kata Rifca.

Dalam budaya gipsi, keperawanan sangat dihargai. Hal itu lah yang membuat wanita gipsi menikah dalam usia yang sangat muda. Hal ini dilakukan agar calon suami yakin calon istrinya masih perawan. Keperawanan juga terkait dengan mas kawin dari keluarga calon suami. Hilangnya keperawanan berarti pembatalan kesepakatan.

"Sebelumnya keluarga saya sering bertengkar. Ayah pernah datang dan menyerang suami menggunakan pisau. Ayah ingin agar suami saya membayar 500 ribu Lei sebagai kompensasi. Keluarga membawaku pergi, tetapi setelah tiga hari aku kabur bersama suami," kata Rifca.

Setelah Maria lahir, keluarga Ionel membayar mas kawin pada ayah Rifca. Masalah mas kawin pun selesai. Rifca mengatakan sebenarnya ia memohon pada Maria untuk menyelesaikan sekolah. Tetapi Maria lebih memilih menikah dan hamil enam bulan kemudian.

"Aku tidak berusaha menghentikan Maria untuk menikah karena itu memang tradisi kami," kata Rifca. (umi)

VIVAnews

Read More..

Lumba-Lumba Bisa Ngobrol dengan Manusia

Lumba-lumba (Corbis)

Klik! Bak sepasang sahabat baru yang saling berbagi, sejumlah ilmuwan berhasil berkomunikasi dua arah dengan lumba-lumba meski hanya memakai bahasa konvensional.

Seperti diketahui, lumba-lumba masih menjadi makhluk hidup paling cemerlang kedua setelah manusia di dunia. Ia juga memiliki fitur otak yang kaya dan kecerdasan tinggi.

Memang, hewan mamalia pintar ini mudah kita temui di pusat satwa air, misalnya di Sea World. Di salah satu area pertunjukan, biasanya mereka berkomunikasi dengan para pawang di penangkaran. Sekelompok lumba-lumba akan menghibur para pengunjung dan kemudian sang pawang memberi ikan untuk sebagai hadiahnya.

Namun, kali ini ceritanya agak berbeda. Sejumlah ahli biologi perilaku baru saja berhasil membangun komunikasi dua arah dengan lumba-lumba liar di alam bebas pada studi pertamanya.

Dialah Dr Denise Herzing dan beberapa koleganya yang melakukan studi di Wild Dolphin Project Florida, Amerika Serikat. Mereka telah membentuk bahasa primitif dengan menggunakan suara, simbol, dan alat peraga.

"Sebelumnya sudah banyak penelitian seputar komunikasi antara manusia dan lumba-lumba, terutama di penangkaran. Mereka menggunakan ikan sebagai hadiah," kata Herzing pada Wired, Jumat 18 Februari 2011. "Tapi, iming-iming ikan di sini (Wild Dolphin Project) jarang digubris oleh lumba-lumba."

Eksperimen yang dilakukan melibatkan dua lumba-lumba dan dua ahli biologi. Para peneliti dimodali alat peraga seperti bola dan selendang untuk membantu lumba-lumba berkomunikasi.

Ketika lumba-lumba menekan tombol tertentu dengan hidungnya, maka peneliti melemparkan alat peraga yang sesuai ke dalam air. Demikian seterusnya. Hingga 3 bulan "kursus", peneliti bisa bermain dengan lumba-lumba hingga 40 sesi permainan, di mana satu sesi berdurasi setengah jam.

Dalam penelitian ini, Herzing menemukan bahwa anak lumba-lumba pria kurang tertarik berinteraksi dengna manusia. Sementara anak lumba-lumba perempuan terlihat sangat menikmati permainan.

"Ini memang waktunya anak lumba-lumba perempuan memiliki waktu bermain, karena nanti mereka akan menjadi seekor induk yang sibuk," jelas Herzing.

Dari 40 sesi, dia mengatakan, sesi bermain yang paling berhasil adalah ketika sejumlah ilmuwan berenang perlahan-lahan bersama lumba-lumba lalu saling kontak mata dan menirukan gerakan.

Untuk diketahui, studi ini telah diterbitkan dalam jurnal Acta Astronautica.
• VIVAnews

Read More..

A-level students advised to take gap year

Clearing: the anticipated demand means A-level students failing to get their required grades have been advised to take gap years.

Teachers and students have urged A-level pupils to “be selfish” if they miss their grades for university, warning they will need to think strategically to maximise their chances for next year’s entrance round amid unprecedented competition for places.

Record numbers are expected to be disappointed when A-level results are published next week, because the recession has made competition even fiercer for places, the numbers of which have been cut this year.

A Guardian id="IL_AD12">investigation this week found that many universities already have no places left to offer through clearing, while a number, including Warwick, the London School of Economics and Nottingham, had turned away even students predicted to get the new top A* grade. Some 170,000 could find themselves without a place.

Headteachers, such as Mike Griffiths of Northampton School for Boys, said it might be better for students to take a year off and reapply, if their grades were “reasonably good”.

“In the meantime, try to be selfish and think about what would help your career most in the next five years,” he said. John Guy, principal of Farnborough sixth form college, saidstudents who were committed to studying medicine or law might well secure a university course the second time around.

The National Union of Students urged teenagers not to panic. “There are still a lot of training, volunteering, and work opportunities out there,” Aaron Porter, NUS president said. “Talking to a service like Connexions will help you decide what option is right for you.”

