色花堂app

色花堂app鈥檚 environmental chemistry class takes an annual field trip to Yellowstone National Park to investigate the unique geothermal features of the park. This year the chemistry department launched both a website and app giving more information on the chemistry of the three basic types of geothermal springs.

The website provides information about chemical reactions that ultimately shape the springs into terraces, geysers, and mud volcanoes, and the app allows students on the trip to record their sampling information, including pictures, of each site they visit. The app automatically displays the sampling site on Google maps, loads physical and chemical information concerning that site, and displays photos of the area.

With 15 students all working at once, accurately disseminating the information each student collects to the rest of the class used to be difficult. Now, using their smart phones, the students are able to load their individual data onto the app which displays the information on the website.

The app was ISU chemistry Professor Jeffrey Rosentreter鈥檚 idea and was designed by Jeff Kuhlmeier, a chemistry undergraduate student who also has an aptitude for computer science.

鈥淲ithout Jeff this thing wouldn鈥檛 have gotten done,鈥� said Rosentreter.

鈥淭he whole process was made possible in a short amount of time thanks to Open Data Kit for data collection, and Google鈥檚 API鈥檚 for data aggregation and presentation,鈥� said Kuhlmeier.

Another useful feature of the app is that it is able to store data temporarily on phones. The lack of cell service in some areas of the national park makes it necessary to house the data on the phone鈥檚 memory until cell service becomes available again. The process is seamless, so no information gets lost and users don鈥檛 have to resend data.

鈥淚t was a great experience to see the how the tools I brought together being used by the Environmental Chemistry class,鈥� said Kuhlmeier. 鈥淭hey enjoyed putting it through its paces and providing feedback for improvement.鈥�

The app also has potential to be used in different classes and fields of study.

鈥淚t鈥檚 set up to use in any field-sampling situation. I could see it ecology, biology, geoscience, even anthropology,鈥� said Rosentreter. 鈥淥ne thing is we are time-limited in Yellowstone. It much easier for students to enter data with this app. It鈥檚 so much more organized.鈥�

The app has allowed the chemistry field trips to gather more accurate data while saving time at each sampling site.

鈥淲ith some of the sites a bit off the beaten path, we need to keep moving to get our work done,鈥� said Rosentreter, 鈥淒ata logging on mobile devices is fast becoming the norm in the regulatory world, and it鈥檚 nice to introduce the student to this quality control sampling now in class.鈥�

Rosentreter believes that this will make chemistry students excited to be a part of the field, as well as attracting new students.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really launched what we do into the 21st century,鈥� he said.

The app is located at .