Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Biodiesel Project Green

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edmiston, Jessica L

2012-09-28

Through extensive collaboration, Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) is Alabama's first educational entity to initiate a biodiesel public education, student training and production program, Project Green. With state and national replication potential, Project Green benefits local businesses and city infrastructures within a 120-mile radius; provides alternative education to Alabama school systems and to schools for the deaf and blind in Appalachian States; trains students with sensory and/or multiple disabilities in the acquisition and production of biodiesel; and educates the external public on alternative fuels benefits.

Arts Education Partnerships: Informing Policy through the Development of Culture and Creativity within a Collaborative Project Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlisle, Katie

2011-01-01

Arts education partnerships have become an important means for developing and sustaining school arts programs that engage students, teachers, and communities. Tapping into additional perspectives, resources, and support from arts agencies and postsecondary institutions, arts education partnerships strengthen arts education infrastructure within…

Informing Food Protection Education: A Project to Define and Classify Resources for a Cross-Disciplinary Expert Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schenck-Hamlin, Donna; Pierquet, Jennifer; McClellan, Chuck

2011-01-01

In the wake of the September 2001 attacks, the U.S. government founded the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with responsibility to develop a National Infrastructure Protection Plan for securing critical infrastructures and key resources. DHS established interdisciplinary networks of academic expertise administered through Centers of…

Distance Education in Guyana. Report of a Project Identification Consultancy. Consultant Report 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver (British Columbia).

Distance education is the only prospect of bringing further educational opportunities within the grasp of most adults in Guyana. Some factors that make distance education desirable, such as the infrastructure and present economic problems, militate against its provision. Many of the best educated personnel in all sectors have emigrated; the loss…

Wind Energy Workforce Development: A Roadmap to a Wind Energy Educational Infrastructure (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baring-Gould, I.

2011-05-01

Wind Powering America national technical director Ian Baring-Gould made this presentation about workforce development in the wind energy industry to an audience at the American Wind Energy Association's annual WINDPOWER conference in Anaheim. The presentation outlines job projections from the 20% Wind Energy by 2030 report and steps to take at all levels of educational institutions to meet those projections.

The GILDA t-Infrastructure: grid training activities in Africa and future opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardizzone, V.; Barbera, R.; Ciuffo, L.; Giorgio, E.

2009-04-01

Scientists, educators, and students from many parts of the worlds are not able to take advantage of ICT because the digital divide is growing and prevents less developed countries to exploit its benefits. Instead of becoming more empowered and involved in worldwide developments, they are becoming increasingly marginalised as the world of education and science becomes increasingly Internet-dependent. The Grid Infn Laboratory for Dissemination Activities (GILDA) spreads since almost five years the awareness of Grid technology to a large audience, training new communities and fostering new organisations to provide resources. The knowledge dissemination process guided by the training activities is a key factor to ensure that all users can fully understand the characteristics of the Grid services offered by large existing e-Infrastructure. GILDA is becoming a "de facto" standard in training infrastructures (t-Infrastructures) and it is adopted by many grid projects worldwide. In this contribution we will report on the latest status of GILDA services and on the training activities recently carried out in sub-Saharan Africa (Malawi and South Africa). Particular care will be devoted to show how GILDA can be "cloned" to satisfy both education and research demands of African Organisations. The opportunities to benefit from GILDA in the framework of the EPIKH project as well as the plans of the European Commission on grid training and education for the 2010-2011 calls of its 7th Framework Programme will be presented and discussed.

Education Outreach Associated with Technology Transfer in a Colonia of South Texas: Green Valley Farms Science and Space Club for Middle School Aged Children in Green Valley Farms, San Benito, Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potess, Marla D.; Rainwater, Ken; Muirhead, Dean

2004-01-01

Texas colonias are unincorporated subdivisions characterized by inadequate water and wastewater infrastructure, inadequate drainage and road infrastructure, substandard housing, and poverty. Since 1989 the Texas Legislature has implemented policies to halt further development of colonias and to address water and wastewater infrastructure needs in existing and new colonias along the border with Mexico. Government programs and non-government and private organization projects aim to address these infrastructure needs. Texas Tech University's Water Resources Center demonstrated the use of alternative on-site wastewater treatment in the Green Valley Farms colonia, San Benito, Texas. The work in Green Valley Farms was a component of a NASA-funded project entitled Evaluation of NASA's Advanced Life Support Integrated Water Recovery System for Non-Optimal Conditions and Terrestrial Applications. Two households within the colonia are demonstration sites for constructed wetlands. A colonia resident and activist identified educational opportunities for colonia children as a primary goal for many colonia residents. Colonia parents view education as the door to opportunity and escape from poverty for their children. The educational outreach component of the project in Green Valley Farms was a Science and Space Club for middle-school age students. Involved parents, schoolteachers, and school administrators enthusiastically supported the monthly club meetings and activities. Each month, students participated in interactive learning experiences about water use and reuse in space and on earth. Activities increased knowledge and interest in water resource issues and in science and engineering fields. The Institute for the Development and Enrichment of Advanced Learners (IDEAL) at Texas Tech University provided full scholarships for five students from Green Valley Farms to attend the Shake Hands With Your Future camp at Texas Tech University in June 2003. The educational outreach component was evaluated in February 2004 using survey instruments for students and parents, and interviews with science teachers and counselors.

An Rx for 20/20 Vision: Vision Planning and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chrisman, Gerald J.; Holliday, Clifford R.

1996-01-01

Discusses the Dallas Independent School District's decision to adopt an integrated technology infrastructure and the importance of vision planning for long term goals. Outlines the vision planning process: first draft; environmental projection; restatement of vision in terms of market projections, anticipated customer needs, suspected competitor…

Bachelor of Science-Engineering Technology Program and Fuel Cell Education Program Concentration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Block, David L.; Sleiti, Ahmad

2011-09-19

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology education project has addressed DOE goals by supplying readily available, objective, technical, and accurate information that is available to students, industry and the public. In addition, the program has supplied educated trainers and training opportunities for the next generation workforce needed for research, development, and demonstration activities in government, industry, and academia. The project has successfully developed courses and associated laboratories, taught the new courses and labs and integrated the HFCT option into the accredited engineering technology and mechanical engineering programs at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC). The project has alsomore » established ongoing collaborations with the UNCC energy related centers of the Energy Production & Infrastructure Center (EPIC), the NC Motorsports and Automotive Research Center (NCMARC) and the Infrastructure, Design, Environment and Sustainability Center (IDEAS). The results of the project activities are presented as two major areas – (1) course and laboratory development, offerings and delivery, and (2) program recruitment, promotions and collaborations. Over the project period, the primary activity has been the development and offering of 11 HFCT courses and accompanying laboratories. This process has taken three years with the courses first being developed and then offered each year over the timeframe.« less

Texas Hydrogen Highway Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus and Fueling Infrastructure Technology Showcase - Final Scientific/Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hitchcock, David

The Texas Hydrogen Highway project has showcased a hydrogen fuel cell transit bus and hydrogen fueling infrastructure that was designed and built through previous support from various public and private sector entities. The aim of this project has been to increase awareness among transit agencies and other public entities on these transportation technologies, and to place such technologies into commercial applications, such as a public transit agency. The initial project concept developed in 2004 was to show that a skid-mounted, fully-integrated, factory-built and tested hydrogen fueling station could be used to simplify the design, and lower the cost of fuelingmore » infrastructure for fuel cell vehicles. The approach was to design, engineer, build, and test the integrated fueling station at the factory then install it at a site that offered educational and technical resources and provide an opportunity to showcase both the fueling station and advanced hydrogen vehicles. The two primary technology components include: Hydrogen Fueling Station: The hydrogen fueling infrastructure was designed and built by Gas Technology Institute primarily through a funding grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. It includes hydrogen production, clean-up, compression, storage, and dispensing. The station consists of a steam methane reformer, gas clean-up system, gas compressor and 48 kilograms of hydrogen storage capacity for dispensing at 5000 psig. The station is skid-mounted for easy installation and can be relocated if needed. It includes a dispenser that is designed to provide temperaturecompensated fills using a control algorithm. The total station daily capacity is approximately 50 kilograms. Fuel Cell Bus: The transit passenger bus built by Ebus, a company located in Downey, CA, was commissioned and acquired by GTI prior to this project. It is a fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicle which is ADA compliant, has air conditioning sufficient for Texas operations, and regenerative braking for battery charging. It uses a 19.3 kW Ballard PEM fuel cell, will store 12.6 kg of hydrogen at 350 Bar, and includes a 60 kWh battery storage system. The objectives of the project included the following: (a) To advance commercialization of hydrogen-powered transit buses and supporting infrastructure; (b) To provide public outreach and education by showcasing the operation of a 22-foot fuel cell hybrid shuttle bus and Texas first hydrogen fueling infrastructure; and (c) To showcase operation of zero-emissions vehicle for potential transit applications. As mentioned above, the project successfully demonstrated an early vehicle technology, the Ebus plug-in hybrid fuel cell bus, and that success has led to the acquisition of a more advanced vehicle that can take advantage of the same fueling infrastructure. Needed hydrogen station improvements have been identified that will enhance the capabilities of the fueling infrastructure to serve the new bus and to meet the transit agency needs. Over the course of this project, public officials, local government staff, and transit operators were engaged in outreach and education activities that acquainted them with the real world operation of a fuel cell bus and fueling infrastructure. Transit staff members in the Dallas/Ft. Worth region were invited to a workshop in Arlington, Texas at the North Central Texas Council of Governments to participate in a workshop on hydrogen and fuel cells, and to see the fuel cell bus in operation. The bus was trucked to the meeting for this purpose so that participants could see and ride the bus. Austin area transit staff members visited the fueling site in Austin to be briefed on the bus and to participate in a fueling demonstration. This led to further meetings to determine how a fuel cell bus and fueling station could be deployed at Capital Metro Transit. Target urban regions that expressed additional interest during the project in response to the outreach meetings and showcase events include San Antonio and Austin, Texas. In summary, the project objectives were achieved in the following ways: Through presentations and papers provided to a variety of audiences in multiple venues, the project team fulfilled its goal of providing education and outreach on hydrogen technology to statewide audiences. The project team generated interest that exists well beyond the completion of the project, and indeed, helped to generate financial support for a subsequent hydrogen vehicle project in Austin. The University of Texas, Center for ElectroMechanics operated the fuel cell-electric Ebus vehicle for over 13,000 miles in Austin, Texas in a variety of routes and loading configurations. The project took advantage of prior efforts that created a hydrogen fueling station and fuel cell electric-hybrid bus and continued to verify their technical foundation, while informing and educating potential future users of how these technologies work.« less

What Do Stakeholders Know about School Library Programs? Results of a Focus Group Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everhart, Nancy

2014-01-01

Supporting the "Infrastructure Needs of 21st Century School Library Programs," also known as the Pennsylvania School Library Project, was a one-year project conducted in Pennsylvania to better identify and understand what stakeholders--teachers, administrators, parents, school and community leaders, and education associations--expect…

e-Infrastructures for e-Sciences 2013 A CHAIN-REDS Workshop organised under the aegis of the European Commission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The CHAIN-REDS Project is organising a workshop on "e-Infrastructures for e-Sciences" focusing on Cloud Computing and Data Repositories under the aegis of the European Commission and in co-location with the International Conference on e-Science 2013 (IEEE2013) that will be held in Beijing, P.R. of China on October 17-22, 2013. The core objective of the CHAIN-REDS project is to promote, coordinate and support the effort of a critical mass of non-European e-Infrastructures for Research and Education to collaborate with Europe addressing interoperability and interoperation of Grids and other Distributed Computing Infrastructures (DCI). From this perspective, CHAIN-REDS will optimise the interoperation of European infrastructures with those present in 6 other regions of the world, both from a development and use point of view, and catering to different communities. Overall, CHAIN-REDS will provide input for future strategies and decision-making regarding collaboration with other regions on e-Infrastructure deployment and availability of related data; it will raise the visibility of e-Infrastructures towards intercontinental audiences, covering most of the world and will provide support to establish globally connected and interoperable infrastructures, in particular between the EU and the developing regions. Organised by IHEP, INFN and Sigma Orionis with the support of all project partners, this workshop will aim at: - Presenting the state of the art of Cloud computing in Europe and in China and discussing the opportunities offered by having interoperable and federated e-Infrastructures; - Exploring the existing initiatives of Data Infrastructures in Europe and China, and highlighting the Data Repositories of interest for the Virtual Research Communities in several domains such as Health, Agriculture, Climate, etc.

The next generation of data capturing - digital ink for the data stewards of the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czerniak, A.; Fleischer, D.; Schirnick, C.

2012-12-01

Data stewardship of the future requires the continuation from an expert driven discipline into a general scientific routine. One solution how this expansion can be done is the use of data management infrastructures already in the student education. Unsurprisingly, well-known drawbacks in terms of data stewardship from the scientific use complicate this expansion into the educational programs. The advantage of educational programs usually based on the application of standard methods is depleted by the general data capturing process at the point of publication or end of project lifetime. Considering student courses as short projects there are no publications and the end of the course exams keep students just like scientists away from data stewardship tasks. The Kiel Data Management Infrastructure brings the data capturing right in the data creation process. With this approach student education courses can be just another use case of data capturing. Smoothing the data capturing process and making use of available technologies drove the Kiel Data Management Infrastructure into a prototype testing of the use of 'digital ink' and the later on possible handwriting recognition. Making the data digitalization as easy as possible without abandoning the standards of paper-based protocols is the use case 'Smart Pens'. This technology fills the gap between the very long-lasting paper protocols and the effort depending digitalization of field and sampling data but it's also robust enough to work with battery powered devices. The combination of the Kiel Data Management Infrastructure with the 'digital ink' technology enables the data capturing from student education to high-end scientific lab work. Valuing educational data equally to scientific lab data is a strong signal to the researchers of the future while their work is recognized all the way from their undergraduate stage to their post-doc position. Students memorize that their data work is not neglected at any time and so they realize that their is no excuse of keeping any data away from the data management infrastructure. The technology of 'digital ink' is a milestone for the data stewardship discipline and fits perfectly into the a lot of gaps between the data creation and the data infrastructure and as long as we do not establish the life long data capturing support for the scientific career we can not complain about reluctant data submissions.

The Fallacies of Open: Participatory Design, Infrastructuring, and the Pursuit of Radical Possibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West-Puckett, Stephanie; Smith, Anna; Cantrill, Christina; Zamora, Mia

2018-01-01

To better understand the impacts of participatory design in English language arts teacher education, this critical case study focuses on the National Writing Project's Connected Learning Massive, Open, Online Collaboration (CLMOOC) that engaged educators in playing with the connected learning framework. The authors draw from 5 years of interaction…

The unfinished assignment: Educating Moroccan women for development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belhachmi, Zakia

1987-12-01

Western theories of development, and the resulting strategies and planning represent major structural barriers to Moroccan Women's Liberation. The author advocates a shift from current anti-participatory strategies to a new people-oriented approach, emphasizing the multiple roles of women within an integrated strategy. This involves linking educational projects with other parts of the infrastructure. Morocco's `way out' of exogenous development, the author contends, is contingent upon an adequate management of the educational system both at the institutional and personal levels. Therefore, educating women can be considered a sine qua non in optimizing conditions leading to endogenous development. The foundation is the establishment or strengthening of a whole infrastructure for the creation, transmission, and application of alternative methods likely to sustain socio-economic opportunities leading to Morocco's self-reliance.

The High-Performance Computing and Communications program, the national information infrastructure and health care.

PubMed Central

Lindberg, D A; Humphreys, B L

1995-01-01

The High-Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) program is a multiagency federal effort to advance the state of computing and communications and to provide the technologic platform on which the National Information Infrastructure (NII) can be built. The HPCC program supports the development of high-speed computers, high-speed telecommunications, related software and algorithms, education and training, and information infrastructure technology and applications. The vision of the NII is to extend access to high-performance computing and communications to virtually every U.S. citizen so that the technology can be used to improve the civil infrastructure, lifelong learning, energy management, health care, etc. Development of the NII will require resolution of complex economic and social issues, including information privacy. Health-related applications supported under the HPCC program and NII initiatives include connection of health care institutions to the Internet; enhanced access to gene sequence data; the "Visible Human" Project; and test-bed projects in telemedicine, electronic patient records, shared informatics tool development, and image systems. PMID:7614116

A Model Collaborative Platform for Geoscience Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, S.; Manduca, C. A.; Iverson, E. A.

2012-12-01

Over the last decade SERC at Carleton College has developed a collaborative platform for geoscience education that has served dozens of projects, thousands of community authors and millions of visitors. The platform combines a custom technical infrastructure: the SERC Content Management system (CMS), and a set of strategies for building web-resources that can be disseminated through a project site, reused by other projects (with attribution) or accessed via an integrated geoscience education resource drawing from all projects using the platform. The core tools of the CMS support geoscience education projects in building project-specific websites. Each project uses the CMS to engage their specific community in collecting, authoring and disseminating the materials of interest to them. At the same time the use of a shared central infrastructure allows cross-fertilization among these project websites. Projects are encouraged to use common templates and common controlled vocabularies for organizing and displaying their resources. This standardization is then leveraged through cross-project search indexing which allow projects to easily incorporate materials from other projects within their own collection in ways that are relevant and automated. A number of tools are also in place to help visitors move among project websites based on their personal interests. Related links help visitors discover content related topically to their current location that is in a 'separate' project. A 'best bets' feature in search helps guide visitors to pages that are good starting places to explore resources on a given topic across the entire range of hosted projects. In many cases these are 'site guide' pages created specifically to promote a cross-project view of the available resources. In addition to supporting the cross-project exploration of specific themes the CMS also allows visitors to view the combined suite of resources authored by any particular community member. Automatically generated author profiles highlight the contributions an individual has made through any of the projects with an option for customization by the author. An overarching portal site provides a unified view of resources within this diverse set of geoscience education projects. The SERC CMS provides a common platform upon which individual projects can build their own identities, while allowing cross-project pollination and synergies to be realized without significant extra investment by each project. This is a sustainable model for a collaborative platform that takes advantage of the energy and resources of individual projects to advance larger community goals.

Quantitative Analysis of the Educational Infrastructure in Colombia Through the Use of a Georeferencing Software and Analytic Hierarchy Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cala Estupiñan, Jose Luis; María González Bernal, Lina; Ponz Tienda, Jose Luis; Gutierrez Bucheli, Laura Andrea; Alejandro Arboleda, Carlos

2017-10-01

The distribution policies of the national budget have been showing an increasing trend of the investment in education infrastructure. This is the reason that makes it necessary to identify the territories with the greatest number of facilities (such as schools, colleges, universities and libraries) and those lacking this type of infrastructure, in order to know where a possible government intervention is required. This work is not intended to give a judgment on the qualitative state of the national infrastructure. It focuses, in terms of infrastructure, on Colombia’s quantitative status of the educational sector, by identifying the territories with more facilities, such as schools, colleges, universities and public libraries. To do this a quantitative index will be created to identify if the coverage of educational infrastructure at departmental level is enough, by taking into account not only the number of facilities, but also the population and the area of influence each one has. The above study is framed within a project of the University of the Andes called “visible Infrastructure”. The index is obtained through a hierarchical analytical process (AHP) and subsequently a linear equation that reflects the variables investigated. The validation of this index is performed through correlations and regressions of social, economic and cultural indicators determined by official entities. All the information on which the analysis is based is official and public. With the end of the armed conflict, it is necessary to focus the planning of public policies to heal the social gaps that the most vulnerable population needs.

Robbing Public to Pay Private? Two Cases of Refinancing Education Infrastructure in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crump, Stephen; Slee, Roger

2005-01-01

This paper will explore private sector participation in public sector education in the Australian context, focusing on case studies of Queensland and New South Wales, with reference to developments in other states and territories and internationally. In Australia, most states and territories have PPP policies and key projects include the Southbank…

2014 Earth System Grid Federation and Ultrascale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools Conference Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, Dean N.

2015-01-27

The climate and weather data science community met December 9–11, 2014, in Livermore, California, for the fourth annual Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) and Ultrascale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools (UV-CDAT) Face-to-Face (F2F) Conference, hosted by the Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the European Infrastructure for the European Network of Earth System Modelling, and the Australian Department of Education. Both ESGF and UVCDATremain global collaborations committed to developing a new generation of open-source software infrastructure that provides distributed access and analysis to simulated and observed data from the climate and weather communities.more » The tools and infrastructure created under these international multi-agency collaborations are critical to understanding extreme weather conditions and long-term climate change. In addition, the F2F conference fosters a stronger climate and weather data science community and facilitates a stronger federated software infrastructure. The 2014 F2F conference detailed the progress of ESGF, UV-CDAT, and other community efforts over the year and sets new priorities and requirements for existing and impending national and international community projects, such as the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase Six. Specifically discussed at the conference were project capabilities and enhancements needs for data distribution, analysis, visualization, hardware and network infrastructure, standards, and resources.« less

The Sunrise project: An R&D project for a national information infrastructure prototype

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Juhnyoung

1995-02-01

Sunrise is a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) project started in October 1993. It is intended to a prototype National Information Infrastructure (NII) development project. A main focus of Sunrise is to tie together enabling technologies (networking, object-oriented distributed computing, graphical interfaces, security, multimedia technologies, and data mining technologies) with several specific applications. A diverse set of application areas was chosen to ensure that the solutions developed in the project are as generic as possible. Some of the application areas are materials modeling, medical records and image analysis, transportation simulations, and education. This paper provides a description of Sunrise andmore » a view of the architecture and objectives of this evolving project. The primary objectives of Sunrise are three-fold: (1) To develop common information-enabling tools for advanced scientific research and its applications to industry; (2) To enhance the capabilities of important research programs at the Laboratory; and (3) To define a new way of collaboration between computer science and industrially relevant research.« less

Wind Powering America: The Next Steps in North Carolina

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Banks, Jennifer L.; Scanlin, Dennis; Quinlan, Paul

2013-06-18

The goal of this project is to apply the WPA’s proactive outreach strategy to the problem of educating the public about the likely transmission infrastructure developments concomitant to the significant development of wind energy resources in North Carolina. Given the lead time to develop significant new transmission infrastructure (5-10 years), it is critical to begin this outreach work today, so that wind resources can be developed to adequately meet the 20% by 2030 goal in the mid- to long-term (10-20 years). The project team planned to develop a transmission infrastructure outreach campaign for North Carolina by: (1) convening a utilitymore » interest group (UIG) of the North Carolina Wind Working Group (NC WWG) consisting of electric utilities in the state and the Southeast; and (2) expanding outreach to local and state government officials in North Carolina.« less

Clinical Knowledge Governance Framework for Nationwide Data Infrastructure Projects.

