Ars Hermeneutica

Director Seeks Producer

JNShaumeyer — 2008-07-08T20:32:22Z

Ars Hermeneutica is a nonprofit science education and research corporation. Science literacy is our cause. Our mission is to advance science and increase the public understanding of science. We are incorporated and registered in the state of Maryland. We have a functioning and lively board of directors. We have obtained recognition of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS.

I am the president and sole full-time employee, still volunteer. To this point in my career I have worked mostly as a physical scientist. If Ars Hermeneutica were a company producing a movie, my role would be that of director looking for a producer.

I need a partner in day-to-day operations who can help me advance the work of the company on several fronts simultaneously. We need to make contacts, develop ideas, establish priorities, create plans, and put plans into action, all geared towards growing the company to its first, self-sustaining plateau. The focus of our initial projects is informal science education for adults and children. Examples: the Sun Truck or our Science-Book Challenge 2008.

I seek a partner who can bring intellectual diversity, experience, and vitality to the company. The successful applicant may be a scientist or non-scientist but must have an interest in how science works, a desire to share that interest with others, and an abiding belief in the value of science. I welcome the interest of retired professionals.

I expect this to be a volunteer-to-hire position. Part-time in the near-term, it could become full-time salaried in a role that suits your interests and experience. Remaining a part-time volunteer is an option.

Full-time face-time will not be necessary at the start. However, the company is centered in Bowie, Maryland, and our eventual offices will be near Bowie, so proximity will become desirable.

Please send an interesting and informative cover letter with a resume or curriculum vitae to: producer[at]ArsHermeneutica[dot]org. More information: http://ArsHermeneutica.org.

The Sun Truck Brochure

JNShaumeyer — 2007-12-18T06:07:34Z

The material in The Sun Truck section is available as a PDF file.

Download and share!

Shedding Light

JNShaumeyer — 2007-12-18T06:04:58Z

Targeted at pre-teens and their parents, The Sun Truck will awaken a sense of wonder and excitement in people who think that science has no personal relevance for them.

We invite our visitors to see science for themselves and to know the natural world through their own senses. We encourage everyone to explore what is all around us each and every day.

We want to show kids and adults first hand what science is and how it works. We want to enrich lives and empower citizens by opening minds to science as something that everyone can understand.

The Sun Truck pilot program will deploy two mobile observatories across Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.

Together they will make 150 week-long visits to neighborhoods throughout the region, bringing a fresh, first-hand look at science within sight of 2 million people.

A Shining Example

JNShaumeyer — 2007-12-18T06:02:50Z

The Sun is an ideal subject for igniting curiosity about science. Everyone has seen it, but few have the chance to look at it closely.

The Sun is the biggest and brightest illustration of concepts from nearly every scientific discipline. That makes it a natural teaching laboratory.

The Sun Truck aims to make a big example of the Sun—literally! We are bulding a mobile solar observatory in a semi-tractor trailer that we will move from neighborhood to neighborhood.

The Sun Truck will be parked in public, high-traffic locations to catch the eye and interest of people passing by.

At the rear of the truck you'll find our unique heliotron, a 64-square-foot array of flat-screen television monitors that continuously displays a 7-foot diameter, real-time image of the Sun captured by our own unique, optical-digital hybrid solar telescope.

Inside and out, The Sun Truck is all Sun all the time, packed with an abundance of wonders about the Sun. Visitors to The Sun Truck will be intrigued and delighted by

Giant, real-time solar images captured on location
Incredible real-time imagery from NASA's solar-orbiting observatories: SOHO & STEREO
An interactive, self-guided exhibit about the Sun
A knowledgable docent to answer questions and discuss ideas
A sun shop of entertaining and enlightening toys, books, and videos for all ages

The image of the sun shows a large, very bright coronal mass ejection (CME) that appeared on 24 January 2007. The source of the CME was an active region on the solar surface that had just started to rotate into view the next day. This image is actually a composite of the CME image, taken with teh LASCO C2 coronograph, and an EIT 304 Angstrom image of the Sun taken at nearly the same time, enlarged and superimposed on the occulting disk of the coronograph.

Courtesy of SOHO/LASCO consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.

Fresh Seeing

JNShaumeyer — 2007-12-18T05:58:44Z

It is a truism of science that a new way of seeing means seeing in a new way. The invention of the telescope, the microscope, the radio telescope, and MRI machines opened the eyes of science. There followed new discoveries, new theories, and new understanding of the natural world.

Seeing the world from a fresh perspective challenges our viewers to see science from a new perspective. The Sun Truck provides a “Wow!” experience to children and adults by showing them an instantly recognizable image of our Sun in a new and unfamiliar way.