Margaret Morrissey, of the campaigning group Parents Outloud, said unsuccessful university applicants should take a gap year, make the most of it and think strategically about where to apply for next year.

“There aren’t even the jobs for unlucky teenagers because they are being grabbed by older people,” she said. “If you don’t get a place, it will be totally disappointing, but there are other options. Do something positive like volunteering. But keep your finger on the button and don’t forget about applying to university.”

Read More..

Inilah Daftar IQ Tokoh Dunia !

Kecerdasan erat kaitannya dengan kemampuan kognitif yang dimiliki oleh individu. Kecerdasan dapat diukur dengan menggunakan alat psikometri yang biasa disebut sebagai tes IQ. Ada juga pendapat yang menyatakan bahwa IQ merupakan usia mental yang dimiliki manusia berdasarkan perbandingan usia kronologis.

Distribusi Normal disebut juga Distribusi Gauss. Distribusi probabilitas yang juga mewakili sifat2 natural. Misalkan sebaran tinggi badan , tingkat kecerdasan , rupawan , kewarasan dan lain lain. Dari penelitian , distribusi IQ adalah sebagai berikut.

* 50% dari nilai IQ jatuh antara 90 dan 110
* 70% dari nilai IQ jatuh antara 85 dan 115
* 95% dari nilai IQ jatuh antara 70 dan 130
* 99,5% dari nilai IQ jatuh antara 60 dan 140
* Nilai dari 132 sama dengan top 2%
* Sebuah skor 134 sama dengan atas 1%
* Nilai dari 68 sama dengan bawah 2%
* Nilai dari 66 sama dengan bawah 1%

Hasil itu menunjukkan bahwa orang genius sama langkanya dengan orang idiot. Mayoritas adalah IQ rata-rata. Hal yang menarik adalah IQ dari tokoh tokoh terkenal baik di masa lampau dalam sejarah atau tokoh yang masih hidup.
Daftar IQ dari Tokoh Yang Masih Hidup

* Fisikawan / Engineer Kim Ung-yong memiliki IQ diverifikasi 210
* Bouncer Christopher Michael Langan memiliki IQ diverifikasi 195
* Engineer Philip Emeagwali diduga memiliki IQ 190
* Juara Catur Dunia Garry Kasparov diduga memiliki IQ 190
* Penulis Marilyn Vos Savant memiliki IQ diverifikasi 186
* Aktor James Woods diduga memiliki IQ dari 180
* Politikus John H. Sununu diduga memiliki IQ dari 180
* Perdana Menteri Benjamin Netanyahu diduga memiliki IQ dari 180
* Matematikawan Andrew Wiles diduga memiliki IQ dari 170
* Juara Catur Dunia Judith Polgar diduga memiliki IQ dari 170
* Catur Grandmaster Robert Byrne diduga memiliki IQ dari 170
* Juara Catur Dunia Bobby Fischer diduga memiliki IQ dari 167
* Mathematician / Physicist Stephen W. Hawking diduga memiliki IQ lebih dari 160
* Microsoft Pendiri Paul Allen diduga memiliki IQ lebih dari 160
* Aktris Sharon Stone diduga memiliki IQ 154
Daftar IQ dari Tokoh Masa Lampau

* 190 – Ludwig Wittgenstein
* 190 – Sir Isaac Newton
* 190 – Franà § ois-Marie Arouet (Voltaire)
* 180 – Leonardo da Vinci
* 180 – David Hume
* 180 – Michelangelo Buonarroti
* 179 – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
* 176 – Emanuel Swedenborg
* 176 – Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz
* 175 – Johannes Kepler
* 175 – Edmund Spenser
* 175 – Baruch Spinoza
* 174 – John Stuart Mill
* 171 – Blaise Pascal
* 170 – Michael Faraday
* 170 – George Friedrich HÃ ¤ ndel
* 170 – Antoine Lavoisier

* 170 – Martin Luther
* 165 – Galileo Galilei
* 165 – Charlotte Brontà «
* 165 – Johann Sebastian Bach
* 165 – Thomas Hobbes
* 165 – Carl von Linna ©
* 165 – John Locke
* 165 – Joseph Priestley
* 165 – Ludwig van Beethoven
* 165 – Samuel Johnson
* 162 – Rena © Descartes
* 162 – Madame De Stael
* 160 – Albert Einstein
* 160 – Robert Boyle
* 160 – Benjamin Franklin
* 159 – Immanuel Kant
* 156 – Linus Carl Pauling

* 156 – Sofia Kovalevskaya
* 156 – Thomas Chatterton
* 156 – Olof Palme
* 155 – Rembrandt van Rijn
* 155 – Miguel de Cervantes
* 155 – Jonathan Swift
* 153 – Charles Darwin
* 153 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
* 150 – George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)
* 150 – Nicolaus Copernicus
* 150 – Abraham Lincoln
* 145 – Napoleon Bonaparte
* 145 – Anna Lindh
* 143 – George Sand (Aurore Dupin)
* 140 – George Washington
* 130 – Ulysses S. Grant
* 130 – Sir Francis

Image hosting by IMGBoot.com

Read More..

Is Obama Too Afraid of being in Indonesia This Month?

News on the postponement of US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Indonesia from June to November 2010 was no surprise to some Indonesians. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told Reuters in an email that Obama postponed the trip again in order to deal with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and other important issues.

In Jakarta, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal confirmed the postponement, saying "President Yudhoyono and his US counterpart agreed to set right date for the visit either in November or before that." Patti Djalal said , adding the two presidents spoke about it on the phone on Friday morning.