PubMed

Wulff, Antje; Haarbrandt, Birger; Marschollek, Michael

2018-01-01

The availability of semantically-enriched and interoperable clinical information models is crucial for reusing once collected data across institutions like aspired in the German HiGHmed project. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, this nationwide data infrastructure project adopts the openEHR approach for semantic modelling. Here, strong governance is required to define high-quality and reusable models. Design of a clinical knowledge governance framework for openEHR modelling in cross-institutional settings like HiGHmed. Analysis of successful practices from international projects, published ideas on archetype governance and own modelling experiences as well as modelling of BPMN processes. We designed a framework by presenting archetype variations, roles and responsibilities, IT support and modelling workflows. Our framework has great potential to make the openEHR modelling efforts manageable. Because practical experiences are rare, prospectively our work will be predestinated to evaluate the benefits of such structured governance approaches.

A Risk Mitigation Model: Lessons Learned From Actual Insider Sabotage

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-07

performance Responsibilities removed from projects Suspension of Internet access Death in family ; Divorce Financial Disagreement re: salary/compensation...Infrastructure by Information Technology Insiders, ” Monterrey , CA.: Defense Personnel Security Research and Education Center. Shaw, E.D. (2004). “The

The Living Textbook: A Demonstration of Information on Demand Technologies in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Kim; And Others

A growing concern is that our nation is failing to provide a technology infrastructure for K-12 education that will enable graduates to compete in the information-based economy of the 21st century. The Living Textbook project is designed to deliver real-time, multimedia information on demand for use in classroom instruction. Three pilot schools in…

Effective collaborative learning in biomedical education using a web-based infrastructure.

PubMed

Wu, Yunfeng; Zheng, Fang; Cai, Suxian; Xiang, Ning; Zhong, Zhangting; He, Jia; Xu, Fang

2012-01-01

This paper presents a feature-rich web-based system used for biomedical education at the undergraduate level. With the powerful groupware features provided by the wiki system, the instructors are able to establish a community-centered mentoring environment that capitalizes on local expertise to create a sense of online collaborative learning among students. The web-based infrastructure can help the instructors effectively organize and coordinate student research projects, and the groupware features may support the interactive activities, such as interpersonal communications and data sharing. The groupware features also provide the web-based system with a wide range of additional ways of organizing collaboratively developed materials, which makes it become an effective tool for online active learning. Students are able to learn the ability to work effectively in teams, with an improvement of project management, design collaboration, and technical writing skills. With the fruitful outcomes in recent years, it is positively thought that the web-based collaborative learning environment can perform an excellent shift away from the conventional instructor-centered teaching to community- centered collaborative learning in the undergraduate education.

The data access infrastructure of the Wadden Sea Long Term Ecosystem Research (WaLTER) project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Bruin, T.

2011-12-01

The Wadden Sea, North of The Netherlands, Germany and Danmark, is one of the most important tidal areas in the world. In 2009, the Wadden Sea was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The area is noted for its ecological diversity and value, being a stopover for large numbers of migrating birds. The Wadden Sea is also used intensively for economic activities by inhabitants of the surrounding coasts and islands, as well as by the many tourists visiting the area every year. A whole series of monitoring programmes is carried out by a range of governmental bodies and institutes to study the natural processes occuring in the Wadden Sea ecosystems as well as the influence of human activities on those ecosystems. Yet, the monitoring programmes are scattered and it is difficult to get an overview of those monitoring activities or to get access to the data resulting from those monitoring programmes. The Wadden Sea Long Term Ecosystem Research (WaLTER) project aims to: 1. To provide a base set of consistent, standardized, long-term data on changes in the Wadden Sea ecological and socio-economic system in order to model and understand interrelationships with human use, climate variation and possible other drivers. 2. To provide a research infrastructure, open access to commonly shared databases, educational facilities and one or more field sites in which experimental, innovative and process-driven research can be carried out. This presentation will introduce the WaLTER-project and explain the rationale for this project. The presentation will focus on the data access infrastructure which will be used for WaLTER. This infrastructure is part of the existing and operational infrastructure of the National Oceanographic Data Committee (NODC) in the Netherlands. The NODC forms the Dutch node in the European SeaDataNet consortium, which has built an European, distributed data access infrastructure. WaLTER, NODC and SeaDataNet all use the same technology, developed within the SeaDataNet-project, resulting in a high level of standardization across Europe. Benefits and pitfalls of using this infrastructure will be addressed.

ARCUS Project Managers and the Intangible Infrastructure of Large Interdisciplinary Arctic Research Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, B.; Wiggins, H. V.; Turner-Bogren, E. J.; Warburton, J.

2017-12-01

Project Managers at the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) lead initiatives to convene, communicate with, and connect the Arctic research community across challenging disciplinary, geographic, temporal, and cultural boundaries. They regularly serve as the organizing hubs, archivists and memory-keepers for collaborative projects comprised of many loosely affiliated partners. As leading organizers of large open science meetings and other outreach events, they also monitor the interdisciplinary landscape of community needs, concerns, opportunities, and emerging research directions. However, leveraging the ARCUS Project Manager role to strategically build out the intangible infrastructure necessary to advance Arctic research requires a unique set of knowledge, skills, and experience. Drawing on a range of lessons learned from past and ongoing experiences with collaborative science, education and outreach programming, this presentation will highlight a model of ARCUS project management that we believe works best to support and sustain our community in its long-term effort to conquer the complexities of Arctic research.

A Vision in Aeronautics: The K-12 Wind Tunnel Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

A Vision in Aeronautics, a project within the NASA Lewis Research Center's Information Infrastructure Technologies and Applications (IITA) K-12 Program, employs small-scale, subsonic wind tunnels to inspire students to explore the world of aeronautics and computers. Recently, two educational K-12 wind tunnels were built in the Cleveland area. During the 1995-1996 school year, preliminary testing occurred in both tunnels.

Developing A Large-Scale, Collaborative, Productive Geoscience Education Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manduca, C. A.; Bralower, T. J.; Egger, A. E.; Fox, S.; Ledley, T. S.; Macdonald, H.; Mcconnell, D. A.; Mogk, D. W.; Tewksbury, B. J.

2012-12-01

Over the past 15 years, the geoscience education community has grown substantially and developed broad and deep capacity for collaboration and dissemination of ideas. While this community is best viewed as emergent from complex interactions among changing educational needs and opportunities, we highlight the role of several large projects in the development of a network within this community. In the 1990s, three NSF projects came together to build a robust web infrastructure to support the production and dissemination of on-line resources: On The Cutting Edge (OTCE), Earth Exploration Toolbook, and Starting Point: Teaching Introductory Geoscience. Along with the contemporaneous Digital Library for Earth System Education, these projects engaged geoscience educators nationwide in exploring professional development experiences that produced lasting on-line resources, collaborative authoring of resources, and models for web-based support for geoscience teaching. As a result, a culture developed in the 2000s in which geoscience educators anticipated that resources for geoscience teaching would be shared broadly and that collaborative authoring would be productive and engaging. By this time, a diverse set of examples demonstrated the power of the web infrastructure in supporting collaboration, dissemination and professional development . Building on this foundation, more recent work has expanded both the size of the network and the scope of its work. Many large research projects initiated collaborations to disseminate resources supporting educational use of their data. Research results from the rapidly expanding geoscience education research community were integrated into the Pedagogies in Action website and OTCE. Projects engaged faculty across the nation in large-scale data collection and educational research. The Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network and OTCE engaged community members in reviewing the expanding body of on-line resources. Building Strong Geoscience Departments sought to create the same type of shared information base that was supporting individual faculty for departments. The Teach the Earth portal and its underlying web development tools were used by NSF-funded projects in education to disseminate their results. Leveraging these funded efforts, the Climate Literacy Network has expanded this geoscience education community to include individuals broadly interested in fostering climate literacy. Most recently, the InTeGrate project is implementing inter-institutional collaborative authoring, testing and evaluation of curricular materials. While these projects represent only a fraction of the activity in geoscience education, they are important drivers in the development of a large, national, coherent geoscience education network with the ability to collaborate and disseminate information effectively. Importantly, the community is open and defined by active participation. Key mechanisms for engagement have included alignment of project activities with participants needs and goals; productive face-to-face and virtual workshops, events, and series; stipends for completion of large products; and strong supporting staff to keep projects moving and assist with product production. One measure of its success is the adoption and adaptation of resources and models by emerging projects, which results in the continued growth of the network.

Infrastructure Joint Venture Projects in Malaysia: A Preliminary Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romeli, Norsyakilah; Muhamad Halil, Faridah; Ismail, Faridah; Sufian Hasim, Muhammad

2018-03-01

As many developed country practise, the function of the infrastructure is to connect the each region of Malaysia holistically and infrastructure is an investment network projects such as transportation water and sewerage, power, communication and irrigations system. Hence, a billions allocations of government income reserved for the sake of the infrastructure development. Towards a successful infrastructure development, a joint venture approach has been promotes by 2016 in one of the government thrust in Construction Industry Transformation Plan which encourage the internationalisation among contractors. However, there is depletion in information on the actual practise of the infrastructure joint venture projects in Malaysia. Therefore, this study attempt to explore the real application of the joint venture in Malaysian infrastructure projects. Using the questionnaire survey, a set of survey question distributed to the targeted respondents. The survey contained three section which the sections are respondent details, organizations background and project capital in infrastructure joint venture project. The results recorded and analyse using SPSS software. The contractors stated that they have implemented the joint venture practice with mostly the client with the usual construction period of the infrastructure project are more than 5 years. Other than that, the study indicates that there are problems in the joint venture project in the perspective of the project capital and the railway infrastructure should be given a highlights in future study due to its high significant in term of cost and technical issues.

76 FR 1616 - Agency Information Collection Request; 60-Day Public Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-11

.... Proposed Project: Comparative Effectiveness Research Inventory--OMB No. 0990-New-Assistant Secretary for... directly to a web-based inventory of comparative effectiveness research (CER). The CER Inventory will...: Research, human & scientific capital (e.g., training/education, methods development), data infrastructure...

75 FR 80504 - Agency Information Collection Request. 60-Day Public Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-22

.... Proposed Project: Comparative Effectiveness Research Inventory--OMB No. 0990-New-Assistant Secretary for... directly to a web-based inventory of comparative effectiveness research (CER). The CER Inventory will...: research, human & scientific capital (e.g., training/education, methods development), data infrastructure...

The Invisible Infrastructure of Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorur, Radhika

2013-01-01

In education, contemporary discussions of standards and standardisation often appear incidentally, as part of the critique of particular standardisation projects, such as national or international assessments and comparisons. This review essay focuses not on particular standards but more broadly on how standards develop, how they participate in…

Abstracting application deployment on Cloud infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aiftimiei, D. C.; Fattibene, E.; Gargana, R.; Panella, M.; Salomoni, D.

2017-10-01

Deploying a complex application on a Cloud-based infrastructure can be a challenging task. In this contribution we present an approach for Cloud-based deployment of applications and its present or future implementation in the framework of several projects, such as “!CHAOS: a cloud of controls” [1], a project funded by MIUR (Italian Ministry of Research and Education) to create a Cloud-based deployment of a control system and data acquisition framework, “INDIGO-DataCloud” [2], an EC H2020 project targeting among other things high-level deployment of applications on hybrid Clouds, and “Open City Platform”[3], an Italian project aiming to provide open Cloud solutions for Italian Public Administrations. We considered to use an orchestration service to hide the complex deployment of the application components, and to build an abstraction layer on top of the orchestration one. Through Heat [4] orchestration service, we prototyped a dynamic, on-demand, scalable platform of software components, based on OpenStack infrastructures. On top of the orchestration service we developed a prototype of a web interface exploiting the Heat APIs. The user can start an instance of the application without having knowledge about the underlying Cloud infrastructure and services. Moreover, the platform instance can be customized by choosing parameters related to the application such as the size of a File System or the number of instances of a NoSQL DB cluster. As soon as the desired platform is running, the web interface offers the possibility to scale some infrastructure components. In this contribution we describe the solution design and implementation, based on the application requirements, the details of the development of both the Heat templates and of the web interface, together with possible exploitation strategies of this work in Cloud data centers.

UNESCO's activities in ethics.

PubMed

ten Have, Henk A M J

2010-03-01

UNESCO is an intergovernmental organization with 193 Member States. It is concerned with a broad range of issues regarding education, science and culture. It is the only UN organisation with a mandate in science. Since 1993 it is addressing ethics of science and technology, with special emphasis on bioethics. One major objective of the ethics programme is the development of international normative standards. This is particularly important since many Member States only have a limited infrastructure in bioethics, lacking expertise, educational programs, bioethics committees and legal frameworks. UNESCO has recently adopted the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. The focus of current activities is now on implementation of this Declaration. Three activities are discussed that aim at improving and reinforcing the ethics infrastructure in relation to science and technology: the Global Ethics Observatory, the Ethics Education Programme and the Assisting Bioethics Committees project.

E-Assessment within the Bologna Paradigm: Evidence from Portugal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrao, Maria

2010-01-01

The Bologna Declaration brought reforms into higher education that imply changes in teaching methods, didactic materials and textbooks, infrastructures and laboratories, etc. Statistics and mathematics are disciplines that traditionally have the worst success rates, particularly in non-mathematics core curricula courses. This research project,…

Critical issues in medical education and the implications for telemedicine technology.

PubMed

Mahapatra, Ashok Kumar; Mishra, Saroj Kanta; Kapoor, Lily; Singh, Indra Pratap

2009-01-01

Ensuring quality medical education in all the medical colleges across India based on uniform curriculum prescribed by a regulatory body and maintaining a uniform standard are dependent on availability of an excellent infrastructure. Such infrastructure includes qualified teachers, knowledge resources, learning materials, and advanced education technology, which is a challenge in developing countries due to financial and logistic constraints. Advancement in telecommunication, information science, and technology provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge and skill across geographically dispersed organizations by networking academic medical centers of excellence with medical colleges and institutes to practice distance learning using information and communication technology (ICT)-based tools. These may be as basic as commonly used Web-based tools or may be as advanced as virtual reality, simulation, and telepresence-based collaborative learning environment. The scenario in India is no different from any developing country, but there is considerable progress due to technical advancement in these sectors. Telemedicine and tele-education in health science, is gradually getting adopted into the Indian Health System after decade-long pilot studies across the country. A recent recommendation of the National Knowledge Commission, once implemented, would ensure a gigabyte network across all the educational institutions of the country including medical colleges. Availability of indigenous satellite communication technology and the government policy of free bandwidth provision for societal development sector have added strength to set up infrastructure to pilot several telemedicine educational projects across the country.

VO for Education: Archive Prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramella, M.; Iafrate, G.; De Marco, M.; Molinaro, M.; Knapic, C.; Smareglia, R.; Cepparo, F.

2014-05-01

The number of remote control telescopes dedicated to education is increasing in many countries, leading to correspondingly larger and larger amount of stored educational data that are usually available only to local observers. Here we present the project for a new infrastructure that will allow teachers using educational telescopes to archive their data and easily publish them within the Virtual Observatory (VO) avoiding the complexity of professional tools. Students and teachers anywhere will be able to access these data with obvious benefits for the realization of grander scale collaborative projects. Educational VO data will also be an important resource for teachers not having direct access to any educational telescopes. We will use the educational telescope at our observatory in Trieste as a prototype for the future VO educational data archive resource. The publishing infrastructure will include: user authentication, content and curation validation, data validation and ingestion, VO compliant resource generation. All of these parts will be performed by means of server side applications accessible through a web graphical user interface (web GUI). Apart from user registration, that will be validated by a natural person responsible for the archive (after having verified the reliability of the user and inspected one or more test files), all the subsequent steps will be automated. This means that at the very first data submission through the webGUI, a complete resource including archive and published VO service will be generated, ready to be registered to the VO. The efforts required to the registered user will consist only in describing herself/himself at registration step and submitting the data she/he selects for publishing after each observation sessions. The infrastructure will be file format independent and the underlying data model will use a minimal set of standard VO keywords, some of which will be specific for outreach and education, possibly including VO field identification (astronomy, planetary science, solar physics). The VO published resource description will be suggested such as to allow selective access to educational data by VO aware tools, differentiating them from professional data while treating them with the same procedures, protocols and tools. The whole system will be very flexible, scalable and with the objective to leave as less work as possible to humans.

Geospatial-enabled Data Exploration and Computation through Data Infrastructure Building Blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, C. X.; Biehl, L. L.; Merwade, V.; Villoria, N.

2015-12-01

Geospatial data are present everywhere today with the proliferation of location-aware computing devices and sensors. This is especially true in the scientific community where large amounts of data are driving research and education activities in many domains. Collaboration over geospatial data, for example, in modeling, data analysis and visualization, must still overcome the barriers of specialized software and expertise among other challenges. The GABBs project aims at enabling broader access to geospatial data exploration and computation by developing spatial data infrastructure building blocks that leverage capabilities of end-to-end application service and virtualized computing framework in HUBzero. Funded by NSF Data Infrastructure Building Blocks (DIBBS) initiative, GABBs provides a geospatial data architecture that integrates spatial data management, mapping and visualization and will make it available as open source. The outcome of the project will enable users to rapidly create tools and share geospatial data and tools on the web for interactive exploration of data without requiring significant software development skills, GIS expertise or IT administrative privileges. This presentation will describe the development of geospatial data infrastructure building blocks and the scientific use cases that help drive the software development, as well as seek feedback from the user communities.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Projection

Science.gov Websites

Tool (EVI-Pro) Lite Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Projection Tool (EVI-Pro) Lite to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Projection Tool (EVI -Pro) Lite on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

Early Childhood Community School Linkages: Advancing a Theory of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geiser, Kristin E.; Rollins, S. Kwesi; Gerstein, Amy; Blank, Martin J.

2013-01-01

In 2009, the Coalition for Community Schools at the Institute for Educational Leadership (CCS-IEL) embarked on an ambitious action research and development project, leveraging the community school system infrastructure present in three geographic regions (Tulsa, Oklahoma; Multnomah County, Oregon; Albuquerque, New Mexico) to advance research and…

A Relationship Marketing Approach to Academic Initiative Planning: A Case in Point

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mobley, Mary F.; Basciano, Peter

2012-01-01

Many higher education initiatives are dependent upon the development of multiple relationships across academic and support functions. The probability of achieving superior initiative outcomes rests, in part, on the construction of an infrastructure that supports the goals, strategies, tactics, and ongoing mission of a defined project. Through…

77 FR 31581 - U.S. Architecture Services Trade Mission to India; Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore, India; October...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-29

... complete transformation in recent years. The booming economy and growing middle class has prompted... a transformation in the way projects are designed and built in India. Many foreign architecture... need for all building types, but corporate campuses, education, housing, infrastructure, and master...

EPA Recognizes Excellence and Innovation in Clean Water Infrastructure

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized 28 clean water infrastructure projects for excellence & innovation within the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program. Honored projects include large wastewater infrastructure projects.

Growing a Wind Workforce: The National Wind Energy Skills Assessment Report (Poster)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tegen, S.

This poster summarizes results from the first published investigation into the detailed makeup of the wind energy workforce as well as a glance at the educational infrastructure and training needs of the wind industry. Insights from this research into the domestic wind workforce allow the private sector, educational institutions, and federal and state governments to make better informed workforce-related decisions based on the current data and future projections.

Building Local Infrastructure for Coordinated School Health Programs: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoltz, Ann D.; Coburn, Sheri; Knickelbein, Ann

2009-01-01

Coordinated school health programs (CSHPs) provide an organizational framework for school health practice by combining health education, health promotion, disease prevention, and access to health services in an integrated, systemic manner. This project examined the effects of a regional 2-year training program to increase local school districts'…

Starting a Community-Wide Internet Turnkey Training Program for K-12 Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Beth; Baron, Joshua

Based on the work of the New Jersey Networking Infrastructure in Education (NJNIE) project, it has been demonstrated that thoughtful integration into the curriculum of Internet-based resources has enormous potential to improve teaching and learning. "The Alliance for Training K-12 Teachers in Instructional Technologies: A National…

Infrastructure for the design and fabrication of MEMS for RF/microwave and millimeter wave applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nerguizian, Vahe; Rafaf, Mustapha

2004-08-01

This article describes and provides valuable information for companies and universities with strategies to start fabricating MEMS for RF/Microwave and millimeter wave applications. The present work shows the infrastructure developed for RF/Microwave and millimeter wave MEMS platforms, which helps the identification, evaluation and selection of design tools and fabrication foundries taking into account packaging and testing. The selected and implemented simple infrastructure models, based on surface and bulk micromachining, yield inexpensive and innovative approaches for distributed choices of MEMS operating tools. With different educational or industrial institution needs, these models may be modified for specific resource changes using a careful analyzed iteration process. The inputs of the project are evaluation selection criteria and information sources such as financial, technical, availability, accessibility, simplicity, versatility and practical considerations. The outputs of the project are the selection of different MEMS design tools or software (solid modeling, electrostatic/electromagnetic and others, compatible with existing standard RF/Microwave design tools) and different MEMS manufacturing foundries. Typical RF/Microwave and millimeter wave MEMS solutions are introduced on the platform during the evaluation and development phases of the project for the validation of realistic results and operational decision making choices. The encountered challenges during the investigation and the development steps are identified and the dynamic behavior of the infrastructure is emphasized. The inputs (resources) and the outputs (demonstrated solutions) are presented in tables and flow chart mode diagrams.

Status of simulation in health care education: an international survey.

PubMed

Qayumi, Karim; Pachev, George; Zheng, Bin; Ziv, Amitai; Koval, Valentyna; Badiei, Sadia; Cheng, Adam

2014-01-01

Simulation is rapidly penetrating the terrain of health care education and has gained growing acceptance as an educational method and patient safety tool. Despite this, the state of simulation in health care education has not yet been evaluated on a global scale. In this project, we studied the global status of simulation in health care education by determining the degree of financial support, infrastructure, manpower, information technology capabilities, engagement of groups of learners, and research and scholarly activities, as well as the barriers, strengths, opportunities for growth, and other aspects of simulation in health care education. We utilized a two-stage process, including an online survey and a site visit that included interviews and debriefings. Forty-two simulation centers worldwide participated in this study, the results of which show that despite enormous interest and enthusiasm in the health care community, use of simulation in health care education is limited to specific areas and is not a budgeted item in many institutions. Absence of a sustainable business model, as well as sufficient financial support in terms of budget, infrastructure, manpower, research, and scholarly activities, slows down the movement of simulation. Specific recommendations are made based on current findings to support simulation in the next developmental stages.

