Earl Bakken and Wilson Greatbatch Receive Top Engineering Award On February 20, Earl Bakken and Wilson Greatbatch were honored for their seminal work on the cardiac pacemaker with the Russ Prize, a new national award that was created as engineering's answer to the Nobel Prize. Established by the National Academy of Engineering, the Russ Prize recognizes advancement of science and engineering achievements that not only improve a person's quality of life, but that also have widespread application or use. The first biennial prize was awarded to Earl Bakken for his development in 1957 of the first wearable, battery-powered pacemaker, and to Wilson Greatbatch for his development in 1959 of the first implantable pacemaker. On February 24, The Bakken honored Earl Bakken's winning of the Russ Prize by hosting a free admission day. Approximately 300 visitors participated in the day's events, which included ECG readings, hands-on activities, a presentation on the history of pacemakers, and a display of inventions by students in the Earl Bakken Science Program. Another temporary display of historic pacemakers, which highlighted Bakken's original wearable device, was viewed by a total of 1,900 people before it closed.

Earl Bakken accepts the prestigious Russ Prize. "My first pacemaker - the one that was used on children before being replaced with the little white box, is displayed at The Bakken Museum... The first unit took 4 weeks to make... there was no FDA approval of devices then, and we just wanted to save kids' lives." - Earl Bakken

The Bakken also aided the research and writing of an article on Earl Bakken's pacemaker by executive director David Rhees and senior research associate Kirk Jeffrey. Entitled "Earl Bakken's Little White Box: The Complex Meanings of the First Transistorized Pacemaker," the article appeared in Exposing Electronics (Harwood, 2000), a book edited by Bernard Finn and sponsored by the Smithsonian, the Science Museum of London, and the Deutches Museum.

Family Science Saturdays To Expand

Beginning in October, every Saturday will be a Family Science Saturday at The Bakken! This fall The Bakken will expand its Family Science Saturday programming from the current system of offering special hands-on family activities roughly once a month, to offering them every Saturday. Each Saturday will offer a unique selection of fun, thought-provoking, hands-on science activities and demonstrations for children and their parents. Visitors will also find occasional new exhibits, special performances and presentations, school partnerships, historic docents, and other surprises. Moreover, each month will have a special theme, creating at least four Saturdays per month when visitors and members can come explore a given topic. Visitors may dig deeper into a theme by returning later in the month. 

In October the theme will be Science Magic - the magic of science and the science behind magic. Each Saturday in October will offer astounding tricks, optical illusions, and magical wizardry. 

Family Science Saturdays have been a popular feature at The Bakken for the past eight years. By offering the same kind of popular, hands-on science on each Saturday throughout the year, we will be able to increase community access to our unique educational programs. 

Making Positive Connections

A Word from the Director
by David J. Rhees, Ph.D.

How quickly time seems to pass. Though it seems like only yesterday when we completed our expansion and renovation project, the second anniversary of the Grand Re-Opening of The Bakken just occurred on June 19! 

Our vision of becoming a public resource for a new kind of humanistic science education was realized as we flung open our doors and made positive connections with 1,500 members of our community that day. Since then we have worked very hard to expand our community connections. 

A key factor in making this happen has been partnerships: our collaborations and alliances with public and private schools, individuals, companies, institutions and foundations have proven essential in achieving our educational mission. Every month seems to bring new relationships that enable the continued growth and improvement of our unique programs.

The articles in this newsletter offer many examples of synergistic alliances that are helping to make a positive difference in tens of thousands of lives annually. We understand that by connecting with others we make a greater impact on our community. This is a path we will continue to walk, and we thank all of our partners for walking it with us.

Two years after our Grand Re-Opening, I am certain that these partnerships have been absolutely crucial in transforming the bricks and mortar of our newly-expanded building into a living, nurturing place where children, families, and teachers can make positive connections with science.



Schools Help The Bakken Connect Our Community with Science

Partnering with local schools has allowed The Bakken to engage an increasing number of people in our community in innovative and fun learning experiences that allow them to explore science and all of its wonders. We thank our local school districts and funders such as the Lyndale Neighborhood Association, the Schmitt Foundation and the Medtronic Foundation, for helping The Bakken enrich the education of students, teachers and families in our communities. Our numerous partnerships take on many different shapes and forms, but all have positive outcomes.

When one of the Earl's Garage students was asked what she learned from her experience, she said "I learned that I was smart!"

School partnerships have provided exposure to science for many students through our Family Science Saturday and Historic Docent programs. Over one thousand teachers and administrators have benefited from teacher enrichment programs hosted at The Bakken. Nearly 8,000 students a year have a fun learning experience in our various education programs. In its fourth year, our Teacher in Residence program continues to benefit our community with new outreach programs, innovative teacher training and improved process and evaluation methods. 