It was the second time in a little more than two months that Obama canceled a trip to Indonesia and Australia. He previously was due to have come to Jakarta in March but later decided to stay at home to give a final push to his healthcare overhaul plan in Congress. He later rescheduled his trip for mid-June but he had again informed Jakarta he could not make it.

Although it was not mentioned by the White House spokesman, some political observers had earlier predicted that besides the oil spill disaster, the shootings by Israeli military of humanitarian activists aboard the Freedom Flotialla’s MV Mari Marmara last May 31, would add pressure on Obama if he continued his plan to visit Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim majority country, this month,

Since the Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid-carrying ship where 19 activists were killed and tens of others were wounded including two Indonesians, demonstrations have been staged in Indonesia’s capital city and regions daily, to condemn not only the Zionist country, but also Uncle Sam as the Jewish state’s closest ally and protector, for doing nothing to stop the violence. One day after the Israeli assault in international waters, some 1,000 Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) members staged a rally outside the US embassy in Jakarta, on June 1, to condemn Israel’s attack and reject US President Barack Obama’s planned visit to Indonesia.

The protesters unfurled a number of banners which among others read "Wipe Out Israel," "Reject Obama," and "Send Troops to Palestine,". HTI orator Salman Al Farisi said Obama was Israel’s ally and therefore, he did not deserve to visit Indonesia, a staunch supporter of Palestinians’ struggle for an independent state. He also called on the Indonesian government not to be cheated by various policies issued by the superpower country.

In a rally held in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Friday, the local HTI members also voiced their objection to the visit of President Obama for letting human right violations by Israel go unpunished. House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I member I Al Muzzammil Yusuf Muzamil who is also coordinator of the Indonesian Parliamentary Caucus for Palestine said in Jakarta, last Monday that the Freedom Flotilla’s incident was also a test case for US President Barack Obama.

Obama’s efforts to reach out to the Islamic world could be considered to have failed if his government did not defend humanitarian and human rights after Israel’s arrogant attack. Another legislator believed that the Indonesian government should urge the United Nations to lobby the United States to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza.


"The United Nations must lobby the United States to end the blockade of Gaza by Israel and Egypt for dispatching of humanitarian aid such as food and medicines," Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Body (BKSAP) of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Hidayat Nur Wahid said in a rally participated in by thousands of members of the Prosperous and Justice Party (PKS) in Jakarta, Thursday (June 3).

If the UN fails to lobby the US, the international body should be dissolved, he said. Indeed, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had earlier intended to take up the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla early at his meeting with President Barack Obama in Jakarta later this month.

Presidential spokesman for international affairs Dino Patti Djalal said at a press conference at the presidential office in Jakarta on Tuesday (June 1), President Yudhoyono wished to raise the issue in the meeting with US President Obama because he was very concerned about the prospects of the peace process in the Middle East which was now being revived through the proximity talks involving western countries.

"The problem will be one of the issues to be discussed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Obama," he said.

Dino said the Israeli attack on the convoy of ships bringing humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza with activists from 50 countries on board would be a factual issue for discussion with President Obama because in a meeting with Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas in Jakarta last week President Yudhoyono had discussed the US position in the peace process to be undertaken.

Planned talks in Indonesia between Yudhoyono and Obama have to wait until November (God Willing!), but for sure, for those opposing the occupation of Palestine by the Zionists, Obama, as the head of state of the United States of America, which has been giving strong financial and political supports to Israel, is unavoidably also responsible for human rights violations committed by the Jewish country.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com

Read More..

Indonesia, Greenpeace and Carbon Gas Emission

For many years, developed countries like the U.S.A, Britain, Japan, have been blaming deforestation in Indonesia as one of the major cause of the increase of Carbon Gas Emission in the world

Beside that, environmental activists like Greenpeace have also been blaming and successfully forced foreign buyers i.e. Unilever and Nestle, to boycott Indonesia's forest based products.

Basically, I strongly oppose massive deforestation in Indonesia, because many of them were done illegally, causing natural disasters like frequent floods, landslides, and destroying the habitat of endangered species e.g Orangutan, Tigers, in Indonesia. Therefore I agree that such deforestation must be stopped or at least minimized.

However, I do not agree if Indonesia is lamed as a major producer of the world's Carbon Emission. As a matter of fact I strongly believed that those developed countries with their advanced industrial and other activities surely caused much larger Carbon Gas Emission, than deforestation in Indonesia.

Considering the above, I hope that Greenpeace would be fair by also paying more attention on Carbon Gas Emission in those developed countries. Especially that Indonesia has voluntarily promised to reduce 26% Carbon Gas Emission by 2020 and plan to stop new forestry license.

Read More..

Ternyata Ayam Lebih pandai Membedakan Warna

Para peneliti di Washington University School of Medicine di St. Louis, USA baru saja melaporkan penemuan mereka tentang disain biologis luar biasa yang ada di mata seekor ayam. Ternyata, seekor ayam memiliki lima jenis reseptor cahaya di matanya. Hebatnya, kelima reseptor tersebut terjalin sedemikian rapinya sehingga kesemuanya ada di seluruh bagian retina, sementara reseptor yang sejenis tidak ada yang saling bersebelahan. Subhanallah, puji Tuhan! Jalinan kelima reseptor yang demikian rapinya membuat seekor ayam dapat melihat banyak sekali warna di bagian manapun di retinanya.