The Education and Public Engagement (EPE) Component of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI): Enabling Near Real-Time Data Use in Undergraduate Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glenn, S. M.; Companion, C.; Crowley, M.; deCharon, A.; Fundis, A. T.; Kilb, D. L.; Levenson, S.; Lichtenwalner, C. S.; McCurdy, A.; McDonnell, J. D.; Overoye, D.; Risien, C. M.; Rude, A.; Wieclawek, J., III

2011-12-01

The National Science Foundation's Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) is constructing observational and computer infrastructure that will provide sustained ocean measurements to study climate variability, ocean circulation, ecosystem dynamics, air-sea exchange, seafloor processes, and plate-scale geodynamics over the next ~25-30 years. To accomplish this, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership established four Implementing Organizations: (1) Regional Scale Nodes; (2) Coastal and Global Scale Nodes; (3) Cyberinfrastructure (CI); and (4) Education and Public Engagement (EPE). The EPE, which we represent, was just recently established to provide a new layer of cyber-interactivity for educators to bring near real-time data, images and videos of our Earth's oceans into their learning environments. Our focus over the next four years is engaging educators of undergraduates and free-choice learners. Demonstration projects of the OOI capabilities will use an Integrated Education Toolkit to access OOI data through the Cyberinfrastructure's On Demand Measurement Processing capability. We will present our plans to develop six education infrastructure software modules: Education Web Services (middleware), Visualization Tools, Concept Map and Lab/Lesson Builders, Collaboration Tools, and an Education Resources Database. The software release of these tools is staggered to coincide with other major OOI releases. The first release will include stand-alone versions of the first four EPE modules (Fall 2012). Next, all six EPE modules will be integrated within the OOI cyber-framework (Fall 2013). The last release will include advanced capabilities for all six modules within a collaborative network that leverages the CI's Integrated Observatory Network (Fall 2014). We are looking for undergraduate and informal science educators to provide feedback and guidance on the project, please contact us if you are interested in partnering with us.

Forest owners' perceptions of ecotourism: Integrating community values and forest conservation.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Piñeros, Sandra; Mayett-Moreno, Yesica

2015-03-01

The use of forest land for ecotourism has been well accepted due to its ability to provide income to local people and to conserve the forest. Preparing the forest with infrastructure to attract and educate visitors has been reported of importance. This study applied Q methodology in a small rural community of the State of Puebla, Mexico, to reveal forest owners' perceptions to build infrastructure in their forest as part of their ecotourism project. It also discloses forest owners' underlying motives to use their forest for ecotourism. Ecotourism is perceived as a complementary activity to farming that would allow women to be involved in community development. Low impact infrastructure is desired due to forest owners' perception to preserve the forest for the overall community well-being.

EPOS Thematic Core Service Anthropogenic Hazards for SHEER project: maintain, process and manage your project research data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlecka-Sikora, Beata; Lasocki, Stanislaw; Staszek, Monika; Olszewska, Dorota; Urban, Pawel; Jaroslawski, Janusz; Cielesta, Szymon; Mirek, Janusz; Wiszniowski, Jan; Picozzi, Matteo; Solaro, Giuseppe; Pringle, Jamie; Toon, Sam; Cesca, Simone; Kuehn, Daniela; Ruigrok, Elmer; Gunning, Andrew; Isherwood, Catherine

2017-04-01

The main objective of the "Shale gas exploration and exploitation induced risks - SHEER" project (Horizon 2020, call LCE 16-2014) is to develop a probabilistic methodology to assess and mitigate the short- and the long-term environmental risks associated with the exploration and exploitation of shale gas. To this end, the SHEER project makes use of a large amount of heterogeneous data of various types. This data, from different disciplines of science e.g. geophysical, geochemical, geological, technological, etc., must be homogenized, harmonized and made accessible exclusively for all project participants. This requires to develop an over-arching structure for high-level multidisciplinary data integration. The bespoke solution is provided by Thematic Core Service Anthropogenic Hazards (TCS AH) developed in the framework of European Plate Observing System Program (https://tcs.ah-epos.eu/, infrastructural projects IS-EPOS, POIG.02.03.00-14-090/13-00 and EPOS IP, H2020-INFRADEV-1-2015-1). TCS AH provides virtual access to a comprehensive, wide-scale and high quality research infrastructure in the field of induced seismicity and other anthropogenic hazards evoked by exploration and exploitation of geo-resources. TCS AH is designed as a functional e-research environment to ensure a researcher the maximum possible freedom for experimentation by providing a virtual laboratory flexible to create own workspace for processing streams. A data-management process promotes the use of research infrastructure in novel ways providing an access to (i) data gathered in the so-called "episodes", comprehensively describing a geophysical process, induced or triggered by human technological activity, which under certain circumstances can become hazardous for people, infrastructure and the environment, (ii) problem-oriented, specific services, with the particular attention devoted to methods analyzing correlations between technology, geophysical response and resulting hazards, (iii) the intercommunity social functions, e.g. brokering of projects, common workspace for the project shared by the project members, upload/download data and codes to the common workspace, tools for communication of project members. The SHEER project uses TCS AH e-infrastructure to manage interdisciplinary data from seven independent episodes and data products from own research. Since presently more than 500 users from 21 countries have registered to TCS AH, the SHEER use of TCS AH by leaps and bounds increases visibility of the project. This work was supported within SHEER: "Shale Gas Exploration and Exploitation Induced Risks" project funded from Horizon 2020 - R&I Framework Programme, call H2020-LCE 16-2014-1 and within statutory activities No3841/E-41/S/2016 of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland.

Green Infrastructure Checklists and Renderings

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Materials and checklists for Denver, CO to review development project plans for green infrastructure components, best practices for inspecting and maintaining installed green infrastructure. Also includes renderings of streetscape projects.

Data Publishing Services in a Scientific Project Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroeder, Matthias; Stender, Vivien; Wächter, Joachim

2014-05-01

Data-intensive science lives from data. More and more interdisciplinary projects are aligned to mutually gain access to their data, models and results. In order to achieving this, an umbrella project GLUES is established in the context of the "Sustainable Land Management" (LAMA) initiative funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The GLUES (Global Assessment of Land Use Dynamics, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Ecosystem Services) project supports several different regional projects of the LAMA initiative: Within the framework of GLUES a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is implemented to facilitate publishing, sharing and maintenance of distributed global and regional scientific data sets as well as model results. The GLUES SDI supports several OGC webservices like the Catalog Service Web (CSW) which enables it to harvest data from varying regional projects. One of these regional projects is SuMaRiO (Sustainable Management of River Oases along the Tarim River) which aims to support oasis management along the Tarim River (PR China) under conditions of climatic and societal changes. SuMaRiO itself is an interdisciplinary and spatially distributed project. Working groups from twelve German institutes and universities are collecting data and driving their research in disciplines like Hydrology, Remote Sensing, and Agricultural Sciences among others. Each working group is dependent on the results of another working group. Due to the spatial distribution of participating institutes the data distribution is solved by using the eSciDoc infrastructure at the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). Further, the metadata based data exchange platform PanMetaDocs will be used by participants collaborative. PanMetaDocs supports an OAI-PMH interface which enables an Open Source metadata portal like GeoNetwork to harvest the information. The data added in PanMetaDocs can be labeled with a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) to publish the data and to harvest this information subsequently by the GLUES SDI. Our contribution will show the architecture of this new established SuMaRiO infrastructure node in a superordinate network of the GLUES infrastructure.

Risk assessment framework on time impact: Infrastructure projects in soft soil during construction stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Low, W. W.; Wong, K. S.; Lee, J. L.

2018-04-01

With the growth of economy and population, there is an increase in infrastructure construction projects. As such, it is unavoidable to have construction projects on soft soil. Without proper risk management plan, construction projects are vulnerable to different types of risks which will have negative impact on project’s time, cost and quality. Literature review showed that little or none of the research is focused on the risk assessment on the infrastructure project in soft soil. Hence, the aim of this research is to propose a risk assessment framework in infrastructure projects in soft soil during the construction stage. This research was focused on the impact of risks on project time and internal risk factors. The research method was Analytical Hierarchy Process and the sample population was experienced industry experts who have experience in infrastructure projects. Analysis was completed and result showed that for internal factors, the five most significant risks on time element are lack of special equipment, potential contractual disputes and claims, shortage of skilled workers, delay/lack of materials supply, and insolvency of contractor/sub-contractor. Results indicated that resources risk factor play a critical role on project time frame in infrastructure projects in soft soil during the construction stage.

Evaluating the Impact of Infrastructure Rehabilitation Projects on Household Welfare in Rural Georgia. Policy Research Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lokshin, Michael; Yemtsov, Ruslan

Economic and political turmoil have led to a dramatic fall in living standards in the Republic of Georgia. Rural areas have been hit particularly hard, suffering from increasing marginalization; worsening access to roads, information, health care facilities and markets; and dilapidation of health and education establishments. In an effort to…

Assessment of online public opinions on large infrastructure projects: A case study of the Three Gorges Project in China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Hanchen, E-mail: jhc13@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn; Qiang, Maoshan, E-mail: qiangms@tsinghua.edu.cn; Lin, Peng, E-mail: celinpe@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn

Public opinion becomes increasingly salient in the ex post evaluation stage of large infrastructure projects which have significant impacts to the environment and the society. However, traditional survey methods are inefficient in collection and assessment of the public opinion due to its large quantity and diversity. Recently, Social media platforms provide a rich data source for monitoring and assessing the public opinion on controversial infrastructure projects. This paper proposes an assessment framework to transform unstructured online public opinions on large infrastructure projects into sentimental and topical indicators for enhancing practices of ex post evaluation and public participation. The framework usesmore » web crawlers to collect online comments related to a large infrastructure project and employs two natural language processing technologies, including sentiment analysis and topic modeling, with spatio-temporal analysis, to transform these comments into indicators for assessing online public opinion on the project. Based on the framework, we investigate the online public opinion of the Three Gorges Project on China's largest microblogging site, namely, Weibo. Assessment results present spatial-temporal distributions of post intensity and sentiment polarity, reveals major topics with different sentiments and summarizes managerial implications, for ex post evaluation of the world's largest hydropower project. The proposed assessment framework is expected to be widely applied as a methodological strategy to assess public opinion in the ex post evaluation stage of large infrastructure projects. - Highlights: • We developed a framework to assess online public opinion on large infrastructure projects with environmental impacts. • Indicators were built to assess post intensity, sentiment polarity and major topics of the public opinion. • We took the Three Gorges Project (TGP) as an example to demonstrate the effectiveness proposed framework. • We revealed spatial-temporal patterns of post intensity and sentiment polarity on the TGP. • We drew implications for a more in-depth understanding of the public opinion on large infrastructure projects.« less

Landlord project multi-year program plan, fiscal year 1999, WBS 1.5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dallas, M.D.

The MYWP technical baseline describes the work to be accomplished by the Project and the technical standards which govern that work. The mission of Landlord Project is to provide more maintenance replacement of general infrastructure facilities and systems to facilitate the Hanford Site cleanup mission. Also, once an infrastructure facility or system is no longer needed the Landlord Project transitions the facility to final closure/removal through excess, salvage or demolition. Landlord Project activities will be performed in an environmentally sound, safe, economical, prudent, and reliable manner. The Landlord Project consists of the following facilities systems: steam, water, liquid sanitary waste,more » electrical distribution, telecommunication, sanitary landfill, emergency services, general purpose offices, general purpose shops, general purpose warehouses, environmental supports facilities, roads, railroad, and the site land. The objectives for general infrastructure support are reflected in two specific areas, (1) Core Infrastructure Maintenance, and (2) Infrastructure Risk Mitigation.« less

Vision for a 21st Century Information Infrastructure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council on Competitiveness, Washington, DC.

In order to ensure that the United States maintains an advanced information infrastructure, the Council on Competitiveness has started a project on the 21st century infrastructure. Participating in this project are the many different parties who are providing and using the infrastructure, including cable companies, regional Bell companies, long…

A Way Forward: Cooperative Solutions to Our Climate Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Little, L. J.; Byrne, J. M.

2014-12-01

Solving the global climate crisis is a multidisciplinary challenge. The world is seeking solutions to climate change. The climate research and education community must move beyond the realm of debating the science - we MUST provide the solutions. The research community understands the science and many of the solutions very well. This project will address the specifics of solutions involving social, political and science disciplines. The content is targeted to multidisciplinary education at the senior undergraduate and graduate levels in universities and colleges. Humanity has already changed the climate and current greenhouse gas emission (GHG) projections indicate our world will warm 2-6° C within a young person's lifetime. We must coordinate societal mitigation and adaptation policies, programs and technology transformations. There is now a dramatic need for many, many highly trained multidisciplinary climate change solutions professionals that understand the complexities of the challenges and can work through the social, political and science tribulations needed to sustain communities around the world. This proposed education project: Provides an introduction to the social, political, technical, health and well-being challenges of climate change; Defines and describes the unprecedented changes to personal and community lifestyle, and consumption of energy and other resources; Examines ways and means for rapid transition of energy systems from fossil fuels to clean renewable technologies. Evaluates redevelopment of our infrastructure to withstand increasing weather extremes; Inventories possible abandonment and/or protection of infrastructure that cannot be redeveloped or reworked, particularly with respect to coastal zones where substantial populations currently live. We propose an online living textbook project. Chapter contributions will be invited from outstanding solutions research professionals from around the world. The online presence is the best means to facilitate a multimedia presentation of the core content of the proposed text.

Critical success factors in infrastructure projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, Siti Fairus; Zin, Rosli Mohamad; Mohamad, Ismail; Balubaid, Saeed; Mydin, Shaik Hussein; Mohd Rahim, E. M. Roodienyanto

2017-11-01

Construction of infrastructure project is different from buildings. The main difference is term of project site where infrastructure project need to command a long stretch while building mostly confine to a limited area. As such factors that are critical to infrastructure project may not be that significant to building project and vice versa. Flood mitigation can be classified under infrastructure projects under which their developments are planned by the government with the specific objective to reduce or avoid the negative effects of flood to the environment and livelihood. One of the indicators in project success is delay. The impact of project delay in construction industry is significant that it decelerates the projects implementation, specifically the government projects. This study attempted to identify and compare the success factors between infrastructure and building projects, as such comparison rarely found in the current literature. A model of flood mitigation projects' success factors was developed by merging the experts' views and reports from the existing literature. The experts' views were obtained from the responses to open-ended questions on the required fundamentals to achieve successful completion of flood mitigation projects. An affinity analysis was applied to these responses to develop the model. The developed model was then compared to the established success factors found in building project, extracted from the previous studies to identify the similarities and differences between the two models. This study would assist the government and construction players to become more effective in constructing successful flood mitigation projects for the future practice in a flood-prone country like Malaysia.

Mission EarthFusing GLOBE with NASA Assets to Build SystemicInnovation in STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czajkowski, K. P.; Garik, P.; Padgett, D.; Darche, S.; Struble, J.; Adaktilou, N.

2016-12-01

Mission Earth is a project funded through the NASA CAN that is developing a systematic embedding of NASA assets that is being implemented by a partnership of organizations across the US. Mission Earth brings together scientists and science educators to develop a K-12 "Earth as a system" curriculum progression following research-based best practices. GLOBE and NASA assets will be infused into the curricula of schools along the K-12 continuum, leveraging existing partnerships and networks and supported through state departments of education and targeting underrepresented groups, as a systemic, effective, and sustainable approach to meeting NASA's science education objectives. This presentation will discuss plans for the Mission Earth project and successes and lessons learned in the first year. Mission Earth is developing curricular materials to support vertically integrated learning progressions. It develops models of professional development utilizing sustainable infrastructures. It will support STEM careers focusing on career technical education (CTE). And, it will engage undergraduate education majors through pre-service courses and engineering students through engineering challenges.

[ECRIN (European clinical research infrastructures network), a pan-European infrastructure for clinical research].

PubMed

Demotes-Mainard, Jacques

2010-12-01

Clinical research plays a key role both in the development of innovative health products and in the optimisation of medical strategies, leading to evidence-based practice and healthcare cost containment. ECRIN is a distributed ESFRI-roadmap pan-European infrastructure designed to support multinational clinical research, making Europe a single area for clinical studies, taking advantage of its population size to access patients, and unlocking latent scientific providing services to multinational. Servicing of multinational trials started during the preparatory phase, and ECRIN has applied for ERIC status in 2011. In parallel, ECRIN has also proposed an FP7 integrating activity project to further develop, upgrade and expand the ECRIN infrastructure built up during the past FP6 and FP7 projects, facilitating an efficient organization of clinical research in Europe, with ECRIN developing generic tools and providing generic services for multinational studies, and supporting the construction of pan-European disease-oriented networks that will in turn act as ECRIN users. This organization will improve Europe's attractiveness for industry trials, boost its scientific competitiveness, and result in better healthcare for European citizens. The three medical areas supported in this project (rare diseases, medical devices, and nutrition) will serve as pilots for other biomedical research fields. By creating a single area for clinical research in Europe, this structure will contribute to the implementation of the Europe flagship initiative 2020 'Innovation Union', whose objectives include defragmentation of research and educational capacities, tackling the major societal challenges (starting with healthy aging), and removing barriers to bringing ideas to the market.

Infrastructure management : Project A : developing a framework for prioritizing infrastructure improvements on critical freight corridors; Project B : developing a market based framework for freight infrastructure management.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-12-01

Fully operational highways are necessary for efficient freight movements by the trucking industry. Yet, the combination of limited funding and aging infrastructure creates a grim scenario for states, which are dependent upon the economic benefits of ...

SHADOZ (Southern Hemisphere ADditional OZonesondes): An Ozonesonde Network and Resource for Remote Sensing Research and Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Anne M.; Witte, Jacquelyn C.

2000-01-01

Balloon-borne ozone instrumentation (ozonesondes), launched at fixed sites, is used to study local patterns in stratospheric and tropospheric ozone and to provide validation for satellite ozone products and model calculations of ozone. A paucity of coordinated ozonesonde data in the southern hemisphere tropics is being remedied in a 3-year project of coordinated ozonesondes launches at 10 sites. The data are available to the scientific community at the SHADOZ website at NASA/Goddard. Stations and their operational characteristics, with examples of ozone observations, are given. One expectation of SHADOZ is that wide dissemination of data and interaction with users and field projects will leverage local funding to maintain infrastructure and operations. SHADOZ data are well-suited for educational projects in which students learn about regional ozone patterns.

Public-private partnerships potential for Arizona-Mexico border infrastructure projects.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

This study of the PublicPrivate Partnership Potential for ArizonaMexico Border Infrastructure Projects originated as an action item of the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Ports Committee of the ArizonaMexico Commission. The purpose of th...

A Cloud-based Infrastructure and Architecture for Environmental System Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, D.; Wei, Y.; Shankar, M.; Quigley, J.; Wilson, B. E.

2016-12-01

The present availability of high-capacity networks, low-cost computers and storage devices, and the widespread adoption of hardware virtualization and service-oriented architecture provide a great opportunity to enable data and computing infrastructure sharing between closely related research activities. By taking advantage of these approaches, along with the world-class high computing and data infrastructure located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a cloud-based infrastructure and architecture has been developed to efficiently deliver essential data and informatics service and utilities to the environmental system research community, and will provide unique capabilities that allows terrestrial ecosystem research projects to share their software utilities (tools), data and even data submission workflow in a straightforward fashion. The infrastructure will minimize large disruptions from current project-based data submission workflows for better acceptances from existing projects, since many ecosystem research projects already have their own requirements or preferences for data submission and collection. The infrastructure will eliminate scalability problems with current project silos by provide unified data services and infrastructure. The Infrastructure consists of two key components (1) a collection of configurable virtual computing environments and user management systems that expedite data submission and collection from environmental system research community, and (2) scalable data management services and system, originated and development by ORNL data centers.

Status of simulation in health care education: an international survey

PubMed Central

Qayumi, Karim; Pachev, George; Zheng, Bin; Ziv, Amitai; Koval, Valentyna; Badiei, Sadia; Cheng, Adam

2014-01-01

Simulation is rapidly penetrating the terrain of health care education and has gained growing acceptance as an educational method and patient safety tool. Despite this, the state of simulation in health care education has not yet been evaluated on a global scale. In this project, we studied the global status of simulation in health care education by determining the degree of financial support, infrastructure, manpower, information technology capabilities, engagement of groups of learners, and research and scholarly activities, as well as the barriers, strengths, opportunities for growth, and other aspects of simulation in health care education. We utilized a two-stage process, including an online survey and a site visit that included interviews and debriefings. Forty-two simulation centers worldwide participated in this study, the results of which show that despite enormous interest and enthusiasm in the health care community, use of simulation in health care education is limited to specific areas and is not a budgeted item in many institutions. Absence of a sustainable business model, as well as sufficient financial support in terms of budget, infrastructure, manpower, research, and scholarly activities, slows down the movement of simulation. Specific recommendations are made based on current findings to support simulation in the next developmental stages. PMID:25489254

Impact Through Outreach and Education with Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heward, A.; Barrosa, M.; Miller, S.

2015-10-01

Since 2005, Europlanet has provided a framework to bring together Europe's fragmented planetary science community. The project has evolved through a number of phases into a self-sustaining membership organization. Now, Europlanet is launching a new Research Infrastructure (RI) funded through the European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme that, for the next four years, will provide support, services, access to facilities, new research tools and a virtual planetary observatory. Europlanet 2020 RI's Impact Through Outreach and Education (IOE) activities aim to ensure that the work of Europlanet and the community it supports is known, understood and used by stakeholders, and that their inputs are taken into account by the project. We will engage citizens, policy makers and potential industrial partners across Europe with planetary science and the opportunities that it provides for innovation, inspiration and job creation. We will reach out to educators and students, both directly and through partner networks, to provide an interactive showcase of Europlanet's activities e.g through live link-ups with scientists participating in planetary analogue field trips, educational video "shorts" and through using real planetary data from the virtual observatory in comparative planetology educational activities. We will support outreach providers within the planetary science community (e.g. schools liaison officers, press officers, social media managers and scientists active in communicating their work) through meetings and best practice workshops, communication training sessions, an annual prize for public engagement and a seed-funding scheme for outreach activities. We will use traditional and social media channels to communicate newsworthy results and activities to diverse audiences not just in Europe but also around the globe.

Public-private partnerships potential for Arizona-Mexico border infrastructure projects : executive summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

This study of the PublicPrivate Partnership Potential for ArizonaMexico Border Infrastructure Projects originated as an action item of the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Ports Committee of the ArizonaMexico Commission. The purpose of th...

Financing the construction of transport infrastructure as the basis for sustainable development of the regional economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nidziy, Elena

2017-10-01

Dependence of the regional economic development from efficiency of financing of the construction of transport infrastructure is analyzed and proved in this article. Effective mechanism for infrastructure projects financing, public and private partnership, is revealed and its concrete forms are formulated. Here is proposed an optimal scenario for financing for the transport infrastructure, which can lead to positive transformations in the economy. Paper considers the advantages and risks of public and private partnership for subjects of contractual relations. At that, components for the assessment of economic effect of the implementation of infrastructure projects were proposed simultaneously with formulation of conditions for minimization risks. Results of the research could be used for solution of persistent problems in the development of transport infrastructure, issues of financial assurance of construction of infrastructure projects at the regional level.

Cloud Infrastructure & Applications - CloudIA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulistio, Anthony; Reich, Christoph; Doelitzscher, Frank

The idea behind Cloud Computing is to deliver Infrastructure-as-a-Services and Software-as-a-Service over the Internet on an easy pay-per-use business model. To harness the potentials of Cloud Computing for e-Learning and research purposes, and to small- and medium-sized enterprises, the Hochschule Furtwangen University establishes a new project, called Cloud Infrastructure & Applications (CloudIA). The CloudIA project is a market-oriented cloud infrastructure that leverages different virtualization technologies, by supporting Service-Level Agreements for various service offerings. This paper describes the CloudIA project in details and mentions our early experiences in building a private cloud using an existing infrastructure.

