Chris,

There are also many battles out here that need fighting in addition to =
getting the last nanometer resolution from a homebrew seismometer.  For =
the past nine years  I have been involved with a regional science fair =
and have not seen a single seismometer project.  The closest I have seen =
was using a vibration device to measure the ride of an automobile.  I =
had one highschool teacher who let me operate my Lehman from her =
classroom for a couple weeks each year but now she is gone and there is =
zero interest in seismology in the area.  From where I sit there will =
not be any new seismologists to use those last bits of resolution.  =
Anyone providing a spark of imagination and an avenue of entry for =
interested young minds is making a great contribution to seismology or =
more broadly science.  Earth science is falling out of classroom time in =
favor or green and alternative energy.  What will give a student more =
pride and motivation,  connecting a professional device with no =
understanding of it or constructing a caveman device and recording a =
distant quake?  We are up against Facebook and IPhones for kids time and =
energy.

Randy







Chris,
 
There are also many battles out =
here that need=20
fighting in addition to getting the last nanometer resolution =
from a=20
homebrew seismometer.  For the past nine years  I have =
been=20
involved with a regional science fair and have not seen a single =
seismometer=20
project.  The closest I have seen was using a vibration device to =
measure=20
the ride of an automobile.  I had one highschool teacher who let me =
operate=20
my Lehman from her classroom for a couple weeks each year but now =
she is=20
gone and there is zero interest in seismology in the area.  From =
where I=20
sit there will not be any new seismologists to use those last bits of=20
resolution.  Anyone providing a spark of imagination and an avenue =
of entry=20
for interested young minds is making a great contribution to seismology =
or more=20
broadly science.  Earth science is falling out of classroom time in =
favor=20
or green and alternative energy.  What will give a student more =
pride and=20
motivation,  connecting a professional device with no understanding =
of=20
it or constructing a caveman device and recording a distant =
quake?  We=20
are up against Facebook and IPhones for kids time and =
energy.
 
Randy