Tools of Science

Tools of Science is a series of educational videos designed to help students explore the nature and process of science. These short videos can be used to introduce the science and engineering practices from the point of view of practicing scientists, helping to illustrate the non-linear, cyclical nature of science and the creative vision and skills needed to conduct scientific research.  The series was produced by the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University and Talipia Films.

As part of the Data Labs project, we helped to produce the following film, Data as a Tool, which features the OOI and focuses on NGSS Practice 4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data.

Data as a Tool

For scientists, data is perhaps the most important tool for discovery. Data is what makes testing hypotheses and running experiments possible. But just like any tool, data needs to be used correctly. It’s important to not only know how the data is collected but also how to analyze it after it’s been collected. In this video, we explore why data is critically important to the scientific process, what makes good data, and how to use data correctly. We’ll also look at what makes the OOI (Ocean Observatories Initiative) so revolutionary when it comes to data collection.

Creativity

This new video on creativity in science was released in early 2024, and was supported by a NSF Growing Convergence Research project lead by Rutgers University.

You might think that being creative is just for people who create art make up stories like artists and writers and musicians. What you don’t know is that creativity, or the ability to come up with new ideas, is an integral part of doing science. In fact, each step in the process of science requires creativity and the best scientists are those that can think creatively. And when scientists from different disciplines come together their collective creativity can blossom even more empowering them to solve grand challenges.

Other Tools of Science Videos

We encourage you to check out the other videos in the series, and the lessons available on the Tools of Science website.  Each one highlights a specific Science and Engineering practice.