TRANSVAC research infrastructure - Results and lessons learned from the European network of vaccine research and development.

PubMed

Geels, Mark J; Thøgersen, Regitze L; Guzman, Carlos A; Ho, Mei Mei; Verreck, Frank; Collin, Nicolas; Robertson, James S; McConkey, Samuel J; Kaufmann, Stefan H E; Leroy, Odile

2015-10-05

TRANSVAC was a collaborative infrastructure project aimed at enhancing European translational vaccine research and training. The objective of this four year project (2009-2013), funded under the European Commission's (EC) seventh framework programme (FP7), was to support European collaboration in the vaccine field, principally through the provision of transnational access (TNA) to critical vaccine research and development (R&D) infrastructures, as well as by improving and harmonising the services provided by these infrastructures through joint research activities (JRA). The project successfully provided all available services to advance 29 projects and, through engaging all vaccine stakeholders, successfully laid down the blueprint for the implementation of a permanent research infrastructure for early vaccine R&D in Europe. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Forecast Mekong: 2011 update

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turnipseed, D. Phil

2011-01-01

In 2009, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton joined with the Foreign Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam in launching the Lower Mekong Initiative to enhance U.S. engagement with the Lower Mekong countries in the areas of environment, health, education, and infrastructure. Part of the Lower Mekong Initiative, the U.S. Geological Survey's Forecast Mekong project is engaging the United States in scientific research relevant to environmental issues in the Lower Mekong River countries and is staying the course in support of the Mekong Nations with a suite of new projects for 2011.

Patient engagement in patient-centered outcomes research: challenges, facilitators and actions to strengthen the field.

PubMed

Ellis, Lauren E; Kass, Nancy E

2017-06-01

To describe challenges to and facilitators of patient engagement to inform future strategies and suggested actions to strengthen engagement. Interviews with 19 principal investigators of projects funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and with 33 patients from 18 of the 19 projects. Facilitators included using existing resources, having clear goals, educating patients and treating patients respectfully. Logistical challenges included extra time and work, institutional barriers and difficulty having meetings. Substantive challenges to selecting, educating and engaging patients, and incorporating feedback were also reported. To bolster the infrastructure for engagement, we suggest funders, institutions and researchers focus on resources and training for researchers and patients, networks and programs to connect stakeholders and model policies.

Connecting Learners: The South Carolina Educational Technology Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina State Dept. of Education, Columbia.

This educational technology plan for South Carolina contains the following sections: (1) statewide progress related to the telecommunications infrastructure, professional development, video infrastructure, administrative infrastructure, and funding; (2) introduction to educational technology concepts, including major components and factors…

The Climate Change Education Partnership Alliance: Building a Network for Effective Collaboration and Impact (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scowcroft, G.

2013-12-01

The mission of the Climate Change Education Partnership Alliance (The Alliance), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is to advance exemplary climate change education through research and innovative partnerships. Through six unique regional projects, The Alliance is reaching wide and diverse audiences across the U.S., while linking groups and institutions that might not otherwise be connected by a common focus on climate change education. The goals for The Alliance include building collaborations between projects and institutions, sharing effective practices, and leveraging resources to create a community in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. To foster these goals, NSF has funded a central hub, the Alliance Office. Currently, the Alliance Office is building the infrastructure necessary to support activities and communication between the projects. Successful networks need objectives for their interactions and a common vision held by the partners. In the first national meeting of The Alliance members, held in June 2013, the foundation was laid to begin this work. The Alliance now has a common mission and vision to guide the next four years of activities. An initial 'mapping' of the network has identified the scope and diversity of the network, how members are connected, current boundaries of the network, network strengths and weaknesses, and network needs. This information will serve as a baseline as the network develops. The Alliance has also identified the need for key 'working groups' which provide an opportunity for members to work across the projects on common goals. As The Alliance evolves, building blocks identified by the field of network science will be used to forge a strong and successful collaborative enterprise. Infrastructure is being established to support widespread engagement; social ties are being fostered through face-to-face meetings and monthly teleconferences; time is provided to build and share knowledge; the sharing of new and diverse perspectives is encouraged; and resources will be leveraged across and beyond the projects. This presentation will provide an overview of The Alliance activities, lessons learned thus far, and plans for the future.

Online virtual patients - A driver for change in medical and healthcare professional education in developing countries?

PubMed

Dewhurst, David; Borgstein, Eric; Grant, Mary E; Begg, Michael

2009-08-01

The development of online virtual patients has proved to be an effective vehicle for pedagogical and technological skills transfer and capacity building for medical and healthcare educators in Malawi. A project between the University of Edinburgh and the University of Malawi has delivered more than 20 collaboratively developed, virtual patients, contextualised for in-country medical and healthcare education and, more significantly, a cadre of healthcare professionals skilled in developing digital resources and integrating these into their emerging curricula. The process of engaging with new approaches to teaching and delivering personalised, context sensitive content via a game-informed, technology-supported process has contributed to the ability of healthcare educators in Malawi to drive pedagogical change, meet the substantial challenges of delivering new curricula, cope with increasing student numbers and promote teacher professional development. This initial phase of the project has laid the foundation for a broader second phase that focuses on promoting curriculum change, developing educational infrastructure and in-country capacity to create, and integrate digital resources into education and training across multi-professional groups and across educational levels.

Public Participation Procedure in Integrated Transport and Green Infrastructure Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finka, Maroš; Ondrejička, Vladimír; Jamečný, Ľubomír; Husár, Milan

2017-10-01

The dialogue among the decision makers and stakeholders is a crucial part of any decision-making processes, particularly in case of integrated transportation planning and planning of green infrastructure where a multitude of actors is present. Although the theory of public participation is well-developed after several decades of research, there is still a lack of practical guidelines due to the specificity of public participation challenges. The paper presents a model of public participation for integrated transport and green infrastructure planning for international project TRANSGREEN covering the area of five European countries - Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Romania. The challenge of the project is to coordinate the efforts of public actors and NGOs in international environment in oftentimes precarious projects of transport infrastructure building and developing of green infrastructure. The project aims at developing and environmentally-friendly and safe international transport network. The proposed public participation procedure consists of five main steps - spread of information (passive), collection of information (consultation), intermediate discussion, engagement and partnership (empowerment). The initial spread of information is a process of communicating with the stakeholders, informing and educating them and it is based on their willingness to be informed. The methods used in this stage are public displays, newsletters or press releases. The second step of consultation is based on transacting the opinions of stakeholders to the decision makers. Pools, surveys, public hearings or written responses are examples of the multitude of ways to achieve this objective and the main principle of openness of stakeholders. The third step is intermediate discussion where all sides of are invited to a dialogue using the tools such as public meetings, workshops or urban walks. The fourth step is an engagement based on humble negotiation, arbitration and mediation. The collaborative skill needed here is dealing with conflicts. The final step in the procedure is partnership and empowerment employing methods as multi-actor decision making, voting or referenda. The leading principle is cooperation. In this ultimate step, the stakeholders are becoming decision makers themselves and the success factor here is continuous evaluation.

International Workshop on Educational Infrastructure: Conclusions (Summary of Proceedings, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, February 24-27, 2002).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France). Programme on Educational Building.

This document summarizes themes developed and conclusions from the International Workshop on Educational Infrastructure. The opening topic was "Delivering Education and Training in the Knowledge Society." It was clear to participants that educational infrastructure must go hand-in-hand with reengineering processes to adjust to the needs…

Education as eHealth Infrastructure: Considerations in Advancing a National Agenda for eHealth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilberts, Sonya; Gray, Kathleen

2014-01-01

This paper explores the role of education as infrastructure in large-scale ehealth strategies--in theory, in international practice and in one national case study. Education is often invisible in the documentation of ehealth infrastructure. Nevertheless a review of international practice shows that there is significant educational investment made…

EIA application in China's expressway infrastructure: clarifying the decision-making hierarchy.

PubMed

Zhou, Kai-Yi; Sheate, William R

2011-06-01

China's EIA Law came into effect in 2003 and formally requires road transport infrastructure development actions to be subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). EIAs (including project EIA and plan EIA, or strategic environmental impact assessment, SEA) have been being widely applied in the expressway infrastructure planning field. Among those applications, SEA is applied to provincial level expressway network (PLEI) plans, and project EIA is applied to expressway infrastructure development 'projects' under PLEI plans. Three case studies (one expressway project EIA and two PLEI plan SEAs) were examined to understand currently how EIAs are applied to expressway infrastructure development planning. Through the studies, a number of problems that significantly influence the quality of EIA application in the field were identified. The reasons causing those problems are analyzed and possible solutions are suggested aimed at enhancing EIA practice, helping deliver better decision-making and ultimately improving the environmental performance of expressway infrastructure. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community Needs Assessment and Portal Prototype Development for an Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure (ASDI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiggins, H. V.; Warnick, W. K.; Hempel, L. C.; Henk, J.; Sorensen, M.; Tweedie, C. E.; Gaylord, A. G.

2007-12-01

As the creation and use of geospatial data in research, management, logistics, and education applications has proliferated, there is now a tremendous potential for advancing science through a variety of cyber-infrastructure applications, including Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) and related technologies. SDIs provide a necessary and common framework of standards, securities, policies, procedures, and technology to support the effective acquisition, coordination, dissemination and use of geospatial data by multiple and distributed stakeholder and user groups. Despite the numerous research activities in the Arctic, there is no established SDI and, because of this lack of a coordinated infrastructure, there is inefficiency, duplication of effort, and reduced data quality and search ability of arctic geospatial data. The urgency for establishing this framework is significant considering the myriad of data that is being collected in celebration of the International Polar Year (IPY) in 2007-2008 and the current international momentum for an improved and integrated circum-arctic terrestrial-marine-atmospheric environmental observatories network. The key objective of this project is to lay the foundation for full implementation of an Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure (ASDI) through an assessment of community needs, readiness, and resources and through the development of a prototype web-mapping portal.

Participatory environmental governance of infrastructure projects affecting reindeer husbandry in the Arctic.

PubMed

Landauer, Mia; Komendantova, Nadejda

2018-06-22

Several infrastructure projects are under development or already operational across the Arctic region. Often the deployment of such projects creates benefits at the national, regional, or global scales. However, local communities can experience negative impacts due to the requirements for extensive land areas, which cause pressure on traditional land use. Public participation in environmental planning such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) enables local communities to provide feedback on the environmental, social, and economic challenges of infrastructure projects. Ideally, participation can improve the means of social learning for all involved parties and help to co-develop sustainable solutions. The subject of our research is reindeer herders' participation in EIA procedures of mines and wind farms in Finland because these types of projects affect reindeer husbandry. We study empirically how stakeholders involved in the EIAs perceive the participation of reindeer herders in the planning and implementation of infrastructure projects, and how these differ from the perceptions of the reindeer herders who are affected by the infrastructure projects. Our qualitative data is based on in-depth semi-structured interviews (N = 31) with members of the industry sector, consultants, governmental authorities, and representatives of local communities; in this study, the reindeer herders. The results show that herders' level of participation in the EIAs and the benefits and challenges of participation are perceived differently. Furthermore, the regulatory framework does not adequately ensure that the developer carries social and environmental responsibilities throughout the infrastructure project's lifetime, and that regular communication with herders will also be maintained after the EIAs. Herders' expertise should be used throughout the project lifetime. For example, more attention should be paid to both negotiating possible options for compensation and monitoring mechanisms when the infrastructure projects are pre-screened for the EIAs, as well as to co-designing the different project alternatives with herders for the EIAs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National Geographic FieldScope: Tools for Engaging a Range of Audiences in Citizen Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

OConnor, S.; Takaki, E.

2013-12-01

Recognizing the promise of projects that engage non-scientists in scientific research as a context for informal science learning, National Geographic set out in 2009 to develop a technology infrastructure to support public participation in scientific research (PPSR), or citizen science, projects. As a result, NG has developed a web-based platform called FieldScope to host projects in which geographically distributed participants submit local observations or measurements to a shared database. This project is motivated by the observation that historically citizen science initiatives have been siloed using different technologies, and that these projects rarely provide participants with the opportunity to participate in data analysis or any other aspects of the scientific process except for collecting and contributing data. Therefore, FieldScope has been designed to support data visualization and analysis using geospatial technologies and aims to develop social networking tools for communicating and discussing findings. Since educational impact is the project's primary priority, FieldScope is also being designed with usability by novices in mind. In addition to engaging novices in participation in citizen science, the design of the application is also meant to engage students and others in working with geospatial technologies, in this case, web-based GIS. The project's goal is to create a single, powerful infrastructure for PPSR projects that any organization can use to create their own project and support their own community of participants. The FieldScope environment will serve as a hosting environment for PPSR projects following the model of hosted communities of practice that has become widespread on the web. The goal is to make FieldScope a publicly-available resource for any PPSR project on a no- or low-cost basis. It will also make synergies possible between projects that are collecting related data in the same geographic area. NG is now in the fourth year of an NSF grant to bring this vision for FieldScope to life. The project is structured around key collaborations with 'conveners' of existing citizen science initiatives. These existing initiatives include Project BudBurst, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums FrogWatch USA, and the Alice Ferguson Fund's Trash Free Potomac Initiative. These groups are serving as testbed partners, building their citizen science projects with the FieldScope development tools and hosting their communities within the FieldScope infrastructure. Through outcomes research and evaluation, these testbeds will provide much-needed evidence about the value of citizen science for learning and the conditions that can maximize those outcomes. Presenters will share findings to date of the project, including a demonstration of the technology using examples from our convening partners from the NSF project, as well as other communities using FieldScope, ranging from citizen science initiatives in the Yukon River watershed aimed at engaging indigenous Alaskan populations to a wide-spread initiative across the Chesapeake Bay watershed designed for students and environmental education program participants.

Project-based faculty development for e-learning.

PubMed

Vyas, Rashmi; Faith, Minnie; Selvakumar, Dhayakani; Pulimood, Anna; Lee, Mary

2016-12-01

The Christian Medical College, Vellore, in collaboration with Tufts University, Boston, conducted an advanced workshop in e-learning for medical faculty members in India. E-learning can enhance educational reforms for today's computer-literate generation, and keep faculty members up to speed in a rapidly changing world. The purpose of this paper is to report on the design and evaluation of a project-based faculty member development programme focused on developing faculty members as educators and as peer trainers who can use e-learning for educational reforms. During a 2-day workshop, 29 participants in groups of two or three developed 13 e-learning projects for implementation in their institutions. Evaluation of the workshop was through written feedback from the participants at the end of the workshop and by telephone interview with one participant from each project group at the end of one year. Content analysis of qualitative data was perfomed. The participants reported that they were motivated to implement e-learning projects and recognised the need for and usefulness of e-learning. The majority of projects (10 out of 13) that were implemented 'to some extent' or 'to a great extent' faced challenges with a lack of resources and administrative support, but faculty members were able to overcome them. E-learning can enhance educational reforms for today's computer-literate generation IMPLICATIONS: Designing feasible e-learning projects in small groups and obtaining hands-on experience with e-learning tools enhance the effectiveness of subsequent implementation. To successfully incorporate e-learning when designing educational reforms, faculty member training, continuing support and infrastructure facilities are essential. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Michigan Health & Hospital Association Keystone Obstetrics: a statewide collaborative for perinatal patient safety in Michigan.

PubMed

Simpson, Kathleen Rice; Knox, G Eric; Martin, Morgan; George, Chris; Watson, Sam R

2011-12-01

Preventable harm to mothers and infants during labor and birth is a significant patient safety and professional liability issue. A Michigan Health & Hospital Association Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality Obstetric Collaborative Project involved perinatal teams from 15 Michigan hospitals during an 11-month period in 2009. The purpose of the project was to promote safe care practices during labor and birth using the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP). Consistent with the CUSP model, this project's components included assessing and promoting a culture of safety; interdisciplinary team building; case review; learning from defects through multiple methods of education; team and individual coaching and peer encouragement; administrative support for the establishment of a fundamental safety infrastructure; and ongoing evaluation of care processes and outcomes. Study measures included 32 components of a perinatal patient infrastructure, 6 care processes during labor and birth, and 4 neonatal outcomes. Significant improvements were found in the safety culture (Safety Attitudes Questionnaire), the perinatal patient safety infrastructure components, and all care processes. Although the project was successful, getting buy-in from all members of the clinical team in each hospital for all of the measures was challenging at times. There was initial resistance to some of the measures and their various expected aspects of care. For example, some of the clinicians were initially reluctant to adopt the recommended standardized oxytocin protocol. Peer encouragement and unit-based feedback on progress in minimizing early elective births proved useful in many hospitals. A CUSP in obstetrics can be beneficial in improving the care of mothers and infants during labor and birth.

Environmental assessment in slum improvement programs: Some evidence from a study on infrastructure projects in two Dhaka slums

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chowdhury, Farhat Jahan; Amin, A.T.M. Nurul

2006-08-15

This paper reports findings from a study on slum improvement projects to show the difference that environmental assessment (EA) can make in such interventions and to suggest mechanisms for its integration into such projects. The findings are based on a field survey that was carried out in two slums of Dhaka where infrastructure projects were implemented. In one slum, the EA process was considered in designing and locating infrastructure and in the other it was not. The survey results traced the severe problems that existed in both slums before the implementation of infrastructure improvement projects and reveal that after themore » intervention the situation has considerably improved in the slum where EA was conducted. In contrast, some problems still persist in the other slum where EA was not considered. To make it worse, the newly built infrastructures have even given rise to a set of new problems. In order to avoid such negative outcomes from development interventions, the paper finally develops the mechanism for integration of EA into slum improvement project.« less

Nurturing educational research at Dartmouth Medical School: the synergy among innovative ideas, support faculty, and administrative structures.

PubMed

Nierenberg, David W; Carney, Patricia A

2004-10-01

In recent years, Dartmouth Medical School has increased its commitment to educational research within the school, and in collaboration with other schools across the country. Passionate faculty members with ideas and expertise in particular curricular areas are one critical component needed for a successful educational research program. Other components include an atmosphere that fosters research collaborations and mentoring, and various types of institutional support structures. This same model has effectively supported basic science and clinical research for decades. Because of the complexities involved in studying medical education, Dartmouth Medical School has invested in support structures for educational grant and manuscript development, financial support for pilot projects and partial salary support for investigators and key staff members, and other support targeted toward specific research projects. Ultimately, the goal is to use the results of the school's educational research projects to improve the curriculum through cycles of hypothesis development and testing, providing evidence for subsequent curricular change. When some research findings are relevant and applicable for use in other medical schools, that is an additional benefit of the educational research process. In this report, the authors describe the development of Dartmouth Medical School's infrastructure for supporting educational research, which has helped to accelerate the educational research productivity teaching faculty now enjoy. The authors also address some of the challenges that they anticipate in the near future.

Quantifying economic benefits for rail infrastructure projects.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-01

This project identifies metrics for measuring the benefit of rail infrastructure projects for key : stakeholders. It is important that stakeholders with an interest in community economic development play an active : role in the development of the rai...

The BC Educator Pathway Collaborative Framework: creating the foundation for nursing education capacity.

PubMed

Semeniuk, Patricia; Mildon, Barbara; Purkis, Mary Ellen; Thorne, Sally; Wejr, Patricia

2010-05-01

This paper describes the conceptual structure and organizational framework of the Educator Pathway Project (EPP), which is a unique collaborative capacity-building project creating infrastructure for integrating nursing practice learning and development throughout the service and education sectors in British Columbia. Since 2005, two major health authorities, two universities and the provincial nurses' bargaining association have been engaged in an intensive and dynamic partnership to conceptualize and fundamentally change intersectoral directions and possibilities. This unique initiative has required considerable investment and commitment among all partner organizations, resulting in a clear, shared vision of systemwide support of nursing. With the EPP now in its final year of funding, we are beginning to document its elements and interpret its significant impact on nurses and their workplaces across the regions. In this paper, we describe the overall program design, explain the collaborative partnership mechanisms through which we have been implementing the project and articulate a range of processes through which we are working together to enact significant system-level adjustments aimed at a genuine practice-education continuum. As part of sustaining a strong nursing workforce, we believe that nursing practice and education leaders across Canada are ready to employ this kind of creative approach towards realizing our common goals.

Infrastructure for Reaching Disadvantaged Consumers

PubMed Central

Hovenga, Evelyn J. S.; Hovel, Joe; Klotz, Jeanette; Robins, Patricia

1998-01-01

Both consumers and health service providers need access to up-to-date information, including patient and practice guidelines, that allows them to make decisions in partnership about individual and public health in line with the primary health care model of health service delivery. Only then is it possible for patient preferences to be considered while the health of the general population is improved. The Commonwealth Government of Australia has allocated $250 million over five years, starting July 1, 1997, to support activities and projects designed to meet a range of telecommunication needs in regional, rural, and remote Australia. This paper defines rural and remote communities, then reviews rural and remote health services, information, and telecommunication technology infrastructures and their use in Australia to establish the current state of access to information tools by rural and remote communities and rural health workers in Australia today. It is argued that a suitable telecommunication infrastructure is needed to reach disadvantaged persons in extremely remote areas and that intersectoral support is essential to build this infrastructure. In addition, education will make its utilization possible. PMID:9609497

Citizen Sky, An Update on the AAVSO's New Citizen Science Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Rebecca; Price, A.; Henden, A.; Stencel, R.; Kloppenborg, B.

2011-01-01

Citizen Sky is a multi-year, NSF-funded, citizen science project focusing on the bright variable star, epsilon Aurigae. Citizen Sky goes beyond simple observing to include a major data analysis component. The goal is to introduce the participant to the full scientific process from background research to paper writing for a peer-reviewed journal. The first year of the project, 2009-10, was dedicated to developing project infrastructure, educating participants about epsilon Aurigae, and training these participants to observe the star and report their data. Looking forward, years two and three of the project will focus on assembling teams of participants to work on their own analysis and research. Results will be published in a special issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of the AAVSO. This project has been made possible by the National Science Foundation.

NASA Hydrogen Research for Spaceport and Space Based Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Tim

2006-01-01

The activities presented are a broad based approach to advancing key hydrogen related technologies in areas such as hydrogen production, distributed sensors for hydrogen-leak detection, laser instrumentation for hydrogen-leak detection, and cryogenic transport and storage. Presented are the results form 15 research projects, education, and outreach activities, system and trade studies, and project management. The work will aid in advancing the state-of-the-art for several critical technologies related to the implementation of a hydrogen infrastructure. Activities conducted are relevant to a number of propulsion and power systems for terrestrial, aeronautics, and aerospace applications.