Earl's Garage, a traveling workshop based on the Earl Bakken Science Program, concluded its second season this spring. This multi-week program brings learning opportunities to inner city schools, including those most underrepresented in science - girls and minorities. This program was successfully piloted at Webster Open School in 2000. Our most recent partnership, with Franklin Middle School, had 6th-8th grade girls invent their own "What bugs me?" project. The girls each conceived of and built unique components to detect what bugs them and give a desired response. For example, one girl built an anti-bed jumping device that included a tilt switch that triggered a loud buzzer to surprise any uninvited bed jumpers. The girls enthusiastically demonstrated their completed projects at The Bakken in April. 

Earl's Garage will be offered to youth in the Lyndale neighborhood this summer. Additional partnerships, including Family Science Saturday school partnerships, are being developed for the 2001-2002 school year. If you are interested in having Earl's Garage visit your school or partnering your school with The Bakken for a Family Science Saturday, please contact us at 612-926-3878.

Reanimating History Beginning this fall, the three year-old Historic Docent program will introduce a new phase of learning opportunities for youth, "The Re-Animators". A Re-Animator is a young person aged 11-13 who takes on the character and scientific inquiry of an historical figure, and explores their life and work, creatively presenting it through experimentation, invention and the performing arts. This new Saturday program will be an addition to our popular Earl Bakken Science Program, which aligns current day scientist and engineer mentors with students to encourage innovative learning and invention.

Hertha Ayrton (Andrea Lund), Marie Lavoisier (Ellie Kahn), and Ben Franklin (Caleb Santangelo) conducted their own scientific demonstrations as they represented The Bakken at the Ordway Center's "World Party" in April.

The Re-Animators will follow the self-directed learning philosophy of the Earl Bakken Science Program while focusing on history and performing arts as a pathway to scientific inquiry. Designed and led by performing arts coordinator Cassandra Cutler, The Re-Animators will spend 6 weeks engaged as their chosen historical figure and will have fun learning about science and scientists in unique ways.

There continue to be learning opportunities for individuals aged 8-18 to explore science as a historic docent. Opportunities are available through Family Science Saturday partnerships as well as by becoming a volunteer at The Bakken. For more information, please contact The Bakken.

Resident Teachers Make Big Impact at The Bakken The Bakken's Teacher in Residence program, funded by the Medtronic Foundation and in partnership with Minneapolis Public Schools, will begin its 4th year in August. The Teacher in Residence program is a full-year sabbatical opportunity for Minneapolis teachers to head up a special project at The Bakken that improves our programs and benefits our community. This partnership brings expertise and knowledge in terms of best practices for working with students, needs and expectations of teachers, and curriculum reform, and is also instrumental in facilitating collaborations with teachers and schools.

Bakken Teachers in Residence Lee Fabel (1999-2000), Marium Touré (2000-2001), Kathy Scoggins (1998-99)

Our past Teachers in Residence have made a big impact by developing new educational programs and exhibits, as well as creating and institutionalizing outreach programs and partnerships, such as Earl's Garage. Our past resident teachers have also helped us develop new training programs for teachers, adults and volunteers. We extend a big thank you for support from the Medtronic Foundation and the Minneapolis Public Schools, as well as to our past Teachers in Residence for lending us their expertise and guidance.

New Otto H. Schmitt Exhibit Opens The Bakken is pleased to present a new exhibit commemorating the life and accomplishments of inventor Otto H. Schmitt, (1913 - 1998). The display in our lobby features experimental equipment from Schmitt's laboratory including a 3D electrocardiograph with torso, and a nerve axon simulator, which contains the first implementation of the Schmitt Trigger. Also in the lobby is a display of Otto Schmitt memorabilia. These items have been loaned to The Bakken through the courtesy of the Schmitt Biomimetic Foundation.

Otto H. Schmitt, University of Stockholm, 1951.

"Otto Schmitt" made a virtual appearance via our Historic Docent program to help interpret the new exhibit.

Otto is best remembered for his scientific contributions to biophysics and biomedical engineering, for the crucial role he played in establishing the field of biomedical engineering, and as a great inventor.  In 1939 Otto joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota as an instructor in zoology and physics; He retired from there in 1983 as a professor of biophysics, bioengineering, and electrical engineering. Schmitt's electronic inventions include the cathode follower, the differential amplifier, the chopper-stabilized amplifier, and the Schmitt trigger.  He is well-known for advancing knowledge of the relationship between cardiac sources and the surface electrocardiogram. The exhibit continues through August 11.

Electrifying Excitement at the Minnesota State Fair

Make a positive connection with The Bakken at the State Fair. We invite you to explore the wonders and mysteries of electricity and magnetism at our booth in the Progress Center building August 23 through September 3. This will be part of the Wonders of Technology exhibit sponsored by the Minnesota High Technology Association.