Menurut Joseph C. Corbo, MD, PhD, seorang penulis senior yang merupakan seorang asisten profesor dalam bidang patologi dan imunologi serta dalam bidang genetik, pengaturan reseptor warna yang sedemikian rapinya sangat jauh melampaui apa yang terdapat di retina mamalia, termasuk manusia. Akibatnya, ayam lebih baik dalam membedakan warna ketimbang manusia! (Wah, untung ayam tak dapat membuat test buta warna, bisa jadi kita tak lolos test yang mereka buat lho - red)

Retina manusia memiliki reseptor yang sensitif terhadap panjang gelombang untuk warna merah, hijau, dan biru (RGB - Red, Green & Blue). Sementara retina ayam (atau unggas), selain memiliki reseptor untuk panjang gelombang ketiga warna tersebut, juga memiliki reseptor yang dapat mendeteksi panjang gelombang untuk warna ungu (violet) - termasuk ultraviolet - dan sebuah reseptor ganda yang diyakini oleh para peneliti membantu unggas untuk mendeteksi gerakan.

Susunan kelima reseptor yang tersebar merata di seluruh retina dan tak adanya reseptor sejenis yang saling bersebelahan memberi petunjuk adanya aturan yang berlaku menyeluruh, bahwa setiap reseptor dapat saling berdekatan, kecuali dengan reseptor sejenis. Dan ini dapat membantu para peneliti mempelajari kemampuan penglihatan manusia. Prof. Corbo pun menyatakan bahwa mereka berencana untuk mengembangkan penelitiannya ini untuk dapat dikaitkan dengan pemanfaatan stem cell dan teknik lain agar mampu menyembuhkan hampir 200 jenis kelainan genetik yang menyebabkan kebutaan. Semoga di kemudian hari saudara-saudara kita yang terkena gangguan penglihatan dapat menikmati hasil penelitian ini dan mampu melihat gemerlapnya dunia dengan terang benderang!

Read More..

6 Milyuner Paling Dermawan di Dunia !

1. Lakshimi Mittal

Asal Negara: India
Kewarganegaraan: Inggris
Usia: 56 tahun
Status Perkimpoian: Menikah, 2 anak
Perkiraan Kekayaan: 32 milyar (US$)
Sumber Pendapatan: Baja
Perkiraan jumlah uang yang telah disumbang untuk amal: 6/10 dari jumlah hartanya.

2. Warren Buffet

Asal Neqara: Amerika
Kewarganegaraan: Amerika
Usia: 76 tahun
Status Perkimpoian: Duda, 3 anak
Perkiraan Kekayaan: 52 milyar (US$)
Sumber Pendapatan: Investasi
Perkiraan jumlah uang yang telah disumbang untuk amal: 6/10 dari jumlah hartanya.


3. Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal Al Saud

(keponakan Raja Saudi Arabia)
Asal Neqara: Saudi Arabia
Kewarganeqaraari: Saudi Arabia
Usia: 49 tahun
Status Perkimpoian: Menikah, 2 anak
Perkiraan Kekayaan: 23,7 milyar (US$)
Sumber Pendapatan: Investasi
Perkiraan jumlah uang yang telah disumbang untuk amal: 6/10 dari jumlah hartanya.

4. Bill Gates

Asal Negara: Amerika
Kewarganegaraan: Amerika
Usia: 52 tahun
Status Perkimpoian: Menikah, 3 anak
Perkiraan Kekayaan: 59,2 milyar (US$)
Sumber Pendapatan: Microsoft
Perkiraan jumlah uang yang telah disumbang untuk amal: 6/10 dari jumlah hartanya.

5. Ingvar Kamprad

Asal Negara: Swiss
Kewarganegaraan: Swedia
Usia: 80 tahun
Status Perkimpoian: Menikah, 4 anak
Perkiraan Kekayaan: 33 milyar (US$)
Sumber Pendapatan: Ikea
Perkiraan jumlah uang yang telah disumbang untuk amal: 8/10 dari jumlah hartanya.

6. Carlos Slim Helu

Asal Negara: Meksiko
Kewarganegaraan: Meksiko
Usia: 67 tahun
Status Perkimpoian: Duda, 6 anak
Perkiraan Kekayaan: 67,8 milyar (US$)
Sumber Pendapatan: Telecom
Perkiraan jumlah uang yang telah disumbang untuk aural: 9/10 dari jumlah hartanya.

Read More..

Four Life Lessons from the Civil Rights Movement

Four Life Lessons from the Civil Rights Movement

“I have a dream . . . .” Most of us recognize the rhetoric behind the Civil Rights Movement. But behind these famous quotes were men and women of action. Honor the rich heritage of these African-American leaders by transforming their words and deeds into personal life lessons for both you and your child.

Thurgood Marshall: “What is the quality of your intent?”

The story: In 1930, Thurgood Marshall was denied entrance to the University of Maryland because of his race. Undeterred, Marshall graduated instead from Howard University’s law school, became the Chief Counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and in 1954 argued the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka case to the highest judicial body in the nation, later becoming the first African-American to sit on that Court.

The lesson: To help your children put Thurgood Marshall’s remarkable persistence into action, help them with their goal-setting. Have them determine something worth pursuing, first of all—and whether your daughter is trying to make the soccer team or your son is trying to get his Eagle Scout award, goal-setting is an important part of turning success into a routine. Break down long-term goals into smaller, more manageable steps, and most importantly, don’t be afraid of discussing potential setbacks or roadblocks and how to turn them into assets: after all, Marshall’s inability to gain admission to the University of Maryland sparked a lifetime of triumphantly championing Constitutional equality for all.