"One Step Ahead and Two Steps Back": Meeting Special Education and Inclusive Challenges in the Context of Poverty (Case Study in the Context of Republic of Moldova)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalinnikova Magnusson, Liya

2016-01-01

The research experience is based on outputs from the international project ["Human resources in poverty and disability: family perspective" (Moldova and Ukraine): 348-2011-7346 [2012-2014], funded by the Vetenskapsrådet, Sweden. During the last 20 years, Moldavian and Ukrainian societies have been developing inclusive infrastructures,…

A Framework to Assess Programs for Building Partnerships

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

available from www.rand.org as a public service of the RAND Corporation . 6Jump down to document THE ARTS CHILD POLICY CIVIL JUSTICE EDUCATION ENERGY...ABUSE TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research...6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Rand Corporation ,1776

The Effect of Pixel Size on the Accuracy of Orthophoto Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulur, S.; Yildiz, F.; Selcuk, O.; Yildiz, M. A.

2016-06-01

In our country, orthophoto products are used by the public and private sectors for engineering services and infrastructure projects, Orthophotos are particularly preferred due to faster and are more economical production according to vector digital photogrammetric production. Today, digital orthophotos provide an expected accuracy for engineering and infrastructure projects. In this study, the accuracy of orthophotos using pixel sizes with different sampling intervals are tested for the expectations of engineering and infrastructure projects.

Building Cyberinfrastructures for Earth and Space Sciences so that they will come: lessons learnt from Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyborn, L. A.; Woodcock, R.

2013-12-01

One of the greatest drivers for change in the way scientific research is undertaken in Australia was the development of the Australian eResearch Infrastructure which was coordinated by the then Australian Government Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. There were two main tranches of funding: the 2007-2013 National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and the 2009 Education and Investment Framework (EIF) Super Science Initiative. Investments were in two areas: the Australian e-Research Infrastructure and domain specific capabilities: combined investment in both is 1,452M with at least 456M being invested in eResearch infrastructure. NCRIS was specifically designed as a community-guided process to provide researchers, both academic and government, with major research facilities, supporting infrastructures and networks necessary for world-class research. Extensive community engagement was sought to inform decisions on where Australia could best make strategic infrastructure investments to further develop its research capacity and improve research outcomes over the next 5 to 10years. The current (2007-2014) Australian e-Research Infrastructure has 2 components: 1. The National eResearch physical infrastructure which includes two petascale HPC facilities (one in Canberra and one in Perth), a 10 Gbps national network (National Research Network), a national data storage infrastructure comprising 8 multi petabyte data stores and shared access methods (Australian Access Federation). 2. A second component is focused on research integration infrastructures and includes the Australian National Data Service, which is concerned with better management, description and access to distributed research data in Australia and the National eResearch Collaboration Tools and Resources (NeCTAR) project. NeCTAR is centred on developing problem oriented digital laboratories which provide better and coordinated access to research tools, data environments and workflows. The eResearch Infrastructure Stack is designed to support 12 individual domain-specific capabilities. Four are relevant to the Earth and Space Sciences: (1) AuScope (a national Earth Science Infrastructure Program), (2) the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), (3) the Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network (TERN) and (4) the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN). The two main research integration infrastructures, ANDS and NeCTAR, are seen as pivotal to the success of the Australian eResearch Infrastructure. Without them, there was a risk that that the investments in new computers and data storage would provide physical infrastructure, but few would come to use it as the skills barriers to entry were too high. ANDS focused on transforming Australia's research data environment. Its flagship is Research Data Australia, an Internet-based discovery service designed to provide rich connections between data, projects, researchers and institutions, and promote visibility of Australian research data collections in search engines. NeCTAR focused on building eResearch infrastructure in four areas: virtual laboratories, tools, a federated research cloud and a hosting service. Combined, ANDS and NeCTAR are ensuring that people ARE coming and ARE using the physical infrastructures that were built.

The dependence of educational infrastructure on clinical infrastructure.

PubMed Central

Cimino, C.

1998-01-01

The Albert Einstein College of Medicine needed to assess the growth of its infrastructure for educational computing as a first step to determining if student needs were being met. Included in computing infrastructure are space, equipment, software, and computing services. The infrastructure was assessed by reviewing purchasing and support logs for a six year period from 1992 to 1998. This included equipment, software, and e-mail accounts provided to students and to faculty for educational purposes. Student space has grown at a constant rate (averaging 14% increase each year respectively). Student equipment on campus has grown by a constant amount each year (average 8.3 computers each year). Student infrastructure off campus and educational support of faculty has not kept pace. It has either declined or remained level over the six year period. The availability of electronic mail clearly demonstrates this with accounts being used by 99% of students, 78% of Basic Science Course Leaders, 38% of Clerkship Directors, 18% of Clerkship Site Directors, and 8% of Clinical Elective Directors. The collection of the initial descriptive infrastructure data has revealed problems that may generalize to other medical schools. The discrepancy between infrastructure available to students and faculty on campus and students and faculty off campus creates a setting where students perceive a paradoxical declining support for computer use as they progress through medical school. While clinical infrastructure may be growing, it is at the expense of educational infrastructure at affiliate hospitals. PMID:9929262

A Study Examining Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power as an Alternative for the Rebuilding of the Iraqi Electrical Power Generation Infrastructure

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

Logistics, BA-5590, BB- 390, BB-2590, PVPC, Iraq, Power Grid, Infrastructure, Cost Estimate, Photovoltaic Power Conversion (PVPC), MPPT 16. PRICE...the cost and feasibility of using photovoltaic (PV) solar power to assist in the rebuilding of the Iraqi electrical infrastructure. This project...cost and feasibility of using photovoltaic (PV) solar power to assist in the rebuilding of the Iraqi infrastructure. The project examines available

A Community-Based Approach to Leading the Nation in Smart Energy Use

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

2013-12-31

Project Objectives The AEP Ohio gridSMART® Demonstration Project (Project) achieved the following objectives: • Built a secure, interoperable, and integrated smart grid infrastructure in northeast central Ohio that demonstrated the ability to maximize distribution system efficiency and reliability and consumer use of demand response programs that reduced energy consumption, peak demand, and fossil fuel emissions. • Actively attracted, educated, enlisted, and retained consumers in innovative business models that provided tools and information reducing consumption and peak demand. • Provided the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) information to evaluate technologies and preferred smart grid business models to be extended nationally. Projectmore » Description Ohio Power Company (the surviving company of a merger with Columbus Southern Power Company), doing business as AEP Ohio (AEP Ohio), took a community-based approach and incorporated a full suite of advanced smart grid technologies for 110,000 consumers in an area selected for its concentration and diversity of distribution infrastructure and consumers. It was organized and aligned around: • Technology, implementation, and operations • Consumer and stakeholder acceptance • Data management and benefit assessment Combined, these functional areas served as the foundation of the Project to integrate commercially available products, innovative technologies, and new consumer products and services within a secure two-way communication network between the utility and consumers. The Project included Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Distribution Management System (DMS), Distribution Automation Circuit Reconfiguration (DACR), Volt VAR Optimization (VVO), and Consumer Programs (CP). These technologies were combined with two-way consumer communication and information sharing, demand response, dynamic pricing, and consumer products, such as plug-in electric vehicles and smart appliances. In addition, the Project incorporated comprehensive cyber security capabilities, interoperability, and a data assessment that, with grid simulation capabilities, made the demonstration results an adaptable, integrated solution for AEP Ohio and the nation.« less

The Federal Role in Bringing Education into the National Information Infrastructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cradler, John

1995-01-01

One of the most important issues facing Congress is to work with business, education, and the states to enable the nation's shools to better prepare students for a technological work force and to ensure that education has a place on the National Information Infrastructure (NII). This document provides background and important information for national leaders concerned about education, the information infrastructure, and related issues for the Federal government.

Uganda's National Transmission Backbone Infrastructure Project: Technical Challenges and the Way Forward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulega, T.; Kyeyune, A.; Onek, P.; Sseguya, R.; Mbabazi, D.; Katwiremu, E.

2011-10-01

Several publications have identified technical challenges facing Uganda's National Transmission Backbone Infrastructure project. This research addresses the technical limitations of the National Transmission Backbone Infrastructure project, evaluates the goals of the project, and compares the results against the technical capability of the backbone. The findings of the study indicate a bandwidth deficit, which will be addressed by using dense wave division multiplexing repeaters, leasing bandwidth from private companies. Microwave links for redundancy, a Network Operation Center for operation and maintenance, and deployment of wireless interoperability for microwave access as a last-mile solution are also suggested.

Implementing Computer-Aided Instruction in Distance Education: An Infrastructure. RR/89-06.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotze, Paula

The infrastructure required for the implementation of computer aided instruction is described with particular reference to the distance education environment at the University of South Africa. A review of the state of the art of online distance education in the United States and Europe is followed by an outline of the proposed infrastructure for…

Public preception on education partnership programs between Indonesia and australia in East Nusa Tenggara Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobo, M.; Guntur, R. D.; Nalley, H. M.

2018-05-01

A research about partnership program in education between the government of Indonesia and Australia in East Nusa Tenggara Province (ENTP) has been conducted. The aim is to list the programs between the countries on the region in the last twenty years, together with their implementations to the community based on all the stakeholders’ perspectives. The samples taken by purposive sampling which targeted those who had direct involvement to the programs in the Districts of Sikka, Ende and Ngada. A literature review, questioners and a depth interview were employed in the data collection. The results show that the main partnership projects were NTT-PEP (Nusa Tenggara Timur-Primary Education Partnership), AIBEP (Australia Indonesia Building Education Project) and ProDEP (Professional Development for Education Personal). While the first and the third programs were targeting on human resources development, the second project was more focusing on the infrastructures. The analysis shows that in general, the majority of people think that the program implementation was good. Similar results were also reflected in the group of superintendent and the community. However, totally different feature was found in the group of government officials where all of them perceived that the program was good and need to be continued and sustained.

Intermediate outcomes of a tribal community public health infrastructure assessment.

PubMed

English, Kevin C; Wallerstein, Nina; Chino, Michelle; Finster, Carolyn E; Rafelito, Alvin; Adeky, Sarah; Kennedy, Marianna

2004-01-01

The purpose of this collaborative participatory project was to assess the strengths and needs of a tribal community as part of a larger public health capacity building program. Key project partners included: the Ramah Band of Navajo Indians, the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, the University of New Mexico Masters in Public Health Program, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, American Indian Research and Education Center. Principal intervention steps entailed: 1) relationship-building activities among tribal programs and between the Tribe and the scientific community; 2) an orientation to public health; 3) a comprehensive public health infrastructure assessment, utilizing a standardized CDC instrument; and 4) a prioritization of identified needs. The direct outcome was the development and beginning implementation of a community specific public health strategic action plan. Broader results included: 1) increased comprehension of public health within the Tribe; 2) the creation of a community public health task force; 3) the design of a tribally applicable assessment instrument; and 4) improved collaboration between the Tribe and the scientific community. This project demonstrated that public health assessment in tribal communities is feasible and valuable. Further, the development of a tribally applicable instrument highlights a significant tribal contribution to research and assessment.

Eco-logical successes : third edition, September 2012

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects outlines an ecosystem-scale approach to prioritizing, developing, and delivering infrastructure projects. Eco-Logical emphasizes interagency collaboration in order to create inf...

More Bang for the Buck: Integrating Green Infrastructure into Existing Public Works Projects

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

shares lessons learned from municipal and county officials experienced in coordinating green infrastructure applications with scheduled street maintenance, park improvements, and projects on public sites.

The role of assessment infrastructures in crafting project-based science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Amico, Laura Marie

In project-based science teaching, teachers engage students in the practice of conducting meaningful investigations and explanations of natural phenomena, often in collaboration with fellow students or adults. Reformers suggest that this approach can provide students with more profitable learning experiences; but for many teachers, a shift to such instruction can be difficult to manage. As some reform-minded teachers have discovered, classroom assessment can serve as a vital tool for meeting the challenges associated with project science activity. In this research, classroom assessment was viewed as an infrastructure that both students and teachers rely upon as a mediational tool for classroom activity and communications. The study explored the classroom assessment infrastructures created by three teachers involved in the Learning through Collaborative Visualization (CoVis) Project from 1993--94 to 1995--96. Each of the three teachers under study either created a new course or radically reformulated an old one in an effort to incorporate project-based science pedagogy and supporting technologies. Data in the form of interviews, classroom observations, surveys, student work, and teacher records was collected. From these data, an interpretive case study was developed for each course and its accompanying assessment infrastructure. A set of cross-case analyses was also constructed, based upon common themes that emerged from all three cases. These themes included: the assessment challenges based on the nature of project activity, the role of technology in the teachers' assessment infrastructure designs, and the influence of the wider assessment infrastructure on their course and assessment designs. In combination, the case studies and cross-case analyses describe the synergistic relationship between the design of pedagogical reforms and classroom assessment infrastructures, as well as the effectiveness of all three assessment designs. This work contributes to research and practice associated with assessment and pedagogical reform in three ways. First, it provides a theoretical frame for the relationship between assessment and pedagogical reform. Second, it provides a set of taxonomies which outline both the challenges of project-based science activity and typical assessment strategies to meet them. Finally, it provides a set of cautions and recommendations for designing classroom assessment infrastructures in support of project-based science.

NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach: Engaging Educators and Students in Exploring the Cosmic Frontier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawton, Brandon L.; Eisenhamer, Bonnie; Smith, Denise Anne; Jirdeh, Hussein; Summers, Frank; Darnell, John T.; Ryer, Holly

2015-08-01

NASA’s Frontier Fields is an ambitious three-year Great Observatories program that will expand our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution in the early universe. The program includes six deep-field observations of strong-lensing galaxy clusters that will be taken in parallel with six deep “blank fields.” The observations allow astronomers to look deeper into the universe than ever before, and potentially uncover galaxies that are as much as 100 times fainter than what the telescopes can typically observe. The Frontier Fields science program is ideal for informing audiences about scientific advances and topics in STEM. The study of galaxy properties, statistics, optics, and Einstein’s theory of general relativity naturally leverages off of the science returns of the Frontier Fields program. As a result, the Space Telescope Science Institute’s Office of Public Outreach (OPO) has initiated an E/PO project to follow the progress of the Frontier Fields.For over two decades, the Hubble E/PO program has sought to bring the wonders of the universe to the education community, the youth, and the public, and engage audiences in the adventure of scientific discovery. Program components include standards-based curriculum-support materials, exhibits and exhibit components, professional development workshops, and direct interactions with scientists. We are also leveraging our new social media strategy to bring the science program to the public in the form of an ongoing blog. The main underpinnings of the program’s infrastructure are scientist-educator development teams, partnerships, and an embedded program evaluation component. OPO is leveraging this existing infrastructure to bring the Frontier Fields science program to the education community and the public in a cost-effective way.This talk features the goals and current status of the Frontier Fields E/PO program, with a particular emphasis on our education goals and achievements. We also highlight OPO’s strategies and infrastructure which allows for the quick delivery of groundbreaking science to the education community and public.

3rd Annual Earth System Grid Federation and 3rd Annual Earth System Grid Federation and Ultrascale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools Face-to-Face Meeting Report December 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, Dean N.

The climate and weather data science community gathered December 3–5, 2013, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in Livermore, California, for the third annual Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) and Ultra-scale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools (UV-CDAT) Face-to-Face (F2F) Meeting, which was hosted by the Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the European Infrastructure for the European Network of Earth System Modelling, and the Australian Department of Education. Both ESGF and UV-CDAT are global collaborations designed to develop a new generation of open-source software infrastructure that provides distributed access and analysis to observed andmore » simulated data from the climate and weather communities. The tools and infrastructure developed under these international multi-agency collaborations are critical to understanding extreme weather conditions and long-term climate change, while the F2F meetings help to build a stronger climate and weather data science community and stronger federated software infrastructure. The 2013 F2F meeting determined requirements for existing and impending national and international community projects; enhancements needed for data distribution, analysis, and visualization infrastructure; and standards and resources needed for better collaborations.« less

Why You Should Consider Green Stormwater Infrastructure for Your Community

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page provides an overview of the nation's infrastructure needs and cost and the benefits of integrating green infrastructure into projects that typically use grey infrastructure, such as roadways, sidewalks and parking lots.

Adding Value to Air Force Management Through Building Partnerships Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. Skip all front matter: Jump to Page 16 The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit...public service of the RAND Corporation . CHILDREN AND FAMILIES EDUCATION AND THE ARTS ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE AND...5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Rand Corporation ,Project Air Force,PO Box 2138,Santa Monica,CA,90407-2138

The physical therapy clinical research network (PTClinResNet): methods, efficacy, and benefits of a rehabilitation research network.

PubMed

Winstein, Carolee; Pate, Patricia; Ge, Tingting; Ervin, Carolyn; Baurley, James; Sullivan, Katherine J; Underwood, Samantha J; Fowler, Eileen G; Mulroy, Sara; Brown, David A; Kulig, Kornelia; Gordon, James; Azen, Stanley P

2008-11-01

This article describes the vision, methods, and implementation strategies used in building the infrastructure for PTClinResNet, a clinical research network designed to assess outcomes for health-related mobility associated with evidence-based physical therapy interventions across and within four different disability groups. Specific aims were to (1) create the infrastructure necessary to develop and sustain clinical trials research in rehabilitation, (2) generate evidence to evaluate the efficacy of resistance exercise-based physical interventions designed to improve muscle performance and movement skills, and (3) provide education and training opportunities for present and future clinician-researchers and for the rehabilitation community at-large in its support of evidence-based practice. We present the network's infrastructure, development, and several examples that highlight the benefits of a clinical research network. We suggest that the network structure is ideal for building research capacity and fostering multisite, multiinvestigator clinical research projects designed to generate evidence for the efficacy of rehabilitation interventions.

Green Infrastructure Projects and State Activities: CWSRF Innovations

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report highlights several projects funded by ARRA that illustrate the importance of building partnerships among various stakeholders and how different green infrastructure technologies and practices can be applied in different settings.

Customer Satisfaction versus Infrastructural Facilities in the Realm of Higher Education--A Case Study of Sri Venkateswara University Tirupati

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janardhana, G.; Rajasekhar, Mamilla

2012-01-01

This article analyses the levels of students' satisfaction and how institution provides infrastructure facilities in the field of higher education. Infrastructure is the fastest growing segment of the higher education scenario. Universities play a very vital role in a country in terms of their potential. It contributes to employment and growth.…

ACTS for distance education in developing countries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalu, A; Ventre, G.

1995-01-01

The need for electrical energy supply in the rural communities of developing countries has been well documented. Equally well known is the potential for photovoltaic in cost effectively meeting this need. A major impediment to fulfilling the need is the lack of indigenous personnel with a knowledgeof photovoltaic systems, and the associated infrastructure required to implement project. Various delivery schemes for providing the needed training to developing countries personnel have been investigated. Various train methods and programs that have been employed to remedy the problem have had significant drawbacks in terms of cost, consistency, impact, reach, and sustainability. The hypothesis to be tested in this project posits that satellite-based distance education using ACTS technologies can overcome these impediments. The purpose of the project is to investigate the applicability of the ACTS satellite in providing distance education in photovoltaic systems to developing countries and rural communities. An evaluation of the cost effectiveness of using ACTS unique technologies to overcome identified problems shall be done. The limitations of ACTS in surmounting distance education problems in developing countries shall be investigated. This project will, furthermore, provide training to Savannah State College faculty in photovoltaic (PV) systems and in distance education configurations and models. It will also produce training materials adequate for use in PV training programs via distance education. Savannah State College will, as a consequence become well equipped to play a leading role in the training of minority populations in photovoltaic systems and other renewables through its Center for Advanced Water Technology and Energy Systems. This communication provides the project outline including the specific issues that will be investigated during the project. Also presented i the project design which covers the participations of the various components of a network of institutions that is formed for optimal project execution. The expected results and project output, including plans for potential leverages and linkages to be derived, are also discussed. Finally, we point out possible extensions from this project and other related projects that could be initiated based on the experiences gained from the project.

Risk assessment of underpass infrastructure project based on IS0 31000 and ISO 21500 using fishbone diagram and RFMEA (project risk failure mode and effects analysis) method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purwanggono, Bambang; Margarette, Anastasia

2017-12-01

Completion time of highway construction is very meaningful for smooth transportation, moreover expected number of ownership motor vehicle will increase each year. Therefore, this study was conducted with to analyze the constraints that contained in an infrastructure development project. This research was conducted on Jatingaleh Underpass Project, Semarang. This research was carried out while the project is running, on the implementation, this project is experiencing delays. This research is done to find out what are the constraints that occur in execution of a road infrastructure project, in particular that causes delays. The method that used to find the root cause is fishbone diagram to obtain a possible means of mitigation. Coupled with the RFMEA method used to determine the critical risks that must be addressed immediately on road infrastructure project. The result of data tabulation in this study indicates that the most possible mitigation tool to make a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) recommendations to disrupt utilities that interfere project implementation. Process of risk assessment has been carried out systematically based on ISO 31000:2009 on risk management and for determination of delayed variables, the requirements of process groups according to ISO 21500:2013 on project management were used.

On the use of IT investment assessment methods in the area of spatial data infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwirowicz-Rutkowska, Agnieszka

2016-06-01

One of the important issues concerning development of spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) is the carrying out of economic and financial analysis. It is essential to determine expenses and also assess effects resulting from the development and use of infrastructures. Costs and benefits assessment could be associated with assessment of the infrastructure effectiveness and efficiency as well as the infrastructure value, understood as the infrastructure impact on economic aspects of an organisational performance, both of an organisation which realises an SDI project and all users of the infrastructure. The aim of this paper is an overview of various assessment methods of investment as well as an analysis of different types of costs and benefits used for information technology (IT) projects. Based on the literature, the analysis of the examples of the use of these methods in the area of spatial data infrastructures is also presented. Furthermore, the issues of SDI projects and investments are outlined. The results of the analysis indicate usefulness of the financial methods from different fields of management in the area of SDI building, development and use. The author proposes, in addition to the financial methods, the adaptation of the various techniques used for IT investments and their development, taking into consideration the SDI specificity for the purpose of assessment of different types of costs and benefits and integration of financial aspects with non-financial ones. Among the challenges are identification and quantification of costs and benefits, as well as establishing measures which would fit the characteristics of the SDI project and artefacts resulting from the project realisation. Moreover, aspects of subjectivity and variability in time should be taken into account as the consequences of definite goals and policies as well as business context of organisation undertaking the project or using its artefacts and also investors.

Lessons from comparative effectiveness research methods development projects funded under the Recovery Act.

PubMed

Zurovac, Jelena; Esposito, Dominick

2014-11-01

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) directed nearly US$29.2 million to comparative effectiveness research (CER) methods development. To help inform future CER methods investments, we describe the ARRA CER methods projects, identify barriers to this research and discuss the alignment of topics with published methods development priorities. We used several existing resources and held discussions with ARRA CER methods investigators. Although funded projects explored many identified priority topics, investigators noted that much work remains. For example, given the considerable investments in CER data infrastructure, the methods development field can benefit from additional efforts to educate researchers about the availability of new data sources and about how best to apply methods to match their research questions and data.