For most it will be a novel first-hand experience. In a moment the Sun is transformed from a bright, featureless spot in the sky into a wondrous object with amazing features: the churning solar surface, sunspots, the mysterious corona, solar prominances, and coronal mass ejections.

Bringing The Sun Truck into neighborhoods makes first-hand science accessible, immediate, and part of everyday life.

Meet Ars Hermeneutica

JNShaumeyer — 2007-02-23T00:59:30Z

Our mission is to advance
science and increase the public
understanding of science.

We envision a scientifically
literate America.

There are many rewarding reasons to learn about science, but why should someone learn about science? The best reason we can think of is this: everyone can use a good snake-oil detector.

An educated citizen is the ideal participant in a democracy. Ponder today's public-policy topics: global warming, stem-cell research, bird-flu epidemics, biohazardous warfare, “peak oil”, alternative energies, endangered species, etc. Without some grounding in rational skepticism and analytical reasoning, a person can't even enter the conversation, let alone distinguish the charlatans and demagogues who are driven by their own agendas and who try to manipulate science for their own ends rather than the public good. Without some skills in rational skepticism and analytical reasoning, this citizen is disenfranchised and too easily exploited.

We believe that many want to be interested in science but are so overwhelmed by the imposing and seemingly impenetrable edifice of science that they are discouraged. The challenge we've accepted is to show people the way in and to excite their interest in science so that they can discover science on their own. We intend to catalyze their personal science experience.

When we incorporated Ars Hermeneutica, Limited, in November 2004, it was in a relatively intense anti-scientific time. Global warming was claimed to be scientifically controversial and there were mounting rumors that the Republican White House was suppressing relevant scientific results. Darwinian evolution was claimed to be scientifically controversial and court cases were playing out that tried to force school districts to design their science curricula based on political or religious rather than scientific considerations. Allegations of political breaches of scientific integrity were rife.

American society has always had an uneasy relationship with enlightenment ideals: anti-intellectualism is a widespread national affliction. At its root is a critical failure to comprehend science, its results and methods, and its value in everyday life. That's why we created Ars Hermeneutica as a nonprofit research and education corporation with a commitment to improving the public understanding of science.

“Ars Hermeneutica” translates from the Latin as “the art of understanding and communication”, which summarizes our interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It also encompasses our educational goals. Our name encapsulates our vision of a scientifically literate America and our strategy for achieving it.

Ars Hermeneutica, Limited, is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to scientific research and education. The company is recognized as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service and all contributions to Ars Hermeneutica are tax deductible as allowed by law.

2006 Annual Report

JNShaumeyer — 2007-02-08T02:00:45Z

Our first annual report, for 2006, is available as a downloadable PDF:

Annual Report 2006

Support Ars Hermeneutica

JNShaumeyer — 2006-12-05T00:28:26Z

Ars Hermeneutica, Limited is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation registered in the state of Maryland. All US contributions to Ars Hermeneutica are fully tax deductible as allowed by law.

This is an exciting time for Ars Hermeneutica. We're still very young, still very small, and overflowing with good ideas. Every month seems to bring a new milestone, our overhead is tiny, and small gifts still have big effects in moving us closer to realizing our vision of a scientifically literate America.

A Note About Credit-Card Fees: Organizations that accept credit-card donations on our behalf charge us small processing fees. We invite you to use whichever service is more convenient for you, but you might like to know how to give with your credit card and minimize the fee.

Google Checkout currently charges no fees
AmEx GivingExpress charges 2.5% (AmEx cards only)
Network for Good's fees (4.75%) are less than PayPal for donations less than $16
PayPal's fees ($0.30 + 2.9%) are less than Network for Good for donations larger than $16

Online Contribution with Google Checkout

Contribute easily and instantly with Google Checkout, using your account and the box at right — just fill in the amount, click, and go!

If you're new to Google checkout, creating an account is fast and you can use the same account with all Google Checkout merchants.

Online Contribution with Network for Good

Network for Good is a nonprofit organization that provides fund-raising services to other nonprofit organizations, like Ars Hermeneutica. Clicking on the tablet at the left whisks you to the Ars Hermeneutica page at Network for Good, where you can use your credit card to make a one-time donation or set up a recurring contribution.

Online Contribution with PayPal

Use your credit card and contribute immediately to Ars Hermeneutica online through PayPal's secure servers. Just click on the button at left. You do not need to have a PayPal account. Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover are accepted.

Online through AmEx GivingExpress

If you are an American Express member, you can use your card online to make a monetary donation, or you can donate AmEx Membership Rewards points. You might even get Bonus points for donating! Give to Ars Hermeneutica through this link.