Little Rock Nine (Ernest Green): “We realized in 1957 that this was not an easy journey. It was one in which we thought we were simply exercising our right to the best education that was available in Little Rock, Arkansas.”

The story: The year was 1957 and three years after the groundbreaking Brown vs. Board of Education case, the Little Rock schools were beginning the process of desegregation. Contrary to a federal court mandate, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus ordered the Arkansas National Guard to prevent Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Terrence Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, Minnijean Brown, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Melba Beals and Themla Mothershed from entering the all-white Little Rock Central High. This prompted President Eisenhower to force integration; the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. National Guard then escorted the Little Rock Nine to school on September 25, 1957, where they would brave physical, emotional and psychological abuse from many of their white classmates and community members for the next year as they stood together for equality.

The lesson: The Little Rock Nine exemplified courage in the face of overwhelming odds. Fortunately, everyday courage doesn’t have to mean physical or emotional endangerment under such duress. Encourage your child to do something outside the realm of his or her comfort zone daily. Even simple, low-risk activities like sitting by someone new on the playground or volunteering an answer in class can be very empowering for children. Little, daily victories can help children to build up their self-esteem for those character-testing decisions down the road that might require real moral courage.

Read More..

Inilah Mesin Wudhu Dari Malaysia !

Dalam enam bulan ke depan, sebuah sebuah mesin wudu model baru bakal dipasarkan dengan harga 3.000-4.000 dollar per unit. Mesin wudu ini sebenarnya sudah diperkenalkan oleh penemunya, Anthony Gomez sejak tahun 2006 lalu dan model baru mesin wudu itu diluncurkan awal bulan Februari ini.

Mesin wudu model baru itu dirancang sedemikian rupa sehingga bisa menghemat air yang digunakan untuk wudu. Dengan mesin model baru ini, air yang digunakan untuk wudu hanya sekitar 1,3 liter, jauh lebih hemat dibandingkan dengan menggunakan keran air biasa. “Motivasi orang untuk menggunakan sistem mesin ini adalah menghemat air,” kata Gomez yang juga pimpinan AACE Tecnologies, perusahaan Malaysia yang memproduksi mesin wudu ini.

Dalam acara peluncuran perangkat itu di Kuala Lumpur, Gomez mengatakan, butuh waktu dua tahun untuk mengembangkan sistem komputerisasi mesin wudu itu dengan biaya sebesar 2,5 juta dollar. Menurutnya, mesin wudu ini sangat bermanfaat bagi negara-negara Muslim yang langka sumber airnya, misalnya negara Arab Saudi. Apalagi negara itu selalu padati jamaah haji setiap tahunnya.

“Selama ibadah haji, dua juta jamaah menghabiskan lebih dari 50 juta liter air per hari hanya untuk wudu. Jika mesin ini digunakan, air yang digunakan bisa dihemat hingga 40 juta liter setiap harinya,” kata Gomez.

Target pasar dari mesin wudu ini adalah masjid-masjid dan perkantoran. Sejumlah negara seperti Dubai, ungkap Gomez, sudah memesan mesin wudu itu untuk dipasang di bandara.

Di Malaysia sendiri, mesin wudu ini mungkin tidak terlalu dibutuhkan karena Malaysia termasuk negara yang sumber air bersihnya melimpah. “Ide mesin wudu ini bagus dan dibuat sesuai ajaran Islam yang mengajarkan agar hemat menggunakan air saat wudu. Tapi di Malaysia, air melimpah ruah sehingga Malaysia tidak membutuhkan mesin semacam ini,” komentar Aminudin, warga Malaysia.

Ide Mesin Wudu

Gomez terinspirasi untuk memproduksi mesin khusus untuk wudu ketika ia melakukan perjalanan dengan menggunakan kapal feri dari Mesir ke Yordania. Ia dan timnya ketinggalan kapal feri cepat dan terpaksa naik kapal feri biasa yang lebih lambat. Di kapal feri itu, Gomez merasa prihatin melihat toilet yang kotor dan selalu ramai oleh penumpang yang mengambil wudu. Saat itu, feri yang dinaiki Gomez memang sedang padat penumpang yang akan pergi umrah.

“Banyak dari mereka yang berwudu, mencuci kaki mereka tapi kemudian berjalan di lantai toilet yang kotor dan sama sekali tidak higienis. Meski saya bukan Muslim, saya merasa prihatin melihatnya,” ujar Gomez pada tahun 2006 saat pertama kali mengenalkan alat temuannya.

Gomez mengatakan, ia melakukan konsultasi dengan Dewan Islam Australia sebelum menciptakan mesin wudu itu. Dewan mengeluarkan fatwa yang isinya menyetujui mesin wudu digunakan. Dan di model mesin wudunya yang baru, Gomez melengkapinya dengan murotal Al-Quran. (ln/asiaone)

Read More..

Teleskop Hubble “Tangkap” Naga di Luar Angkasa

Teleskop luar angkasa Hubble merekam citra sebuah bayangan berbentuk mirip seperti naga. Selain itu, teleskop yang baru diperbaiki tersebut juga menemukan sejumlah keajaiban luar angkasa lainnya.

Pekan lalu, tepatnya pada Rabu (9/9/2009) lalu para ilmuwan merilis gambar-gambar terbaru yang direkam oleh teleskop Hubble.

Salah satu yang paling menarik dan membuat para ilmuwan takjub adalah gambar sebuah galaksi yang yang menyerupai bentuk naga dalam sebuah bayangan kosmis.

