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Lacking other meaningful data, university faculty devise their own evaluation systems

CORVALLIS, Ore. - In the fast-growing and job-rich disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, improving instruction at the college level is critical to keeping students engaged in these fields.

But filling in bubbles on institutionalized end-of-term teacher evaluation questionnaires, a standard practice at many large research universities, often fails to produce timely and meaningful data for improving instruction, according to a new study from Oregon State University that explores how faculty are evaluating their teaching practice.

Astronomers identify a young heavyweight star in the Milky Way

Astronomers have identified a young star, located almost 11,000 light years away, which could help us understand how the most massive stars in the Universe are formed. This young star, already more than 30 times the mass of our Sun, is still in the process of gathering material from its parent molecular cloud, and may be even more massive when it finally reaches adulthood.

How cars could meet future emissions standards: Focus on cold starts

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 22, 2016 -- Car emissions is a high-stakes issue, as last year's Volkswagen scandal demonstrated. Pressure to meet tightening standards led the carmaker to cheat on emissions tests. But wrongdoing aside, how are automakers going to realistically meet future, tougher emissions requirements to reduce their impact on the climate? Researchers report today that a vehicle's cold start -- at least in gasoline-powered cars -- is the best target for future design changes.

Reducing tire waste by using completely degradable, synthetic rubber

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 22, 2016 -- Scrap tires have been on environmentalists' blacklist for decades. They pile up in landfills, have fed enormous toxic fires, harbor pests and get burned for fuel. Scientists trying to rid us of this scourge have developed a new way to make synthetic rubber. And once this material is discarded, it can be easily degraded back to its chemical building blocks and reused in new tires and other products.

Lousy jobs hurt your health by the time you're in your 40s

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Job satisfaction in your late 20s and 30s has a link to overall health in your early 40s, according to a new nationwide study.

While job satisfaction had some impact on physical health, its effect was particularly strong for mental health, researchers found.

Those less than happy with their work early in their careers said they were more depressed and worried and had more trouble sleeping.

And the direction of your job satisfaction - whether it is getting better or worse in your early career - has an influence on your later health, the study showed.

Bubble-wrapped sponge creates steam using sunlight

How do you boil water? Eschewing the traditional kettle and flame, MIT engineers have invented a bubble-wrapped, sponge-like device that soaks up natural sunlight and heats water to boiling temperatures, generating steam through its pores.

Lousy jobs hurt your health by the time you're in your 40s

SEATTLE -- Job satisfaction in your late 20s and 30s has a link to overall health in your early 40s, according to a new nationwide study.

While job satisfaction had some impact on physical health, its effect was particularly strong for mental health, researchers found.

Those less than happy with their work early in their careers said they were more depressed and worried and had more trouble sleeping.

And the direction of your job satisfaction -- whether it is getting better or worse in your early career -- has an influence on your later health, the study showed.

Is divorce seasonal? UW research shows biannual spike in divorce filings

To everything there is a season -- even divorce, new research from University of Washington sociologists concludes.

Associate sociology professor Julie Brines and doctoral candidate Brian Serafini found what is believed to be the first quantitative evidence of a seasonal, biannual pattern of filings for divorce. The researchers analyzed filings in Washington state between 2001 and 2015 and found that they consistently peaked in March and August, the periods following winter and summer holidays.

Is divorce seasonal? Study shows biannual spike in divorce filings

SEATTLE -- To everything there is a season -- even divorce, new research from University of Washington sociologists concludes.

Associate sociology professor Julie Brines and doctoral candidate Brian Serafini found what is believed to be the first quantitative evidence of a seasonal, biannual pattern of filings for divorce. The researchers analyzed filings in Washington state between 2001 and 2015 and found that they consistently peaked in March and August, the periods following winter and summer holidays.

'I miss you so much': How Twitter is broadening the conversation on death and mourning

Death and mourning were largely considered private matters in the 20th century, with the public remembrances common in previous eras replaced by intimate gatherings behind closed doors in funeral parlors and family homes.

But social media is redefining how people grieve, and Twitter in particular -- with its ephemeral mix of rapid-fire broadcast and personal expression -- is widening the conversation around death and mourning, two University of Washington sociologists say.

'I miss you so much': How Twitter is broadening the conversation on death and mourning

SEATTLE -- Death and mourning were largely considered private matters in the 20th century, with the public remembrances common in previous eras replaced by intimate gatherings behind closed doors in funeral parlors and family homes.

But social media is redefining how people grieve, and Twitter in particular -- with its ephemeral mix of rapid-fire broadcast and personal expression -- is widening the conversation around death and mourning, two University of Washington (UW) sociologists say.

NASA monitors the 'new normal' of sea ice

This year's melt season in the Arctic Ocean and surrounding seas started with a bang, with a record low maximum extent in March and relatively rapid ice loss through May. The melt slowed down in June, however, making it highly unlikely that this year's summertime sea ice minimum extent will set a new record.

NASA spots strong convection in strengthening Tropical Storm Kay

NASA's Aqua satellite passed over tropical cyclone Kay as it was designated a depression in the Eastern Pacific and identified areas of strong convection. That strong uplift of air continued to generate more powerful storms in the system and on Aug. 19 it strengthened into a tropical storm.

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite analyzed Kay as it was classified as a depression on Aug. 18 at 4:53 p.m. EDT (2053 UTC).

NASA sees wind shear affecting Tropical Storm Fiona

An image from NASA's Aqua satellite showed that southwesterly wind shear was affecting Tropical Storm Fiona, pushing clouds to the northeast of the center.

On August 18 at 12:05 p.m. EDT (16:05 UTC) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite provided a visible light image Fiona. The image showed that strong thunderstorms and deep convection (rising air that forms them) circled the center and were being pushed to the northeast of the center.

NASA sees Tropical Storm Lionrock south of Japan

Tropical Storm Lionrock was moving south of Japan when NASA's Terra satellite passed overhead and looked at the large storm in infrared light.

On Aug. 19 at 9:10 a.m. EDT (13:10 UTC) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite read cloud top temperatures in Tropical Storm Lionrock as it moved through the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The infrared data showed Lionrock has a large low-level center with shallow and weak bands of thunderstorms wrapping into an ill-defined center