Accelerators for society: succession of European infrastructural projects: CARE, EuCARD, TIARA, EuCARD2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

2013-10-01

Accelerator science and technology is one of a key enablers of the developments in the particle physic, photon physics and also applications in medicine and industry. The paper presents a digest of the research results in the domain of accelerator science and technology in Europe, shown during the realization of CARE (Coordinated Accelerator R&D), EuCARD (European Coordination of Accelerator R&D) and during the national annual review meeting of the TIARA - Test Infrastructure of European Research Area in Accelerator R&D. The European projects on accelerator technology started in 2003 with CARE. TIARA is an European Collaboration of Accelerator Technology, which by running research projects, technical, networks and infrastructural has a duty to integrate the research and technical communities and infrastructures in the global scale of Europe. The Collaboration gathers all research centers with large accelerator infrastructures. Other ones, like universities, are affiliated as associate members. TIARA-PP (preparatory phase) is an European infrastructural project run by this Consortium and realized inside EU-FP7. The paper presents a general overview of CARE, EuCARD and especially TIARA activities, with an introduction containing a portrait of contemporary accelerator technology and a digest of its applications in modern society. CARE, EuCARD and TIARA activities integrated the European accelerator community in a very effective way. These projects are expected very much to be continued.

A multidisciplinary allied health faculty team: formation and first year production of problem-based learning in gerontology/geriatrics.

PubMed

Silver, S

1998-01-01

An interdisciplinary team of faculty, administrators and practitioners representing diverse settings for allied health education has formed the Mid-Atlantic Allied Health Geriatric Education Center (MAHGEC) to produce problem-based learning (PBL) cases related to older adults. These cases will enable allied health students and practitioners to work together in interdisciplinary teams and expand allied health education to include health issues related to gerontology/ geriatrics. The health professionals of MAHGEC have brought different perspectives to the project. These include: (1) educational requirements to be gained from their association with MAHGEC, (2) health care disciplines to enhance the PBL cases produced, (3) personal histories related to older adults, and (4) ideas for utilization of problem-based learning in their particular educational and professional settings. The first year of this project has included the execution of a needs assessment for gerontology/geriatric education in allied health programs, the development of the infrastructure of MAHGEC, building the content base of MAHGEC faculty regarding gerontology/geriatrics and problem-based learning, the establishment of priorities in the production of problem-based learning cases for Year 01, and division into production teams for cases.

Mixing Metaphors: Building Infrastructure for Large Scale School Turnaround

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peurach, Donald J.; Neumerski, Christine M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this analysis is to increase understanding of the possibilities and challenges of building educational infrastructure--the basic, foundational structures, systems, and resources--to support large-scale school turnaround. Building educational infrastructure often exceeds the capacity of schools, districts, and state education…

Envri Cluster - a Community-Driven Platform of European Environmental Researcher Infrastructures for Providing Common E-Solutions for Earth Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asmi, A.; Sorvari, S.; Kutsch, W. L.; Laj, P.

2017-12-01

European long-term environmental research infrastructures (often referred as ESFRI RIs) are the core facilities for providing services for scientists in their quest for understanding and predicting the complex Earth system and its functioning that requires long-term efforts to identify environmental changes (trends, thresholds and resilience, interactions and feedbacks). Many of the research infrastructures originally have been developed to respond to the needs of their specific research communities, however, it is clear that strong collaboration among research infrastructures is needed to serve the trans-boundary research requires exploring scientific questions at the intersection of different scientific fields, conducting joint research projects and developing concepts, devices, and methods that can be used to integrate knowledge. European Environmental research infrastructures have already been successfully worked together for many years and have established a cluster - ENVRI cluster - for their collaborative work. ENVRI cluster act as a collaborative platform where the RIs can jointly agree on the common solutions for their operations, draft strategies and policies and share best practices and knowledge. Supporting project for the ENVRI cluster, ENVRIplus project, brings together 21 European research infrastructures and infrastructure networks to work on joint technical solutions, data interoperability, access management, training, strategies and dissemination efforts. ENVRI cluster act as one stop shop for multidisciplinary RI users, other collaborative initiatives, projects and programmes and coordinates and implement jointly agreed RI strategies.

Scalable collaborative risk management technology for complex critical systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Scott; Torgerson, Leigh; Burleigh, Scott; Feather, Martin S.; Kiper, James D.

2004-01-01

We describe here our project and plans to develop methods, software tools, and infrastructure tools to address challenges relating to geographically distributed software development. Specifically, this work is creating an infrastructure that supports applications working over distributed geographical and organizational domains and is using this infrastructure to develop a tool that supports project development using risk management and analysis techniques where the participants are not collocated.

To Green or Not to Green? Evaluation of Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Kansas City Middle Blue River Project

EPA Science Inventory

The City of Kansas City, Mo., Water Services Department is implementing a pilot project to measure and evaluate the performance of green infrastructure. Information obtained through this pilot project will be used to guide the design of green solutions throughout Kansas City und...

Webinar November 18: An Overview of the Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure

Science.gov Websites

Research and Station Technology (H2FIRST) Project | News | NREL Webinar November 18: An Overview of the Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Research and Station Technology (H2FIRST) Project Webinar ) Project November 12, 2014 The Energy Department will present a live webinar entitled "An Overview of

Fostering creativity: how the Duke Graduate Medical Education Quasi-Endowment encourages innovation in GME.

PubMed

Andolsek, Kathryn M; Murphy, Gwendolyn; Nagler, Alisa; Moore, Peggy R; Schlueter, Joanne; Weinerth, John L; Cuffe, Michael S; Dzau, Victor J

2013-02-01

The Duke Medicine Graduate Medical Education Quasi-Endowment, established in 2006, provides infrastructure support and encourages educational innovation. The authors describe Duke's experience with the "grassroots innovation" part of the fund, the Duke Innovation Fund, and discuss the Innovation Fund's processes for application, review, and implementation, and also outcomes, impact, and intended and unintended consequences.In the five years of the Innovation Fund described (2007-2011), 105 projects have been submitted, and 78 have been funded. Thirty-seven projects have been completed. Approved funding ranged from $2,363 to $348,750, with an average award of $66,391. This represents 42% of funding originally requested. Funding could be requested for a period of 6 months to 3 years. The average duration of projects was 27 months, with a range from 6 months to 36 months. Eighty percent of projects were completed on time. Two projects were closed because of lack of progress and failure to adhere to reporting requirements. Thirty-nine are ongoing.Program directors report great success in meeting project outcomes and concrete impacts on resident and faculty attitudes and performance. Ninety-two percent report that their projects would have never been accomplished without this funding. Projects have resulted in at least 68 posters, abstracts, and peer-reviewed presentations. At least 12 peer-reviewed manuscripts were published.There has been tremendous diversity of projects; all 13 clinical departments have been represented. Interdepartmental and intradepartmental program cooperation has increased. This modest seed money has resulted in demonstrable sustainable impacts on teaching and learning, and increased morale and scholarly recognition.

Lessons learned from first year cistern monitoring in Camden ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Invited panelist for Webinar 08/16/2016 by Office of Water : Lessons Learned from Past Green Infrastructure Projects Invited panelist for Webinar 08/16/2016 by Office of Water : Lessons Learned from Past Green Infrastructure Projects

Eco-logical successes : second edition, January 2012

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

In 2006, leaders from eight Federal agencies signed the interagency document EcoLogical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects. Eco-Logical is a document that outlines a shared vision of how to develop infrastructure projects in...

Frontier Fields: Engaging Educators, the Youth, and the Public in Exploring the Cosmic Frontier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawton, Brandon L.; Eisenhamer, Bonnie; Smith, Denise A.; Summers, Frank; Darnell, John A.; Ryer, Holly

2015-01-01

The Frontier Fields is a multi-cycle program of six deep-field observations of strong-lensing galaxy clusters that will be taken in parallel with six deep 'blank fields.' The three-year long collaborative program is led by observations from NASA's Great Observatories. The observations allow astronomers to look deeper into the universe than ever before, and potentially uncover galaxies that are as much as 100 times fainter than what the telescopes can typically observe. The Frontier Fields science program is ideal for informing audiences about scientific advances and topics in STEM. The study of galaxy properties, statistics, optics, and Einstein's theory of general relativity naturally leverages off of the science returns of the Frontier Fields program. As a result, the Space Telescope Science Institute's Office of Public Outreach (OPO) has initiated an education and public outreach (EPO) project to follow the progress of the Frontier Fields.For over two decades, the Hubble EPO program has sought to bring the wonders of the universe to the education community, the youth, and the public, and engage audiences in the adventure of scientific discovery. Program components include standards-based curriculum-support materials, exhibits and exhibit components, professional development workshops, and direct interactions with scientists. We are also leveraging our new social media strategy to bring the science program to the public in the form of an ongoing blog. The main underpinnings of the program's infrastructure are scientist-educator development teams, partnerships, and an embedded program evaluation component. OPO is leveraging this existing infrastructure to bring the Frontier Fields science program to the education community and the public in a cost-effective way.The Frontier Fields program has just completed its first year. This talk will feature the goals and current status of the Frontier Fields EPO program. We will highlight OPO's strategies and infrastructure that allows for the quick delivery of groundbreaking science to the education community and public.

Computers, the Internet and medical education in Africa.

PubMed

Williams, Christopher D; Pitchforth, Emma L; O'Callaghan, Christopher

2010-05-01

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in undergraduate medical education in developing countries. METHODS Educators (deans and heads of medical education) in English-speaking countries across Africa were sent a questionnaire to establish the current state of ICT at medical schools. Non-respondents were contacted firstly by e-mail, subsequently by two postal mailings at 3-month intervals, and finally by telephone. Main outcome measures included cross-sectional data about the availability of computers, specifications, Internet connection speeds, use of ICT by students, and teaching of ICT and computerised research skills, presented by country or region. RESULTS The mean computer : student ratio was 0.123. Internet speeds were rated as 'slow' or 'very slow' on a 5-point Likert scale by 25.0% of respondents overall, but by 58.3% in East Africa and 33.3% in West Africa (including Cameroon). Mean estimates showed that campus computers more commonly supported CD-ROM (91.4%) and sound (87.3%) than DVD-ROM (48.1%) and Internet (72.5%). The teaching of ICT and computerised research skills, and the use of computers by medical students for research, assignments and personal projects were common. CONCLUSIONS It is clear that ICT infrastructure in Africa lags behind that in other regions. Poor download speeds limit the potential of Internet resources (especially videos, sound and other large downloads) to benefit students, particularly in East and West (including Cameroon) Africa. CD-ROM capability is more widely available, but has not yet gained momentum as a means of distributing materials. Despite infrastructure limitations, ICT is already being used and there is enthusiasm for developing this further. Priority should be given to developing partnerships to improve ICT infrastructure and maximise the potential of existing technology.

China’s Strategy Toward South and Central Asia: An Empty Fortress

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

Bookstore Make a charitable contribution Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark( s ) contained herein are protected by...public service of the RAND Corporation. CHILDREN AND FAMILIES EDUCATION AND THE ARTS ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE AND...An Empty Fortress 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT

Promoting the Utilization of Science in Healthcare (PUSH) Project: A Description of the Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Research Utilization Among Pediatric Nurses.

PubMed

Cline, Genieveve J; Burger, Kristina J; Amankwah, Ernest K; Goldenberg, Neil A; Ghazarian, Sharon R

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the perceived barriers and facilitators to research utilization and evidence-based practice among nurses employed in a tertiary care children's hospital. Results revealed seven facilitator and six barrier themes that contribute to the understanding of the problem. The themes can be utilized by nursing professional development specialists to customize organizational infrastructure and educational programs.

Developing an Assessment Framework for U.S. Air Force Building Partnerships Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

www.rand.org as a public service of the RAND Corporation . 6Jump down to document THE ARTS CHILD POLICY CIVIL JUSTICE EDUCATION ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT HEALTH...HOMELAND SECURITY TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research organization providing objective...NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Rand Corporation

International surgery: definition, principles and Canadian practice.

PubMed

Lett, Ronald

2003-10-01

This article is dedicated to the Canadian international surgeon, Norman Bethune (1890-1939). International surgery is defined as a humanitarian branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of bodily injuries or disorders by incision or manipulations, emphasizing cooperation and understanding among nations and involving education, research, development and advocacy. In this article I review the colonial past, the dark ages following the Declaration of Alma-Ata, the progress made and the present challenges in international surgery. I present a definition of international surgery that recognizes the current era of surgical humanitarianism, validates a global understanding of surgical issues and promotes cooperation among nations. Included are the principles of international surgery: education, research, infrastructure development and advocacy. International surgical projects are classified according to type (clinical, relief, developmental) and integration strategy (vertical or horizontal). Also reviewed are the Canadian practice of international surgery by nongovernmental, professional and academic organizations and the requirements of international and Canadian funding agencies, the development concepts basic to all projects, including results-based management and the cross-cutting themes of gender equity, environmental protection and human safety. I recommend formalizing international surgery into a discipline as a means of promoting surgical care in low-income countries. If international surgery is to be sustained in Canada, infrastructure and support from Canadian surgeons is particularly important. An understanding of the history, definition and classification of international surgery should promote surgical care in low-income countries.

Implementation of m-health applications in Botswana: telemedicine and education on mobile devices in a low resource setting.

PubMed

Littman-Quinn, Ryan; Mibenge, Chikoti; Antwi, Cynthia; Chandra, Amit; Kovarik, Carrie L

2013-02-01

Although Botswana has recently been categorised as an upper middle income country, it is burdened by a scarcity of resources, both human and technological. There are barriers to patients' access to specialized care and healthcare providers' access to medical knowledge. Over the past three years, the Botswana-University of Pennsylvania Partnership (BUP) has piloted four mobile telemedicine projects in the specialties of women's health (cervical cancer screening utilizing visual inspection with acetic acid), radiology, oral medicine and dermatology. Mobile telemedicine has been used in 11 locations in Botswana, training a total of 24 clinicians and successfully contributing to the management of 643 cases. In addition to mobile telemedicine, BUP has initiated an m-learning programme with the University of Botswana School of Medicine. While successfully providing patients and providers with improved access to healthcare resources, the m-health projects have faced numerous technical and social challenges. These include malfunctioning mobile devices, unreliable IT infrastructure, accidental damage to mobile devices, and cultural misalignment between IT and healthcare providers. BUP has worked with its local partners to develop solutions to these problems. To ensure sustainability, m-health programmes must have strategic goals that are aligned with those of the national health and education system, and the initiatives must be owned and led by local stakeholders. Whenever possible, open source technology and local IT expertise and infrastructure should be employed.

International surgery: definition, principles and Canadian practice

PubMed Central

Lett, Ronald

2003-01-01

This article is dedicated to the Canadian international surgeon, Norman Bethune (1890–1939). International surgery is defined as a humanitarian branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of bodily injuries or disorders by incision or manipulations, emphasizing cooperation and understanding among nations and involving education, research, development and advocacy. In this article I review the colonial past, the dark ages following the Declaration of Alma-Ata, the progress made and the present challenges in international surgery. I present a definition of international surgery that recognizes the current era of surgical humanitarianism, validates a global understanding of surgical issues and promotes cooperation among nations. Included are the principles of international surgery: education, research, infrastructure development and advocacy. International surgical projects are classified according to type (clinical, relief, developmental) and integration strategy (vertical or horizontal). Also reviewed are the Canadian practice of international surgery by nongovernmental, professional and academic organizations and the requirements of international and Canadian funding agencies, the development concepts basic to all projects, including results-based management and the cross-cutting themes of gender equity, environmental protection and human safety. I recommend formalizing international surgery into a discipline as a means of promoting surgical care in low-income countries. If international surgery is to be sustained in Canada, infrastructure and support from Canadian surgeons is particularly important. An understanding of the history, definition and classification of international surgery should promote surgical care in low-income countries. PMID:14577711

Astronomical Infrastructure for Data Access (AIDA): service activities for higher education and outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iafrate, G.; Ramella, M.; Boch, T.; Bonnarel, F.; Chèreau, F.; Fernique, P.; Osuna, P.

2009-04-01

We present preliminary simple interfaces developed to enable students, teachers, amateur astronomers and general public to access and use the wealth of astronomical data available in ground-based and space archives through the European Virtual Observatory (EuroVO). The development of these outreach interfaces are the aim of a workpackage of EuroVO-AIDA (Astronomical Infrastructure for Data Access), a project supported by EU in the framework of the FP7 Infrastructure Scientific Research Repositories initiative (project RI2121104). The aim of AIDA is to create an operating infrastructure enabling and stimulating new scientific usage of astronomy digital repositories. Euro VO AIDA is a collaboration between six European countries (PI Francoise Genova, CDS). The professional tools we adapt to the requirements of outreach activities are Aladin (CDS), Stellarium/VirGO (ESO) and VOSpec (ESA VO). Some initial requirements have been set a priori in order to produce a first version of the simplified interfaces, but the plan is to test the initial simplified versions with a sample of target users in order to take their feed-back into account for the development of the final outreach interface. The core of the test program consists of use cases we designed and complemented with proper multilingual documentation covering both the astrophysical context and the use of the software. In the special case of students in the age group 14-18 and their teachers, we take our use cases to schools. We work out the tests in classrooms supporting students working on PCs connected to the internet. At the current stage of the project, we are collecting the users feedback. Relevant links: Euro-VO AIDA Overview http://www.euro-vo.org/pub/aida/overview.html Euro-VO AIDA WP5 http://cds.u-strasbg.fr/twikiAIDA/bin/view/EuroVOAIDA/WP5WorkProgramme

Educational technology infrastructure and services in North American medical schools.

PubMed

Kamin, Carol; Souza, Kevin H; Heestand, Diane; Moses, Anna; O'Sullivan, Patricia

2006-07-01

To describe the current educational technology infrastructure and services provided by North American allopathic medical schools that are members of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), to present information needed for institutional benchmarking. A Web-based survey instrument was developed and administered in the fall of 2004 by the authors, sent to representatives of 137 medical schools and completed by representatives of 88, a response rate of 64%. Schools were given scores for infrastructure and services provided. Data were analyzed with one-way analyses of variance, chi-square, and correlation coefficients. There was no difference in the number of infrastructure features or services offered based on region of the country, public versus private schools, or size of graduating class. Schools implemented 3.0 (SD = 1.5) of 6 infrastructure items and offered 11.6 (SD = 4.1) of 22 services. Over 90% of schools had wireless access (97%), used online course materials for undergraduate medical education (97%), course management system for graduate medical education (95%) and online teaching evaluations (90%). Use of services differed across the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education continuum. Outside of e-portfolios for undergraduates, the least-offered services were for services to graduate and continuing medical education. The results of this survey provide a benchmark for the level of services and infrastructure currently supporting educational technology by AAMC-member allopathic medical schools.

EPA Provides State of Vermont $14.7 Million for Water Infrastructure Projects

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $14.7 million to the State of Vermont to help finance improvements to water infrastructure projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment.

Green Infrastructure Models and Tools

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this project is to modify and refine existing models and develop new tools to support decision making for the complete green infrastructure (GI) project lifecycle, including the planning and implementation of stormwater control in urban and agricultural settings,...

Centre for Research Infrastructure of Polish GNSS Data - response and possible contribution to EPOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araszkiewicz, Andrzej; Rohm, Witold; Bosy, Jaroslaw; Szolucha, Marcin; Kaplon, Jan; Kroszczynski, Krzysztof

2017-04-01

In the frame of the first call under Action 4.2: Development of modern research infrastructure of the science sector in the Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020 in the late of 2016 the "EPOS-PL" project has launched. Following institutes are responsible for the implementation of this project: Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences - Project Leader, Academic Computer Centre Cyfronet AGH University of Science and Technology, Central Mining Institute, the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Military University of Technology. In addition, resources constituting entrepreneur's own contribution will come from the Polish Mining Group. Research Infrastructure EPOS-PL will integrate both existing and newly built National Research Infrastructures (Theme Centre for Research Infrastructures), which, under the premise of the program EPOS, are financed exclusively by the national founds. In addition, the e-science platform will be developed. The Centre for Research Infrastructure of GNSS Data (CIBDG - Task 5) will be built based on the experience and facilities of two institutions: Military University of Technology and Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. The project includes the construction of the National GNNS Repository with data QC procedures and adaptation of two Regional GNNS Analysis Centres for rapid and long-term geodynamical monitoring.

Implementation of tsunami disaster prevention measures in the municipality of San Rafael del Sur, Nicaragua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauch, W.; Talavera, E.; Acosta, N.; Sanchez, M.; Mejia, E.

2007-05-01

The Nicaraguan Pacific coast presents considerable tsunami risk. On September 1, 1992, a tsunami caused enormous damage in the infrastructure and killed more than 170 people. A pilot project was conducted between 2006 and 2007 in the municipality of San Rafel del Sur, area of Masachapa, The project included multiple topics of tsunami prevention measures and considering the direct participation of the local population, as: -General education on disaster prevention, participative events; -Investigation of awareness level and information needs for different population groups; -Specific educational measures in the schools; -Publication of brochures, calendars, news paper articles, radio programs, TV spots -Development of local tsunami hazard maps, 1:5,000 scale; (based on previous regional tsunami hazard mapping projects and local participation) -Development of a tsunami warning plan; -Improvements of the national tsunami warning system. -Installation of sirens for tsunami warning -Installation of tsunami signs, indicating hazardous areas, evacuation routes, safe places; -Realization of evacuation drills in schools. Based on the experiences gained in Masachapa it is planned to run similar projects in other areas along the Nicaraguan Pacific coast. In the project participated the local municipality and local stakeholders of San Rafael del Sur, Ministry of Education, National Police, Nicaraguan Red Cross, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Tourism, Nicaraguan Geosciences Institute (INETER), National System for Disaster Prevention (SINAPRED), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). It was financed by SDC and INETER.

LANL: Weapons Infrastructure Briefing to Naval Reactors, July 18, 2017

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chadwick, Frances

Presentation slides address: The Laboratory infrastructure supports hundreds of high hazard, complex operations daily; LANL’s unique science and engineering infrastructure is critical to delivering on our mission; LANL FY17 Budget & Workforce; Direct-Funded Infrastructure Accounts; LANL Org Chart; Weapons Infrastructure Program Office; The Laboratory’s infrastructure relies on both Direct and Indirect funding; NA-50’s Operating, Maintenance & Recapitalization funding is critical to the execution of the mission; Los Alamos is currently executing several concurrent Line Item projects; Maintenance @ LANL; NA-50 is helping us to address D&D needs; We are executing a CHAMP Pilot Project at LANL; G2 = Main Toolmore » for Program Management; MDI: Future Investments are centered on facilities with a high Mission Dependency Index; Los Alamos hosted first “Deep Dive” in November 2016; Safety, Infrastructure & Operations is one of the most important programs at LANL, and is foundational for our mission success.« less

Skate Genome Project: Cyber-Enabled Bioinformatics Collaboration

PubMed Central

Vincent, J.