Experience electricity in a fun, hands-on setting, as you never have before. Feel your hair stand on end, get a jolt of excitement, and see the electricity in your own heart. Catch a glimpse of the early uses of electricity in medicine dating back to the 1800's. Find out what student inventors are creating at The Bakken. Explore a virtual version of our new Frankenstein exhibit. Don't forget to pick up a free magnet and enter drawings for fun and exciting prizes! We're positive you will have an Electrifying Experience!

Blooming Partnerships in the Florence Bakken Medicinal Garden 

 The Bakken enjoyed three new partnerships this summer, highlighting various aspects of the medicinal garden. Marilyn Garber conducted Botanical Painting Classes, held during June and July this year. Ms. Garber's work has been exhibited at the Royal Horticulture Society in London and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama City, Panama. This class concentrated on the realistic portrayal of plants from the Florence Bakken Medicinal Garden where students learned traditional English botanical watercolor painting techniques. 

The University of Minnesota Compleat Scholar Program partnered with The Bakken to present a class on Herbs and Medicinal Plants. Students learn: to view the plant world through the herbalist's lens, the history and principles of using plants as medicine, natural healing concepts from different cultures, plus much more. 

The Bakken collaborated with the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota on a course called "Introduction to Ethnopharmacology" taught by Dennis McKenna, Ph.D. Ethnopharmacology is the scientific investigation of biologically active substances used by humans, particularly aboriginal and non-Western cultures. The class used the Bakken's Medicinal Garden as a botanical resource in their study of medicinal uses of plants. 

New this year is a Native American-style vegetable garden planted outside the classrooms. Here, Rainbow Inca Corn will be grown, as well as heirloom squash and beans. 

If you visit the Florence Bakken Medicinal Garden you might catch a glimpse of our three nesting pairs of Baltimore Orioles. Heidi Olstad, The Bakken's gardener, is often available to point visitors to interesting sights in the garden and grounds. See Heidi's observations in the Visitors' Journal near the door to the Medicinal Garden, and please feel free to add your own comments and observations.

Volunteer Profile - 
Meet Craig Rudolph

Nearly every Wednesday morning for the last ten years, Craig Rudolph has boarded the bus a few blocks from his Coon Rapids home for the hour long ride to The Bakken. Craig sets up supplies for school groups, and helps students get their experiment to work. "They show me what they are doing and I help them try different things. I enjoy the expression on the kid's face when they succeed - they love getting static shocks." In the last 10 years, Craig has helped more than 10,000 children.

Craig has worked at Cub Foods for 15 years. He finds, "the people are nice, and I can never seem to use up all my vacation." In fact, accumulated vacation time led Craig to The Bakken. When told to use it or loose it, he decided to try volunteering. Craig spotted a Star Tribune ad for The Bakken and thought he might like it. For four summers Craig donated an entire vacation week to organize and inventory supplies and assemble take-home kits.

Craig is an avid sports fan and enjoys traveling. When he returns from his November cruise to the Bahamas, he's looking forward to Wednesdays at The Bakken. And so are we.

There are many opportunities for volunteering at The Bakken. Contact Alice Schroeder at 612-926-3878, ext. 206.


RECENT ACQUISITIONS
by Elizabeth Ihrig

Algemeene eigenschappen van de electriciteit (General properties of electricity), by John Cuthbertson. Amsterdam, Pieter Hayman, [no date, published circa 1773]. X, [12], 191 pp., 6 folding plates.

John Cuthbertson (1743-1821) was an English instrument maker who spent much of his working life in Holland. He is best known for his sophisticated plate frictional electrical machines and in particular for the large electrical machine that can still be seen today at the Teyler Museum in Haarlem. He probably become interested in designing and building frictional electrical machines in England, but once in Holland he realized that electricity was not much studied there; he wrote Algemeene eigenschappen van de electriciteit to help rectify the situation.

The title page of this edition of Cuthbertson's book bears no date, but it was probably published around 1773¹. A second edition, which included a second volume, appeared in 1782, and a third volume came out in 1793. A brief discussion of the properties of electricity and of electrical apparatus is followed by a lengthy section describing electrical demonstration-experiments that can be performed with Cuthbertson's machines and accessories. The text ends with an 11- page priced catalogue of optical, physical, and mathematical instruments made and sold by Cuthbertson. Six folding plates depict the instruments described in the catalogue.

So, in this small Dutch volume, we actually have two recent acquisitions. First, it is an addition to our extensive collection of early books about electricity and electrical experiments, which already includes the German translation of this work (1786), and two London editions (1807, 1821). The London editions include an English translation of much of the material from the Dutch, as well as additional new material. 