Sebenarnya, gambar tersebut merupakan citra dari sebuah galaksi spiral biasa, namun cahaya sinar membuatnya membentuk lekukan dan berbelok-belok menyerupai naga.

“Gambar Hubble terbaru menunjukkan keadaan galaksi yang lebih rinci dari sebelumnya,” kata david Leckorne dari Goddard Space Flight Center NASA di Maryland seperti dikutip dari New Scientist, Senin (14/9/2009).

Gambar ini diabadikan menggunakan kamera canggih milik Hubble yang baru saja diperbaiki pada Mei silam. Selain gambar ‘naga’ tersebut, NASA juga merilis gambar kelompok bintang beraneka warna, sebentuk bintang nebula, dan sekelompok galaksi yang saling berinteraksi.

Astronot Scott Altman yang terlibat dalam misi perbaikan Hubble Mei lalu menyatakan kekagumannya atas gambar-gambar yang dihasilkan Hubble.

“Gambar-gambar ini sungguh mengesankan saya dan seluruh anggota tim misi perbaikan Hubbe,” kata Altman.

sumber : Okezone

Read More..

Barack Obama on Education

Americans voted in Barack Hussein Obama as president of the United States in an election weighted down with the harsh realities of a down-turning economy and two costly wars. Now that the dust is beginning to settle, many Americans are wondering what the new president will do to improve their children's education.

Throughout his campaign, Barack Obama has said he plans to take a fresh, objective look at the age-old debate over education issues. “A truly historic commitment to education – a real commitment will require new resources and new reforms,” Obama says. “It will require a willingness to break free from the same debates that Washington has been engaged in for decades – Democrat versus Republican; vouchers versus the status quo; more money versus more accountability. And most of all, it will take a President who is honest about the challenges we face – who doesn’t just tell everyone what they want to hear, but what they need to hear.” Where does Obama stand specifically on the most pressing education issues? Here’s our cheat sheet on education according to Obama:

Standardized Testing

Standardized testing is stuck in the crossfire in the debate over accountability, and Obama has stepped up to take aim. He says that too often standardized tests fail to provide valuable or timely feedback. Meanwhile, “creativity has been drained from classrooms, as too many teachers are forced to teach to fill-in-the-bubble tests,” Obama says. He doesn’t go so far as to say he’ll drop testing completely; it should be one of the “tools that we use to make sure our children are learning. It just can’t dominate the curriculum to an extent where we are pushing aside those things that will actually allow children to improve and accurately assess the quality of the teaching that is taking place in the classroom.” How does he plan to revamp testing? “I will provide funds for states to implement a broader range of assessments that can evaluate higher-order skills, including students’ abilities to use technology, conduct research, engage in scientific investigation, solve problems, present and defend their ideas,” says Obama.

School Choice

Obama says his focus is on providing good schools for all kids, and that's why he does not support vouchers that allow parents to use public school money for private school. “We need to invest in our public schools and strengthen them, not drain their fiscal support,” he says. “In the end, vouchers would reduce the options available to children in need. I fear these children would truly be left behind in a private market system.” Obama is more open to charter schools working within the public school system, calling them “important innovators” which improve healthy competition among public schools. However, Obama says there need to be strong accountability measures in place.

No Child Left Behind

Obama's catch phrase for this topic is, “No Child Left Behind left the money behind,” meaning that unfulfilled funding promises have limited the program's effectiveness in improving public education. He says while the goals of No Child Left Behind are right, the way they’ve been implemented is wrong: there needs to be better assessment and a greater effort to ensure that every child has a successful teacher. “Particularly at a time when our nation is facing a shortage in teachers due to retirement and retention problems, it is important to ensure that we can attract, support, and retain high-quality teachers,” he says. How does Obama propose we do this? By experimenting with alternative preparation, mentoring and professional development programs, in addition to providing fresh incentives for serving high-need schools. Specifically, he plans to provide funding for 200 new Teacher Residency Programs, an idea he introduced in the Senate last year. In these programs, individuals completing coursework for teacher certification could serve as apprentices in the classrooms of veteran teachers, as long as they pledged at least three years of service in the sponsoring district.

Education.com

Read More..

Bandung Tours

Bandung also known as Kota Kembang (flowers city), Bandung about 140km from Jakarta-Indonesia. Bandung city regarded as the fashion center for Indonesia. Most goods and the latest fashion appeared in this city first, Bandung has so many factory outlets. On holidays, this city full of traffic because many people from other cities visit Bandung. Therefore, if you visit Bandung on holiday, it is good to use a bike to go around the city. Well I visited Bandung last week, even though the traffic kinda annoying but I still enjoyed the tour. Bandung is a metropolitan city you should visit. For me, if thinking about Bandung, i'm thinking about shopping and party. Hey... I bought a lot of good stuff at a low price in Bandung. Hoho...Shopping & party, Yay!

Read More..

7 Habits of Highly Successful Teens

For teens, life is not a playground, it's a jungle. And, being the parent of a teenager isn't any walk in the park, either. In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, author Sean Covey attempts to provide "a compass to help teens and their parents navigate the problems they encounter daily."

How will they deal with peer pressure? Motivation? Success or lack thereof? The life of a teenager is full of tough issues and life-changing decisions. As a parent, you are responsible to help them learn the principles and ethics that will help them to reach their goals and live a successful life.