By Check

A check or money order, payable to "Ars Hermeneutica" (US funds only, please), may be mailed to

Ars Hermeneutica, Limited
6505 Alexis Drive
Bowie, MD 20720-4760

Matching Gifts

If your employer has a matching gift program, your could double, or in some cases triple, your donation to Ars Hermeneutica.

Verizon Employees: Volunteer 50 hours or more each year to Ars Hermeneutica and earn a $750 grant to Ars through the Verizon Foundations's Volunteer Incentive Program.

Search the Web

Every time you search the web using GoodSearch and specify Ars Hermeneutica as your designated nonprofit, we get a penny, they get a penny, and you get free results from the Yahoo! search engine.

Give Books to Ars

It's no secret around here that we cherish books as a great way to spread knowledge and wisdom. Send us a book or two from our lengthy Wish List at Powell's City of Books, deduct the cost of the books, and they'll become part of Ars' permanent library. (Use the address given above in "by mail" for our shipping address.)

Buy Ars Stuff

If you want to show off your associate with Ars Hermeneutica and help us spread our message, you might considering buying some stuff decorated with the Ars logo from the Ars Hermeneutica shop at CafePress. Like this elegant mug, for instance. Of each item's purchase price, $3 is a tax-deductible contribution to Ars.

Buy Stuff for Yourself

Ars Hermeneutica is a recognized charity at Giveline, where you can shop for books, movies, music, video games, electronics, and other stuff and Ars Hermeneutica gets a contribution from your purchase. Use this link and Ars Hermeneutica is preselected as your charity of choice.

In-Kind Contributions

We are a young & growing organization with many needs. In-kind contributions of tangible goods like office supplies, computer equipment, electronics, &c., might serve us well and is still tax deductible for you. Please contact us to discuss your possible gift.

Give Stock

A gift of stock can give you added tax benefits: in addition to your deductible charitable donation, you can avoid paying capital gains tax on the the appreciated value of your securities. Your tax advisor can provide more information.

Corporate Sponsorship

We have education projects in the pipeline that are perfect for corporate sponsorship, both small and large. Contact us and we can discuss possibilities.

Network for Ars

Someone you know wants to know about our projects and our goals. Help us get together.

The Sun Project

JNShaumeyer — 2006-11-14T22:21:18Z

The Sun is an ideal subject for sparking curiosity about science: it's there every day, everyone is aware of it, everyone takes an interest in it, but most people know rather little about the Sun.

In many ways the Sun is a simple thing, a big furnace that burns hydrogen fuel. However, understanding the Sun and its importance in our lives draws on many scientific disciplines and provides endless opportunities for learning moments. Some immediate questions come to mind, such as: What disciplines, and why?

The answer to the question of how the sun “works” is a subject for nuclear physics, but how hot it is calls for thermal physics. To understand what the solar wind is, dip into space physics. Lots of people talk about “the greenhouse effect,” but what science explains it? Environmental science. Then, there is the hydrodynamics of why sunspots move, and there is the plasma physics of the solar corona. The list is filled with fascinating topics.

Ars Hermeneutica is developing projects that use the Sun as an educational tool. Currently, “Sun: The DVD”, through captivating images and words, is designed to provoke curiosity in learning more about the Sun.

The image of the sun shows a solar prominence erupting from the solar surface in July 2002. White regions are hot compared to relatively cooler regions in red. The photograph was taken in ultraviolet light by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope on NASA's SOHO spacecraft.

Science Besieged

JNShaumeyer — 2006-11-14T22:04:42Z

Science Besieged is an online resource, a collection of short articles that illustrate scientific ideas and their relationship to society in engaging and digestible presentations. We mean the articles to excite an interest in science and science issues in the reader. Science Besieged encapsulates several of our ideas about casual science education.

Quoting from the online page describing the purpose of Science Besieged:

This online resource is a browsing encyclopedia, a collection of articles on topics that examine the role of science in society and that expose, document, and elucidate attacks on science, largely through presenting the positive work and words of scientists, science supporters, and science advocates. Our goal is not to antagonize, cajole, inveigle, or nag. Science Besieged tells stories that show how the threads of science and technology are woven into the fabric of society. As an antidote to anti-scientism we invite readers to explore and discover the value and excitement of science for themselves. Ars Hermeneutica's organizing mission includes doing all we can to educate the public about the goals, methods, and results of science, engineering, and mathematics. The Science Besieged Project is an expression of that commitment.

In 2006 we have introduced a new feature of Science Besieged: "Book Notes". As we described them online, "Book Notes are our brief assessments of books about science and technology and their relationship with society, books that are enjoyable and enlightening."