Second, the 11-page catalogue at the end is a splendid addition to our trade catalogue collection. This collection consists of about 400 catalogues and price lists representing the products of around 250 companies. Most of them were published during the period of 1850-1930, so Cuthbertson's catalogue, circa 1773, becomes one of the earliest we own. These catalogues offer for sale electrical apparatus, scientific instruments, and surgical and medical equipment (including electro-medical apparatus). They come in English, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and the Scandinavian languages. This special collection provides important information for scholars: technical descriptions, clear illustrations, directions for use, and prices for a wide range of instruments and accessories.

¹John and Jonathan Cuthbertson; The invention and development of the eighteenth century plate electrical machine, by W. D. Hackmann, Rijksmuseum voor de Geschiedenis der Natuurwetenschappen, Leyden, 1973, p. 19.

Visiting Research Fellows The five scholars listed below were awarded Visiting Research Fellowships for the year 2001.  Dr. Albert Guimarães, professor of physics at the Brazilian Center for Physical Research in Rio de Janeiro, is working on a book surveying the history and phenomena of magnetism for a general readership.

From Peter Johann Windler's Tentamina de causa electricitatis. Naples, 1747.

Heidi Kumao, an exhibiting artist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is developing a new body of kinetic sculptures based on 19th-century technologies for an upcoming exhibit in 2002. She will examine and document electric and magnetic devices used for psychological and related cures, as well as printed ephemera.

Christa Moehring, a doctoral student at the Bauhaus-Universität in Weimar Germany, is investigating the interrelations and transformations of scientific discourses, using the example of the lightning rod in the second half of the 18th century. Fellowship for Ms. Moehring was provided by the W. E. McGuire Foundation.

Teresa Riordan, a professional journalist, who since 1993 has written a column on patents for The New York Times, will conduct research for a historical survey of inventions that were thought up specifically with women in mind, from 1850-1960.

Dr. Josip Slisko, professor of physics and mathematics education at the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences at the Autonomous University of Puebla, Mexico, will examine 18th century physics textbooks to see how electrical science was taught and communicated to the general public. Dr. Slisko will also be looking for forgotten pedagogical technique sequences that might be useful today. 


New Electricity in Life Bibliography

This spring The Bakken published a new online bibliography of 760 secondary works that constitutes a major resource for scholars, entitled Electricity in Life: A Bibliography of Secondary Literature Relating to the History of Electricity in Medicine and the Life Sciences. This valuable research tool provides access to the extensive literature on the histories of electrotherapeutics, electrophysiology, electrocardiology, bioelectricity, electrodiagnosis, galvanosurgery, and electroecenphalography.


Lightning Rod Conference

The Bakken will host a conference on the history of the lightning rod during the 250th anniversary year of the experiment at Marly, France in 1752 that confirmed Franklin's theory of the electrical nature of lightning. The conference will take place November 4-6, 2002.

Brief descriptions of suggested talks are being accepted by Oliver Hochadel at the University of Vienna (oliver.hochadel@univie.ac.at) or by Peter Heering at the University of Oldenburg (peter.heering@uni-oldenburg.de) until November 1, 2001. Hochadel and Heering are scholars with a strong interest in the history of electrical science and are both former Bakken Visiting Research Fellows. 

Membership Rewards 

Now is the time to become a member of The Bakken. Beginning in October, we are expanding our Family Science Saturdays to every Saturday, (see cover article for details). Act now, and receive our membership mailing for previews of this fall's activities. 

As a member you'll receive a special member-only publication containing a calendar of events & activities, exhibit openings, pre-registration opportunities and more. In addition, you will receive The Bakken's newsletter and annual report absolutely free. Plus, the cost of membership is 100% tax deductible. Depending on the level, after as few as three visits membership pays for itself. Take advantage of this low cost way to visit The Bakken.

Spark your curiosity through the rich educational resources and programs at The Bakken. Come often, save money, and have fun! Membership is a great way to support quality science education in our community! Contact Alice Schroeder at 612-926-3878 ext. 206.



The Bakken Calendar 2001

August, 2001

• Members only registration for Earl Bakken Science Program Fall Session begins.

• Member Guest Free Day is the 18th.

• The Bakken goes to the State Fair! Visit us at the Wonders of Technology exhibit in the Progress Center building -August 23rd through September 3rd.

• Field Trip registration begins on the 28th.
  

September, 2001

• The Bakken will be closed for Labor Day on the 3rd.

• Member Guest Free Day is the 15th.

• The Earl Bakken Science Program, Fall Session begins Saturday,the 29th.

October - "Science Magic" Month

• Every Saturday is Family Science Saturday with a variety of activities.

• Nobel Prize winner Sir Andrew Huxley will speak at The Bakken.