While it's all well and good to tell kids how to live their lives, "teens watch what you do more than they listen to what you say," Covey says. So practice what you preach. Your example can be very influential.

Covey himself has done well by following a parent's example. His dad, Stephen Covey, wrote the book The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, which sold over 15 million copies. Sean's a chip off the old block, and no slacker. His own book has rung in a more than respectable 2 million copies sold. Here are his seven habits, and some ideas for helping your teen understand and apply them:

Be Proactive

Being proactive is the key to unlocking the other habits. Help your teen take control and responsibility for her life. Proactive people understand that they are responsible for their own happiness or unhappiness. They don't blame others for their own actions or feelings.

Begin With the End in Mind

If teens aren't clear about where they want to end up in life, about their values, goals, and what they stand for, they will wander, waste time, and be tossed to and fro by the opinions of others. Help your teen create a personal mission statement which will act as a road map and direct and guide his decision-making process.

Put First Things First

This habit helps teens prioritize and manage their time so that they focus on and complete the most important things in their lives. Putting first things first also means learning to overcome fears and being strong during difficult times. It's living life according to what matters most.

Think Win-Win

Teens can learn to foster the belief that it is possible to create an atmosphere of win-win in every relationship. This habit encourages the idea that in any given discussion or situation both parties can arrive at a mutually beneficial solution. Your teen will learn to celebrate the accomplishments of others instead of being threatened by them.

Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

Because most people don't listen very well, one of the great frustrations in life is that many don't feel understood. This habit will ensure your teen learns the most important communication skill there is: active listening.

Synergize

Synergy is achieved when two or more people work together to create something better than either could alone. Through this habit, teens learn it doesn't have to be "your way" or "my way" but rather a better way, a higher way. Synergy allows teens to value differences and better appreciate others.

Sharpen the Saw

Teens should never get too busy living to take time to renew themselves. When a teen "sharpens the saw" she is keeping her personal self sharp so that she can better deal with life. It means regularly renewing and strengthening the four key dimensions of life – body, brain, heart, and soul.

Read More..

A Fast-Track Alternative to a Teaching Job

ANXIETY about what comes next in midlife is gripping a lot of people these days, especially if their jobs are ending or they are nearing retirement age.

Linda Spillers for The New York Times

CAREER-CHANGERS Katie and Wylie Schwieder of Richmond, Va., turned to teaching.

Wylie Schwieder mulled over his prospects as his consulting job was winding down. And when his wife of 20 years, Katie, a former corporate trainer and business writing coach, came home on Sept. 3, 2007, their wedding anniversary, he was waiting on the front porch of their Richmond, Va., house with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

“I’ve decided to become a teacher,” he told his wife.

“Really,” she replied. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

Mr. Schwieder, 52, a former executive at CarMax and Capital One bank, became interested after a local science teacher told him about a fast-track way to become a teacher.

The idea of studying intensely, then getting into the classroom quickly, appealed to the couple, who have four children. Within three weeks they had signed up with the Career Switchers program, the Virginia-based program that requires applicants to pass an Educational Testing Service exam in the subject matter they want to teach, take an online course and attend a series of meetings to learn classroom teaching skills.

The program, which has helped more than 500 people earn licenses, costs $3,150 and takes about 18 months to complete.

Armed with a provisional one-year license, the new teacher spends a year of monitored classroom instruction before earning a renewable five-year state teaching license. The Schwieders are both teaching full time now. Virginia certifies the program, which was started in 2004 to address the shortage of math, science, reading and English teachers. The placement rate, said Rebecca Waters, the director, was 80 percent last year. This year, in the state budget crunch, placement has fallen to 42 percent.

Even so, teachers in math and science still find jobs. And over the long term, teaching may be a job haven because of its relative security and good benefits. A report by the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, a nonprofit research group, has estimated that about one million teachers could retire in the next four years. Career changers, according to a survey released in September 2008 by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, may help fill the anticipated vacancies. Among college-educated Americans 24 to 60 years old, the survey found, 42 percent would consider becoming a teacher.

But these alternative certification programs have their critics. A National Council on Teacher Quality report in 2007, for example, found that two-thirds of the programs were not selective in their admissions, accepting half or more of those who apply, and that instead of streamlining certification, they simply mimicked traditional teacher prep courses.

Virginia has one of the most streamlined programs for career changers and is among the 47 states that accept alternative teacher training. Over all, about 600 such programs contribute about 20 percent of the country’s new teachers each year, according to the Education Department.

One of the best-known programs nationally is the New Teacher Project, which this year had 40,000 applicants for its teaching fellow programs in 21 cities, which include New York and Chicago. That was up 44 percent from 2008. But only 10 percent of the applicants were accepted this year, compared with 15 percent last year, according to the project, which is based in Brooklyn.

Like the Career Switchers program in Virginia, the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence offers an online program that costs $975 and has so far issued 1,900 certifications. They are accepted by nine states, including Florida, Missouri and Pennsylvania. The board says people 50 and older account for one-fifth of its participants.

Among them is Ron Halverson, 52, who worked for two decades at Hewlett-Packard in engineering and finance. After taking early retirement two years ago, he became certified and is in his second year of teaching special education at Borah High School in Boise, Idaho.

Pursuing a traditional teaching degree would have been too long and costly, he said.

“I would not have been able to afford or pursue a second career without this program,” he said of the American Board. But it is “sometimes looked at negatively by those who have gone the traditional academic route.”

In Missouri, Bill DeLoach, 59, had a career in business sales and management. He left an executive position in a regional mutual fund company and completed the American Board program in science. He is now teaching physics at a high school in suburban St. Louis.