2011-01-01

The Skate Genome Project, a pilot project of the North East Cyber infrastructure Consortium, aims to produce a draft genome sequence of Leucoraja erinacea, the Little Skate. The pilot project was designed to also develop expertise in large scale collaborations across the NECC region. An overview of the bioinformatics and infrastructure challenges faced during the first year of the project will be presented. Results to date and lessons learned from the perspective of a bioinformatics core will be highlighted.

Development of a Community-Based Palliative Care Model for Advance Cancer Patients in Public Health Centers in Busan, Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Sook-Nam; Choi, Soon-Ock; Shin, Seong Hoon; Ryu, Ji-Sun; Baik, Jeong-Won

2017-07-01

A feasible palliative care model for advance cancer patients is needed in Korea with its rapidly aging population and corresponding increase in cancer prevalence. This study describes the process involved in the development of a community-based palliative care (CBPC) model implemented originally in a Busan pilot project. The model development included steps I and II of the pilot project, identification of the service types, a survey exploring the community demand for palliative care, construction of an operational infrastructure, and the establishment of a service delivery system. Public health centers (including Busan regional cancer centers, palliative care centers, and social welfare centers) served as the regional hubs in the development of a palliative care model. The palliative care project included the provision of palliative care, establishment of a support system for the operations, improvement of personnel capacity, development of an educational and promotional program, and the establishment of an assessment system to improve quality. The operational infrastructure included a service management team, provision teams, and a support team. The Busan Metropolitan City CBPC model was based on the principles of palliative care as well as the characteristics of public health centers that implemented the community health projects. The potential use of the Busan CBPC model in Korea should be explored further through service evaluations.

Building Interdisciplinary Research and Communication Skills in the Agricultural and Climate Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson-Maynard, J.; Borrelli, K.; Wolf, K.; Bernacchi, L.; Eigenbrode, S.; Daley Laursen, D.

2015-12-01

Preparing scientists and educators to create and promote practical science-based agricultural approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation is a main focus of the Regional Approaches to Climate Change (REACCH) project. Social, political and environmental complexities and interactions require that future scientists work across disciplines rather than having isolated knowledge of one specific subject area. Additionally, it is important for graduate students earning M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in agriculture and climate sciences to be able to communicate scientific findings effectively to non-scientific audiences. Unfortunately, university graduate curricula rarely adequately prepare students with these important skills. REACCH recognizes the need for graduate students to have thorough exposure to other disciplines and to be able to communicate information for outreach and education purposes. These priorities have been incorporated into graduate training within the REACCH project. The interdisciplinary nature of the project and its sophisticated digital infrastructure provide graduate students multiple opportunities to gain these experiences. The project includes over 30 graduate students from 20 different disciplines and research foci including agronomy, biogeochemistry, soil quality, conservation tillage, hydrology, pest and beneficial organisms, economics, modeling, remote sensing, science education and climate science. Professional develop workshops were developed and held during annual project meetings to enhance student training. The "Toolbox" survey (http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/toolbox/) was used to achieve effective interdisciplinary communication. Interdisciplinary extension and education projects were required to allow students to gain experience with collaboration and working with stakeholder groups. Results of student surveys and rubrics developed to gauge success in interdisciplinary research and communication may provide a helpful starting point for future projects involving graduate student training.

Implementation of an Intelligent Tutorial System for Socioenvironmental Management Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vera, Gil; Daniel, Víctor; Awad, Gabriel

2015-01-01

The agents responsible of execution of physical infrastructure projects of the Government of Antioquia must know the theories and concepts related to the socio-environmental management of physical infrastructure projects. In the absence of tools and the little information on the subject, it is necessary to build a m-learning tool to facilitate to…

MidSouth/Southeast BioEnergy Consortium DE-FG3608GO88036 Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carrier, Julie; Tappe, Phil

2014-11-30

GO88036 project was conducted at three universities: Arkansas State University, University of Arkansas and University of Georgia from 2009 to 2012, and University of Arkansas from 2012 to 2014. The funds were used at all three universities to build capacity: 1) infrastructure, such as purchase of laboratory equipment and laboratory set-up; and, 2) agronomic capabilities, including the establishment of field trials and acquisition of harvesting equipment. This infrastructure was critical to ramping bioenergy activities at all three universities. Thermochemical and biochemical conversion were investigated; algal, woody, annual and perennial herbaceous energy crops were established and monitored; educational and outreach eventsmore » were organized; co-product production and extraction were investigated; and, the nutritional qualities of biorefinery coproducts were evaluated. Funding from this project enabled 15 graduate students to submit PhD or MSc level theses; publication of one book and six book chapters; generation of 19 published abstracts; production of three lay press articles; and, dissemination of 31 peer-reviewed articles in good quality scientific journals.« less

Educational Infrastructure Using Virtualization Technologies: Experience at Kaunas University of Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miseviciene, Regina; Ambraziene, Danute; Tuminauskas, Raimundas; Pažereckas, Nerijus

2012-01-01

Many factors influence education nowadays. Educational institutions are faced with budget cuttings, outdated IT, data security management and the willingness to integrate remote learning at home. Virtualization technologies provide innovative solutions to the problems. The paper presents an original educational infrastructure using virtualization…

Physicists Get INSPIREd: INSPIRE Project and Grid Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klem, Jukka; Iwaszkiewicz, Jan

2011-12-01

INSPIRE is the new high-energy physics scientific information system developed by CERN, DESY, Fermilab and SLAC. INSPIRE combines the curated and trusted contents of SPIRES database with Invenio digital library technology. INSPIRE contains the entire HEP literature with about one million records and in addition to becoming the reference HEP scientific information platform, it aims to provide new kinds of data mining services and metrics to assess the impact of articles and authors. Grid and cloud computing provide new opportunities to offer better services in areas that require large CPU and storage resources including document Optical Character Recognition (OCR) processing, full-text indexing of articles and improved metrics. D4Science-II is a European project that develops and operates an e-Infrastructure supporting Virtual Research Environments (VREs). It develops an enabling technology (gCube) which implements a mechanism for facilitating the interoperation of its e-Infrastructure with other autonomously running data e-Infrastructures. As a result, this creates the core of an e-Infrastructure ecosystem. INSPIRE is one of the e-Infrastructures participating in D4Science-II project. In the context of the D4Science-II project, the INSPIRE e-Infrastructure makes available some of its resources and services to other members of the resulting ecosystem. Moreover, it benefits from the ecosystem via a dedicated Virtual Organization giving access to an array of resources ranging from computing and storage resources of grid infrastructures to data and services.

Quantifying the Digital Divide: A Scientific Overview of Network Connectivity and Grid Infrastructure in South Asian Countries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khan, Shahryar Muhammad; /SLAC /NUST, Rawalpindi; Cottrell, R.Les

2007-10-30

The future of Computing in High Energy Physics (HEP) applications depends on both the Network and Grid infrastructure. South Asian countries such as India and Pakistan are making significant progress by building clusters as well as improving their network infrastructure However to facilitate the use of these resources, they need to manage the issues of network connectivity to be among the leading participants in Computing for HEP experiments. In this paper we classify the connectivity for academic and research institutions of South Asia. The quantitative measurements are carried out using the PingER methodology; an approach that induces minimal ICMP trafficmore » to gather active end-to-end network statistics. The PingER project has been measuring the Internet performance for the last decade. Currently the measurement infrastructure comprises of over 700 hosts in more than 130 countries which collectively represents approximately 99% of the world's Internet-connected population. Thus, we are well positioned to characterize the world's connectivity. Here we present the current state of the National Research and Educational Networks (NRENs) and Grid Infrastructure in the South Asian countries and identify the areas of concern. We also present comparisons between South Asia and other developing as well as developed regions. We show that there is a strong correlation between the Network performance and several Human Development indices.« less

Saving America's School Infrastructure. Research in Education Fiscal Policy and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crampton, Faith E., Ed.; Thompson, David C., Ed.

This book addresses funding for school facilities. Contents of section 1, "Overview and Scope of the Problem," are: (1) "Unmet School Infrastructure Funding Need as a Critical Educational Capacity Issue: Setting the Context" (Faith E. Crampton); (2) "Financing School Infrastructure Needs: An Overview across the 50 States" (Catherine C. Sielke);…

Making Network Markets in Education: The Development of Data Infrastructure in Australian Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sellar, Sam

2017-01-01

This paper examines the development of data infrastructure in Australian schooling with a specific focus on interoperability standards that help to make new markets for education data. The conceptual framework combines insights from studies of infrastructure, economic markets and digital data. The case of the Australian National Schools…

Tertiary Educational Infrastructural Development in Ghana: Financing, Challenges and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badu, Edward; Kissi, Ernest; Boateng, Emmanuel B.; Antwi-Afari, Maxwell F.

2018-01-01

Education is the mainstay of the development of any nation; and in developing countries it has become the backbone of human resource development, ensuring effective growth of the economy; however, its corresponding infrastructure development is lacking. Governments around the globe are finding it difficult to provide the needed infrastructure.…

Guidelines and Standards for the Technology Infrastructure of 21st Century Educational Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Office of Facilities Planning.

New York State Regents directed that new guidelines and "standards" be developed for technology infrastructures in educational facilities in order to assist administrators and educators in planning technology integration during retrofits, renovations, or new construction of educational facilities. This document provides the first draft…

The National Information Infrastructure: Requirements for Education and Training: Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

TechTrends, 1994

1994-01-01

Includes 19 requirements prepared by the National Coordinating Committee for Technology in Education (NCC-TET) to ensure that the national information infrastructure (NII) provides expanded opportunities for education and training. The requirements, which cover access, education and training applications, and technical needs, are intended as…

The National Information Infrastructure: Requirements for Education and Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational IRM Quarterly, 1994

1994-01-01

Includes 19 access, education and training, and technical requirements that must be addressed in the development of the national information infrastructure. The requirements were prepared by national education, training, and trade associations participating in the National Coordinating Committee on Technology in Education and Training (NCC-TET). A…

An Introduction to Architectural Surety(SM) Education

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matalucci, R.V.; Miyoshi, D.S.

1998-09-01

This report describes the Sandia activities in the developing field management approach to enhancing National Laboratories (Sandia) educational outreach of architectural and infrastructure surety, a risk the safety, security, and reliability of facilities, systems, and structures. It begins with a description of the field of architectural and infrastmcture surety, including Sandia's historical expertise and experience in nuclear weapons surety. An overview of the 1996 Sandia Workshop on Architectural SuretysM is then provided to reference the initiation of the various activities. This workshop established the need for a surety education program at the University level and recommended that Sandia develop themore » course material as soon as possible. Technical material was assembled and the course was offered at the University of New Mexico (UNM) during the 1997 spring semester. The bulk of this report accordingly summarizes the lecture material presented in this pioneering graduate-level course on Infrastructure Surety in the Civil Engineering Department at UNM. This groundbreaking class presented subject matter developed by experts from Sandia, and included additional information from guest lecturers from academia, government, and industry. Also included in this report are summaries of the term projects developed by the graduate students, an overview of the 1997 International Conference on Architectural Suretp: Assuring the Performance of Buildings and Injiastruchwes (co-sponsored by Sandia, the American Institute of Architects, and the American Society of Civil Engineers), and recommendations for further course work development. The U.S. Department of Energy provides support to this emerging field of architectural and infrastructure surety and recognizes its broad application to developing government, industry, and professional standards in the national interest.« less

An assessment of autonomous vehicles : traffic impacts and infrastructure needs : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-03-01

The project began by understanding the current state of practice and trends. NHTSAs four-level taxonomy for automated vehicles was used to classify smart driving technologies and infrastructure needs. The project used surveys to analyze and gain a...

15 CFR 292.4 - Information infrastructure projects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Information infrastructure projects. 292.4 Section 292.4 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NIST EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS...

15 CFR 292.4 - Information infrastructure projects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Information infrastructure projects. 292.4 Section 292.4 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NIST EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS...

15 CFR 292.4 - Information infrastructure projects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Information infrastructure projects. 292.4 Section 292.4 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NIST EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS...

Measuring Systemic Impacts of Bike Infrastructure Projects

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-05-01

This paper qualitatively identifies the impacts of bicycle infrastructure on all roadway users, including safety, operations, and travel route choice. Bicycle infrastructure includes shared lanes, conventional bike lanes, and separated bike lanes. Th...

43 CFR 404.9 - What types of infrastructure and facilities may be included in an eligible rural water supply...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... facilities may be included in an eligible rural water supply project? 404.9 Section 404.9 Public Lands... RURAL WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM Overview § 404.9 What types of infrastructure and facilities may be included in an eligible rural water supply project? A rural water supply project may include, but is not...

Developments in damage assessment by Marie Skłodowska-Curie TRUSS ITN project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, A.

2017-05-01

The growth of cities, the impacts of climate change and the massive cost of providing new infrastructure provide the impetus for TRUSS (Training in Reducing Uncertainty in Structural Safety), a €3.7 million Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Innovative Training Network project funded by EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, which aims to maximize the potential of infrastructure that already exists (http://trussitn.eu). For that purpose, TRUSS brings together an international, inter-sectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration between five academic and eleven industry institutions from five European countries. The project covers rail and road infrastructure, buildings and energy and marine infrastructure. This paper reports progress in fields such as advanced sensor-based structural health monitoring solutions - unmanned aerial vehicles, optical backscatter reflectometry, monitoring sensors mounted on vehicles, … - and innovative algorithms for structural designs and short- and long-term assessments of buildings, bridges, pavements, ships, ship unloaders, nuclear components and wind turbine towers that will support infrastructure operators and owners in managing their assets.

Using mobile, internet connected deep sea crawlers for spatial and temporal analysis of cold seep ecosystems and the collection of real-time classroom data for extreme environment education.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purser, Autun; Kwasnitschka, Tom; Duda, Alexander; Schwendner, Jakob; Bamberg, Marlene; Sohl, Frank; Doya, Carol; Aguzzi, Jacopo; Best, Mairi; Llovet, Neus Campanya I.; Scherwath, Martin; Thomsen, Laurenz

2015-04-01

Cabled internet and power connectivity with the deep sea allow instruments to operate in the deep sea at higher temporal resolutions than was possible historically, with the reliance on battery life and data storage capacities. In addition to the increase in sensor temporal frequency, cabled infrastructures now allow remote access to and control of mobile platforms on the seafloor. Jacobs University Bremen, in combination with collaborators from the Robotic Exploration of Extreme Environments (ROBEX) project, CSIC Barcelona and Ocean Networks Canada have been operating tracked deep sea crawler vehicles at ~890 m depth at the dynamic Barkley Canyon methane seep site, Pacific Canada during the last ~4 years. The vehicle has been able to explore an area of ~50 m radius, allowing repeated visits to numerous microhabitats. Mounting a range of sensors, including temperature, pressure, conductivity, fluorescence, turbidity, flow and methane concentration sensors, as well as various camera systems a large dataset has been compiled. Several methane pockmarks are present in the survey area, and geological, biological and oceanographic changes have been monitored over a range of timescales. Several publications have been produced, and in this presentation we introduce further data currently under analysis. Cabled internet connectivity further allows mobile platforms to be used directly in education. As part of the ROBEX project, researchers and students from both terrestrial and planetary sciences are using the crawler in an ongoing study project. Students are introduced to statistical methods from both fields during the course and in later stages they can plan their own research using the in-situ crawler, and follow the progress of their investigations live, then analyse the collected data using the techniques introduced during the course. Cabled infrastructures offer a unique facility for spatial investigation of extreme ecosystems over time, and for the 'hands on' education of future students.

Resources to Transform Undergraduate Geoscience Education: Activities in Support of Earth, Oceans and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty, and Future Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, J. G.; Singer, J.

2013-12-01

The NSF offers funding programs that support geoscience education spanning atmospheric, oceans, and Earth sciences, as well as environmental science, climate change and sustainability, and research on learning. The 'Resources to Transform Undergraduate Geoscience Education' (RTUGeoEd) is an NSF Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM (TUES) Type 2 special project aimed at supporting college-level geoscience faculty at all types of institutions. The project's goals are to carry out activities and create digital resources that encourage the geoscience community to submit proposals that impact their courses and classroom infrastructure through innovative changes in instructional practice, and contribute to making transformative changes that impact student learning outcomes and lead to other educational benefits. In the past year information sessions were held during several national and regional professional meetings, including the GSA Southeastern and South-Central Section meetings. A three-day proposal-writing workshop for faculty planning to apply to the TUES program was held at the University of South Florida - Tampa. During the workshop, faculty learned about the program and key elements of a proposal, including: the need to demonstrate awareness of prior efforts within and outside the geosciences and how the proposed project builds upon this knowledge base; need to fully justify budget and role of members of the project team; project evaluation and what matters in selecting a project evaluator; and effective dissemination practices. Participants also spent time developing their proposal benefitting from advice and feedback from workshop facilitators. Survey data gathered from workshop participants point to a consistent set of challenges in seeking grant support for a desired educational innovation, including poor understanding of the educational literature, of available funding programs, and of learning assessment and project evaluation. Many also noted that their institutions did not recognize the value of education-related scholarly activities, or undervaluing it compared to more traditional research activities. Given this reality, faculty desire strategies for balancing their time to allow time to pursue both. The current restructuring of NSF educational programs raises questions regarding future directions and the scale of support that may be available from the proposed Catalyzing Advances in Undergraduate STEM Education (CAUSE) Program. At the time of writing this abstract, specific details have not been communicated, but it appears that CAUSE could encompass components from several programs within the Division of Undergraduate Education's TUES, STEP, and WIDER programs, as well as the Geoscience Education and OEDG programs in the Geosciences Directorate. The RTUGeoEd project will continue to provide support to faculty seeking CAUSE (and other educational funding within DUE).

"KiDS and Diabetes in Schools" project: Experience with an international educational intervention among parents and school professionals.

PubMed

Bechara, Glaucia Margonari; Castelo Branco, Fernanda; Rodrigues, Avelino Luiz; Chinnici, Daniela; Chaney, David; Calliari, Luis Eduardo P; Franco, Denise Reis

2018-06-01

Although it is known that school care is a major challenge in diabetes treatment, there is still no published international initiative. The aims of this study were to introduce an international educational intervention tool, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) KiDS and Diabetes in Schools project (KiDS project), and to describe its impact on diabetes knowledge and behavior of caregivers and school professionals. The KiDS project was developed with the support of IDF and the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes and provides online free material in 10 languages, directed to caregivers and school personnel. A pilot evaluation of the KiDS intervention was performed in Brazil. An educational intervention was conducted in 5 primary schools, with 42 parents and school staff, followed by 2 individual interviews after 1 and 3 months. The results were evaluated in a qualitative study with a descriptive design based on content analysis. School staff acquired new knowledge on diabetes and its treatment. They felt more confident when helping students with diabetes and said the educational intervention promoted a positive impact on the teacher-student relationship, on the caring for health, and on school infrastructure. Family members of children with diabetes stated that the educational intervention gave them an opportunity to strengthen and update information on treatment and improve their knowledge. The KiDS project is the first international tool directed to foster a safe and supportive environment and a better understanding of diabetes in schools. In this pilot evaluation, it achieved the goal of informing and changing the behavior of parents and school staff, thus improving the care provided to children with diabetes in schools. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of oil revenues on Arab Gulf development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

El Azhary, M.S.

1984-01-01

This book presents papers on Middle East oil policy. Topics considered include oil production policies in the Gulf States, oil planning, the philosophy of state development planning, prospects for Gulf economic coordination, the philosophy of infrastructural development, industrialization in the Arab Gulf, the agricultural potential of the Arab Gulf states, the future of banking as a Gulf industry, manpower problems and projections in the Gulf, education as an instrument of progress in the Arab Gulf states, and the impact of development on Gulf society.

IT Infrastructure Projects: A Framework for Analysis. ECAR Research Bulletin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grochow, Jerrold M.

2014-01-01

Just as maintaining a healthy infrastructure of water delivery and roads is essential to the functioning of cities and towns, maintaining a healthy infrastructure of information technology is essential to the functioning of universities. Deterioration in IT infrastructure can lead to deterioration in research, teaching, and administration. Given…

Lessons Learned about Plug-in Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure from The EV Project and ChargePoint America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smart, John Galloway; Salisbury, Shawn Douglas

2015-07-01

This report summarizes key findings in two national plug-in electric vehicle charging infrastructure demonstrations: The EV Project and ChargePoint America. It will be published to the INL/AVTA website for the general public.

State Transmission Infrastructure Authorities: The Story So Far; December 2007 - December 2008

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Porter, K.; Fink. S.

2008-05-01

This report examines the status and future direction of state transmission infrastructure authorities. It summarizes common characteristics, discusses current transmission projects, and outlines common issues the state infrastructure authorities have faced.

The OOI Ocean Education Portal: Enabling the Development of Online Data Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtenwalner, C. S.; McDonnell, J. D.; Crowley, M. F.; deCharon, A.; Companion, C. J.; Glenn, S. M.

2016-02-01

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) was designed to transform ocean science, by establishing a long-term, multi-instrument, multi-platform research infrastructure at 7 arrays around the word. This unprecedented investment in ocean observation, funded by the National Science Foundation, provides a rich opportunity to reshape ocean science education as well. As part of the initial construction effort, an online Ocean Education Portal was developed to support the creation and sharing of educational resources by undergraduate faculty at universities and community colleges. The portal includes a suite of tools that enable the development of online activities for use as group or individual projects, which can be used during lectures or as homework assignments. The site includes: 1) a suite of interactive educational data visualization tools that provide simple and targeted interfaces to interact with OOI datasets; 2) a concept map builder that can be used by both educators and students to build networked diagrams of their knowledge; and 3) a "data investigation" builder that allows faculty to assemble resources into coherent learning modules. The site also includes a "vocabulary navigator" that provides a visual way to discover and learn about the OOI's infrastructure and scientific design. The site allows users to browse an ever-growing database of resources created by the community, and likewise, users can share resources they create with others. As the OOI begins its 25-year operational phase, it is our hope that faculty will be able to use the tools and investigations on the Ocean Education Portal to bring real ocean science research to their undergraduate students.

Distance Education Infrastructure for Rural Areas Using Java as a Development Tool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndinga, S. S.; Clayton, P.

New information technology is rapidly becoming part of the localized education process, while offering the tools and the infrastructure for the establishment of a distance education process. At Rhodes University (South Africa), an Interactive Remote Tutorial System (IRTS) was built to support distance education. IRTS will be used as an…

Getting from A to IRB: developing an institutional review board at a historically black university.

PubMed

Howard, Daniel L; Boyd, Carlton L; Nelson, Daniel K; Godley, Paul

2010-03-01

Shaw University, the oldest historically black college or university in the southern USA, recently partnered with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a major research institution in North Carolina, to further develop Shaw's research infrastructure. One aim of the partnership involved establishing a human research ethics committee and an accompanying administrative structure and research ethics education program. This paper describes the process of developing an entire human research protection program de novo through collaboration with and mentoring by the members of the human research protection program at a nearby major research institution. This paper provides a detailed description of the aims, procedures, accomplishments, and challenges involved in such a project, which may serve as a useful model for other primarily teaching institutions wishing to develop research infrastructure and ethical capacity.