“I haven’t worked this hard in a long time,” Mr. DeLoach said. One difficulty of the program, which must be finished in a year, is the required 30 days of classroom teaching — at a time when people are lining up for substitute teaching jobs.

Mr. Schwieder, in Virginia, landed a job before getting his license. He passed his subject test in math in November 2007, and in January, as he was beginning his class work, a math position opened at Henrico High School in suburban Richmond.

He grabbed the chance to teach, but still had to juggle the 20 to 30 hours a week needed to complete the Career Switchers course work.

The program, which requires a bachelor’s degree and five years’ work experience for entry, is intended for people working full time, Mr. Schwieder said, but he said a Monday-to-Friday teaching job meant “I wasn’t placing a lot of value on sleep at the time.”

He then moved into a full-time math teaching position and received his five-year license. His wife, 51, now teaches English in a middle school.

While they both love teaching, there are some downsides, especially the pay, which averages about $50,000 nationally. (Prospective teachers should know, too, that in a dozen states, teachers do not participate in Social Security but in public employee retirement plans. Under current law, if second-career teachers earn Social Security benefits from a previous job or receive spousal benefits, those benefits can be reduced because of the teachers’ pension benefits.)

Two-thirds of those in the Woodrow Wilson survey said they expected to take a pay cut to become a teacher.
“The pay is dismal compared to a corporate career,” Mr. Schwieder said, “but we didn’t do it for the money. The challenge is huge. I’m trying to teach students to problem-solve. That’s something that can carry them through the rest of their lives.”

By ELIZABETH OLSON

Read More..

41st International Chemistry Olympiad

I am delighted that the 41st International Chemistry Olympiad will be held in Cambridge, UK in 2009. This is the first time that the event has been convened in the UK and I am especially pleased that Cambridge is the chosen venue. Its reputation as a Scientific Centre is unsurpassed and I am very happy to have this opportunity to share the delights of my city with you.



Chemistry remains, as it must, at the very centre of scientific endeavour. It spans the Natural Sciences and provides a basis of so much of the progress in both the physical and life sciences. The International Chemistry Olympiad is second to none in its ability to communicate and explore chemistry with others and provides the ideal forum for a truly international occasion.

-Professor Brian Johnson, President of the 41st IChO


At this time when sustainability is the pre-eminent issue facing the future of mankind, the need for outstanding young scientists - in particular chemists - to solve the plethora of sustainability problems has never been more vital. Recently science has become so intimately cross-disciplinary that fields such as molecular physics and molecular biology, which once appeared rather disparate have coalesced into arguably the most exciting branch of chemistry - much of it re-packaged under a new name - Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Whatever it is called, it is nothing other than the chemistry of the 21st century.



The Chemistry Olympiad promises to be a powerful catalyst of enthusiasm in bright young people to tackle what are not only vital humanitarian problems but excitingly fundamental scientific ones too. As my colleague the nobel laureate, Sir John Cornforth, has pointed out - "If you are a scientist, before long you realise that if the future is in anyone\'s hands, it\'s in yours."

-Professir Sir Harry Kroto, Nobel Laureate and Patron of the 41st IChO

Read More..

Leiden University Excellence Scholarship programme

Tanggal berlaku : 11 Juli 2009 - 15 Oktober 2009

Keterangan :
Leiden University Excellence Scholarship programme

Netherlands - Leiden University offers scholarships to outstanding non-EU/EEA students pursuing an English taught master’s degree programme at Leiden University.

About Leiden Univeristy

Leiden University is a comprehensive and research intensive university with a 430-year history of producing outstanding graduates. A Leiden master’s diploma provides you with a firm basis for entering the employment market both at home and internationally.

Areas of Interest

* Arts and Humanities
* Business, Communication and IT
* Education
* Law/Criminology for Dutch Students (regular LL.M./Msc)
* Law for International students and professionals (LL.M./LL.M. Advanced )
* Science and Biomedical Science
* Social and Behavioural Sciences

Who is eligible
Non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a Leiden University master’s degree programme starting September 2009 or February 2010 ( All MA, MSc and LL.M programmes as mentioned on the website Master’s programmes in Leiden).

All nationalities enrolling in the following programmes starting September 2009 or February 2010:
- Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in Air and Space Law
- Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in European and International Business Law
- Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in International Tax Law
- Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in Public International Law
- MA in International Relations and Diplomacy

Students should be aware that the LExS is not a full scholarship. It is necessary to find additional funding to be able to finance their study and stay completely.

One of the requirements for being granted a residence permit in the Netherlands is that students must submit proof that they have sufficient financial means to finance their study period in the Netherlands. Leiden University advises a budget, not including the tuition fee, of approx. €10,000 to €14,000 per year to cover the costs for rent, insurance, living expenses, course books and local transportation. How much money students actually spend will of course depend on their life style and spending habits.

APPLICATION

To apply for the scholarship, you should write a letter of motivation (in Word) of a maximum of 500 words, in which you indicate why you believe you should be considered for this scholarship. The Word document can then be attached to your online application for the master’s programmes for which you are applying.

Application DEADLINE

April 1 for programmes starting in September 2009
October 15 for programmes starting in February 2010

CONTACT INFORMATION

Postal address
Leiden University
P.O. Box 9500
2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands
Visiting address
Rapenburg 70
2311 EZ Leiden
Phone
+31 (0)71 527 27 27 (operator)

Read More..