Getting From A to IRB: Developing an Institutional Review Board at a Historically Black University

PubMed Central

Howard, Daniel L.; Boyd, Carlton L.; Nelson, Daniel K.; Godley, Paul

2011-01-01

Shaw University, the oldest historically black college or university in the southern USA, recently partnered with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a major research institution in North Carolina, to further develop Shaw’s research infrastructure. One aim of the partnership involved establishing a human research ethics committee and an accompanying administrative structure and research ethics education program. This paper describes the process of developing an entire human research protection program de novo through collaboration with and mentoring by the members of the human research protection program at a nearby major research institution. This paper provides a detailed description of the aims, procedures, accomplishments, and challenges involved in such a project, which may serve as a useful model for other primarily teaching institutions wishing to develop research infrastructure and ethical capacity. PMID:20235865

Community Needs Assessment and Portal Prototype Development for an Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure (ASDI): A Contribution to an IPY Data Cyberinfrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiggins, H. V.; Warnick, W. K.; Hempel, L. C.; Henk, J.; Sorensen, M.; Tweedie, C. E.; Gaylord, A.; Behr, S.

2006-12-01

As the creation and use of geospatial data in research, management, logistics, and education applications has proliferated, there is now a tremendous potential for advancing the IPY initiative through a variety of cyberinfrastructure applications, including Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) and related technologies. SDIs provide a necessary and common framework of standards, securities, policies, procedures, and technology to support the effective acquisition, coordination, dissemination and use of geospatial data by multiple and distributed stakeholder and user groups. Despite the numerous research activities in the Arctic, there is no established SDI and, because of this lack of a coordinated infrastructure, there is inefficiency, duplication of effort, and reduced data quality and search ability of arctic geospatial data. The urgency for establishing this framework is significant considering the myriad of data that is likely to be collected in celebration of the International Polar Year (IPY) in 2007-2008 and the current international momentum for an improved and integrated circumarctic terrestrial-marine-atmospheric environmental observatories network. The key objective of this project is to lay the foundation for full implementation of an Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure (ASDI) through two related activities: (1) an assessment - via interviews, questionnaires, a workshop, and other means - of community needs, readiness, and resources, and (2) the development of a prototype web mapping portal to demonstrate the purpose and function on an arctic geospatial one-stop portal technology and to solicit community input on design and function. The results of this project will be compiled into a comprehensive report guiding the research community and funding agencies in the design and implementation of an ASDI to contribute to a robust IPY data cyberinfrastructure.

OSiRIS: a distributed Ceph deployment using software defined networking for multi-institutional research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKee, Shawn; Kissel, Ezra; Meekhof, Benjeman; Swany, Martin; Miller, Charles; Gregorowicz, Michael

2017-10-01

We report on the first year of the OSiRIS project (NSF Award #1541335, UM, IU, MSU and WSU) which is targeting the creation of a distributed Ceph storage infrastructure coupled together with software-defined networking to provide high-performance access for well-connected locations on any participating campus. The projects goal is to provide a single scalable, distributed storage infrastructure that allows researchers at each campus to read, write, manage and share data directly from their own computing locations. The NSF CC*DNI DIBBS program which funded OSiRIS is seeking solutions to the challenges of multi-institutional collaborations involving large amounts of data and we are exploring the creative use of Ceph and networking to address those challenges. While OSiRIS will eventually be serving a broad range of science domains, its first adopter will be the LHC ATLAS detector project via the ATLAS Great Lakes Tier-2 (AGLT2) jointly located at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. Part of our presentation will cover how ATLAS is using the OSiRIS infrastructure and our experiences integrating our first user community. The presentation will also review the motivations for and goals of the project, the technical details of the OSiRIS infrastructure, the challenges in providing such an infrastructure, and the technical choices made to address those challenges. We will conclude with our plans for the remaining 4 years of the project and our vision for what we hope to deliver by the projects end.

Sovereign cat bonds and infrastructure project financing.

PubMed

Croson, David; Richter, Andreas

2003-06-01

We examine the opportunities for using catastrophe-linked securities (or equivalent forms of nondebt contingent capital) to reduce the total costs of funding infrastructure projects in emerging economies. Our objective is to elaborate on methods to reduce the necessity for unanticipated (emergency) project funding immediately after a natural disaster. We also place the existing explanations of sovereign-level contingent capital into a catastrophic risk management framework. In doing so, we address the following questions. (1) Why might catastrophe-linked securities be useful to a sovereign nation, over and above their usefulness for insurers and reinsurers? (2) Why are such financial instruments ideally suited for protecting infrastructure projects in emerging economies, under third-party sponsorship, from low-probability, high-consequence events that occur as a result of natural disasters? (3) How can the willingness to pay of a sovereign government in an emerging economy (or its external project sponsor), who values timely completion of infrastructure projects, for such instruments be calculated? To supplement our treatment of these questions, we use a multilayer spreadsheet-based model (in Microsoft Excel format) to calculate the overall cost reductions possible through the judicious use of catastrophe-based financial tools. We also report on numerical comparative statics on the value of contingent-capital financing to avoid project disruption based on varying costs of capital, probability and consequences of disasters, the feasibility of strategies for mid-stage project abandonment, and the timing of capital commitments to the infrastructure investment. We use these results to identify high-priority applications of catastrophe-linked securities so that maximal protection can be realized if the total number of catastrophe instruments is initially limited. The article concludes with potential extensions to our model and opportunities for future research.

Environmental impacts of dispersed development from federal infrastructure projects.

PubMed

Southerland, Mark T

2004-06-01

Dispersed development, also referred to as urban growth or sprawl, is a pattern of low-density development spread over previously rural landscapes. Such growth can result in adverse impacts to air quality, water quality, human health, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, agricultural land, military training areas, water supply and wastewater treatment, recreational resources, viewscapes, and cultural resources. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is charged with protecting public health and the environment, which includes consideration of impacts from dispersed development. Specifically, because federal infrastructure projects can affect the progress of dispersed development, the secondary impacts resulting from it must be assessed in documents prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has oversight for NEPA and Section 309 of the Clean Air Act requires that U.S. EPA review and comment on federal agency NEPA documents. The adverse effects of dispersed development can be induced by federal infrastructure projects including transportation, built infrastructure, modifications in natural infrastructure, public land conversion and redevelopment of properties, construction of federal facilities, and large traffic or major growth generation developments requiring federal permits. This paper presents an approach that U.S. EPA reviewers and NEPA practitioners can use to provide accurate, realistic, and consistent analysis of secondary impacts of dispersed development resulting from federal infrastructure projects. It also presents 24 measures that can be used to mitigate adverse impacts from dispersed development by modifying project location and design, participating in preservation or restoration activities, or informing and supporting local communities in planning.

43 CFR 404.10 - Are there certain types of infrastructure and facilities that may not be included in a rural...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... and facilities that may not be included in a rural water supply project? 404.10 Section 404.10 Public... RECLAMATION RURAL WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM Overview § 404.10 Are there certain types of infrastructure and facilities that may not be included in a rural water supply project? Yes. A rural water supply project may...

Defense Infrastructure: Actions Needed to Enhance Oversight of Construction Projects Supporting Military Contingency Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

unneeded to support U.S. forces in the CENTCOM area of responsibility and in future contingencies worldwide. View GAO-16-406. For more information...DEFENSE INFRASTRUCTURE Actions Needed to Enhance Oversight of Construction Projects Supporting Military Contingency ...Actions Needed to Enhance Oversight of Construction Projects Supporting Military Contingency Operations Why GAO Did This Study For about 15 years, DOD

COMMUNITY-ORIENTED DESIGN AND EVALUATION PROCESS FOR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE

EPA Science Inventory

We met our first objective by completing the physical infrastructure of the La Fortuna-Tule water and sanitation project using the CODE-PSI method. This physical component of the project was important in providing a real, relevant, community-scale test case for the methods ...

Multi-Scale Infrastructure Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) multi-scale infrastructure assessment project supports both water resource adaptation to climate change and the rehabilitation of the nation’s aging water infrastructure by providing tools, scientific data and information to progra...

Public project success as seen in a broad perspective.: Lessons from a meta-evaluation of 20 infrastructure projects in Norway.

PubMed

Volden, Gro Holst

2018-08-01

Infrastructure projects in developed countries are rarely evaluated ex-post. Despite their number and scope, our knowledge about their various impacts is surprisingly limited. The paper argues that such projects must be assessed in a broad perspective that includes both operational, tactical and strategic aspects, and unintended as well as intended effects. A generic six-criteria evaluation framework is suggested, inspired by a framework frequently used to evaluate development assistance projects. It is tested on 20 Norwegian projects from various sectors (transport, defence, ICT, buildings). The results indicate that the majority of projects were successful, especially in operational terms, possibly because they underwent external quality assurance up-front. It is argued that applying this type of standardized framework provides a good basis for comparison and learning across sectors. It is suggested that evaluations should be conducted with the aim of promoting accountability, building knowledge about infrastructure projects, and continuously improve the tools, methods and governance arrangements used in the front-end of project development. Copyright © 2018 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

University of Maryland MRSEC - Facilities: Instrumentation Infrastructure

Science.gov Websites

Instrumentation Infrastructure In order to establish a broader campus context, each MRSEC Shared Experimental without alteration is granted to educational institutions for non-profit administrative or educational

Data discovery and data processing for environmental research infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Los, Wouter; Beranzoli, Laura; Corriero, Giuseppe; Cossu, Roberto; Fiore, Nicola; Hardisty, Alex; Legré, Yannick; Pagano, Pasquale; Puglisi, Giuseppe; Sorvari, Sanna; Turunen, Esa

2013-04-01

The European ENVRI project (Common operations of Environmental Research Infrastructures) is addressing common ICT solutions for the research infrastructures as selected in the ESFRI Roadmap. More specifically, the project is looking for solutions that will assist interdisciplinary users who want to benefit from the data and other services of more than a single research infrastructure. However, the infrastructure architectures, the data, data formats, scales and granularity are very different. Indeed, they deal with diverse scientific disciplines, from plate tectonics, the deep sea, sea and land surface up to atmosphere and troposphere, from the dead to the living environment, and with a variety of instruments producing increasingly larger amounts of data. One of the approaches in the ENVRI project is to design a common Reference Model that will serve to promote infrastructure interoperability at the data, technical and service levels. The analysis of the characteristics of the environmental research infrastructures assisted in developing the Reference Model, and which is also an example for comparable infrastructures worldwide. Still, it is for users already now important to have the facilities available for multi-disciplinary data discovery and data processing. The rise of systems research, addressing Earth as a single complex and coupled system is requiring such capabilities. So, another approach in the project is to adapt existing ICT solutions to short term applications. This is being tested for a few study cases. One of these is looking for possible coupled processes following a volcano eruption in the vertical column from deep sea to troposphere. Another one deals with volcano either human impacts on atmospheric and sea CO2 pressure and the implications for sea acidification and marine biodiversity and their ecosystems. And a third one deals with the variety of sensor and satellites data sensing the area around a volcano cone. Preliminary results on these studies will be reported. The common results will assist in shaping more generic solutions to be adopted by the appropriate research infrastructures.

Innovative infrastructure in New Jersey: using health education professionals to inform and educate during a crisis.

PubMed

Taylor, Laura; Miro, Suzanne; Bookbinder, Sylvia H; Slater, Thomas

2008-10-01

Federal funding supports the growth and development of public health infrastructure and preparedness. The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services used federal funds to increase local public health infrastructure that included the hiring of health educators or risk communicators (HERCs). The HERCs are a diverse group of health and communications professionals trained in emergency communication. They provide crisis information regarding pubic health threats. Over the years, the role and duties of HERCs have expanded from bioterrorism to all-hazards approach and emerging infections public health preparedness, including pandemic influenza. This article describes how HERCs are used in the New Jersey public health infrastructure.

Lessons learned about coordinating academic partnerships from an international network for health education.

PubMed

Luo, Airong; Omollo, Kathleen Ludewig

2013-11-01

There is a growing trend of academic partnerships between U.S., Canadian, and European health science institutions and academic health centers in low- and middle-income countries. These partnerships often encounter challenges such as resource disparities and power differentials, which affect the motivations, expectations, balance of benefits, and results of the joint projects. Little has been discussed in previous literature regarding the communication and project management processes that affect the success of such partnerships. To fill the gap in the literature, the authors present lessons learned from the African Health Open Educational Resources Network, a multicountry, multiorganizational partnership established in May 2008. The authors introduce the history of the network, then discuss actively engaging stakeholders throughout the project's life cycle (design, planning, execution, and closure) through professional development, relationship building, and assessment activities. They focus on communication and management practices used to identify mutually beneficial project goals, ensure timely completion of deliverables, and develop sustainable sociotechnical infrastructure for future collaborative projects. These activities yielded an interactive process of action, assessment, and reflection to ensure that project goals and values were aligned with implementation. The authors conclude with a discussion of lessons learned and how the partnership project may serve as a model for other universities and academic health centers in high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries that are interested in or currently pursuing international academic partnerships.

Controlled Hydrogen Fleet and Infrastructure Demonstration and Validation Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stottler, Gary

General Motors, LLC and energy partner Shell Hydrogen, LLC, deployed a system of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles integrated with a hydrogen fueling station infrastructure to operate under real world conditions as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Controlled Hydrogen Fleet and Infrastructure Validation and Demonstration Project. This technical report documents the performance and describes the learnings from progressive generations of vehicle fuel cell system technology and multiple approaches to hydrogen generation and delivery for vehicle fueling.

Prototype Software Assurance Framework (SAF): Introduction and Overview

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-05

Introduction 1 1 Process Management (Category 1) 6 1.1 Process Definition (Area 1.1) 6 1.2 Infrastructure Standards (Area 1.2) 6 1.3 Resources (Area 1.3) 7...1.4 Training (Area 1.4) 8 2 Project Management (Category 2) 9 2.1 Project Plans (Area 2.1) 9 2.2 Project Infrastructure (Area 2.2) 10 2.3 Project...Monitoring (Area 2.3) 10 2.4 Project Risk Management (Area 2.4) 11 2.5 Supplier Management (Area 2.5) 11 3 Engineering (Category 3) 13 3.1 Product

Final report for the Integrated and Robust Security Infrastructure (IRSI) laboratory directed research and development project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hutchinson, R.L.; Hamilton, V.A.; Istrail, G.G.

1997-11-01

This report describes the results of a Sandia-funded laboratory-directed research and development project titled {open_quotes}Integrated and Robust Security Infrastructure{close_quotes} (IRSI). IRSI was to provide a broad range of commercial-grade security services to any software application. IRSI has two primary goals: application transparency and manageable public key infrastructure. IRSI must provide its security services to any application without the need to modify the application to invoke the security services. Public key mechanisms are well suited for a network with many end users and systems. There are many issues that make it difficult to deploy and manage a public key infrastructure. IRSImore » addressed some of these issues to create a more manageable public key infrastructure.« less

The Impact of Airport Performance towards Construction and Infrastructure Expansion in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laksono, T. D.; Kurniasih, N.; Hasyim, C.; Setiawan, M. I.; Ahmar, A. S.

2018-01-01

Development that is generated from airport areas includes construction and infrastructure development. This research reviews about how the implementation of material management in certain construction project and the relationship between development especially construction and infrastructure development with Airport Performance. The method that is used in this research is mixed method. The population in this research is 297 airports that are existed in Indonesia. From those 297 airports then it is chosen airports that have the most completed data about construction project and it is obtained 148 airports. Based on the coefficient correlation (R) test it is known that construction and infrastructure development has relatively strong relation with airport performance variable, but there are still other factors that influence construction and infrastructure development become bigger effect.

Preceptor/mentor education: a world of possibilities through e-learning technology.

PubMed

Myrick, Florence; Caplan, Wendy; Smitten, Jayne; Rusk, Kerry

2011-04-01

Preceptorship/mentorship is designed to socialize students into the nursing profession, promote their confidence/competence and foster their critical thinking ability. In today's global context, opportunities exist for local, rural, national and international student placements which provide exciting and mutually rewarding preceptorship experiences. Despite the recognized value of those involved in preceptorship/mentorship, however, little progress has been made regarding the development of an infrastructure that effectively supports their ongoing education. This project, piloted from October 2008 to February 2009, leveraged our established research and teaching experience in preceptorship with technologies that allowed us to create an accessible and engaging e-learning space designed to support preceptors in a seamless fashion, improve the quality of the student preceptorship and enhance professional teaching capacity. A purposive sample of 25 preceptors was selected with a total of 18 preceptors successfully completing the five month program. Upon completion, participants were surveyed and individually interviewed. Data analysis revealed the program to be informative, supportive and highly valued. Knowledge derived from this study can: a) further enrich the substantive nature and infrastructure of online preceptor education; and b) contribute to clarifying best practices for preceptor support, facilitation, and ongoing professional development with a view to enhancing the preceptorship experience. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 59666 - Transmission Infrastructure Program; Proposed Transmission Infrastructure Program Updates and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-27

... Loan Programs Office into the process. The FRN also identifies the principles Western will continue using to ensure (1) that the Program is separate and distinct from Western's power marketing functions... obtain project funding. Table of Contents I. Definitions II. Principles III. Project Evaluation Criteria...

Demonstration of Green/Gray Infrastructure for Combined Sewer Overflow Control

EPA Science Inventory

This project is a major national demonstration of the integration of green and gray infrastructure for combined sewer overflow (CSO) control in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner. It will use Kansas City, MO, as a case example. The project will have a major in...

KLIMA 2050: a research-based innovation centre for risk reduction through climate adaptation of infrastructure and buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solheim, Anders; Time, Berit; Kvande, Tore; Sivertsen, Edvard; Cepeda, Jose; Lappegard Hauge, Åshild; Bygballe, Lena; Almås, Anders-Johan

2016-04-01

Klima 2050 - Risk reduction through climate adaptation of buildings and infrastructure is a Centre for Research based Innovation (SFI), funded jointly by the Research Council of Norway (RCN) and the partners of the centre. The aim of Klima 2050 is to reduce the societal risks associated with climate changes, including enhanced precipitation and flood water exposure within the built environment. The Centre will strengthen companies' innovation capacity through a focus on long-term research. It is also a clear objective to facilitate close cooperation between Research & Development, performing companies, public entities, and prominent research groups. Emphasis will be placed on development of moisture-resilient buildings, storm-water management, blue-green solutions, mitigation measures for water-triggered landslides, socio-economic incentives and decision-making processes. Both extreme weather and gradual climatic changes will be addressed. The Centre consists of a consortium of 18 partners from three sectors: industry, public entities and research/education organizations. The partners from the industry/private sector include a variety of companies from the building industry. The public entities comprise the most important infrastructure owners in Norway (public roads, railroads, buildings, airports), as well as the directorate for water and energy. The research and education partners are SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, the Norwegian Business School, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, and the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute. This contribution presents the main research plans and activities of this Centre, which was started in 2015 and will run for 8 years, until 2023. The presentation also includes options for international cooperation in the Centre via PhD and postdoctoral positions, MSc projects and guest-researcher stays with Klima 2050 partners.

Exploratory Application of Augmented Reality/Mixed Reality Devices for Acute Care Procedure Training.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Leo; Zhang, Xiao Chi; Collins, Scott A; Karim, Naz; Merck, Derek L

2018-01-01

Augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality devices are enabling technologies that may facilitate effective communication in healthcare between those with information and knowledge (clinician/specialist; expert; educator) and those seeking understanding and insight (patient/family; non-expert; learner). Investigators initiated an exploratory program to enable the study of AR/MR use-cases in acute care clinical and instructional settings. Academic clinician educators, computer scientists, and diagnostic imaging specialists conducted a proof-of-concept project to 1) implement a core holoimaging pipeline infrastructure and open-access repository at the study institution, and 2) use novel AR/MR techniques on off-the-shelf devices with holoimages generated by the infrastructure to demonstrate their potential role in the instructive communication of complex medical information. The study team successfully developed a medical holoimaging infrastructure methodology to identify, retrieve, and manipulate real patients' de-identified computed tomography and magnetic resonance imagesets for rendering, packaging, transfer, and display of modular holoimages onto AR/MR headset devices and connected displays. Holoimages containing key segmentations of cervical and thoracic anatomic structures and pathology were overlaid and registered onto physical task trainers for simulation-based "blind insertion" invasive procedural training. During the session, learners experienced and used task-relevant anatomic holoimages for central venous catheter and tube thoracostomy insertion training with enhanced visual cues and haptic feedback. Direct instructor access into the learner's AR/MR headset view of the task trainer was achieved for visual-axis interactive instructional guidance. Investigators implemented a core holoimaging pipeline infrastructure and modular open-access repository to generate and enable access to modular holoimages during exploratory pilot stage applications for invasive procedure training that featured innovative AR/MR techniques on off-the-shelf headset devices.

Exploratory Application of Augmented Reality/Mixed Reality Devices for Acute Care Procedure Training

PubMed Central

Kobayashi, Leo; Zhang, Xiao Chi; Collins, Scott A.; Karim, Naz; Merck, Derek L.

2018-01-01

Introduction Augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality devices are enabling technologies that may facilitate effective communication in healthcare between those with information and knowledge (clinician/specialist; expert; educator) and those seeking understanding and insight (patient/family; non-expert; learner). Investigators initiated an exploratory program to enable the study of AR/MR use-cases in acute care clinical and instructional settings. Methods Academic clinician educators, computer scientists, and diagnostic imaging specialists conducted a proof-of-concept project to 1) implement a core holoimaging pipeline infrastructure and open-access repository at the study institution, and 2) use novel AR/MR techniques on off-the-shelf devices with holoimages generated by the infrastructure to demonstrate their potential role in the instructive communication of complex medical information. Results The study team successfully developed a medical holoimaging infrastructure methodology to identify, retrieve, and manipulate real patients’ de-identified computed tomography and magnetic resonance imagesets for rendering, packaging, transfer, and display of modular holoimages onto AR/MR headset devices and connected displays. Holoimages containing key segmentations of cervical and thoracic anatomic structures and pathology were overlaid and registered onto physical task trainers for simulation-based “blind insertion” invasive procedural training. During the session, learners experienced and used task-relevant anatomic holoimages for central venous catheter and tube thoracostomy insertion training with enhanced visual cues and haptic feedback. Direct instructor access into the learner’s AR/MR headset view of the task trainer was achieved for visual-axis interactive instructional guidance. Conclusion Investigators implemented a core holoimaging pipeline infrastructure and modular open-access repository to generate and enable access to modular holoimages during exploratory pilot stage applications for invasive procedure training that featured innovative AR/MR techniques on off-the-shelf headset devices. PMID:29383074

Benefits and Challenges of Linking Green Infrastructure and Highway Planning in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcucci, Daniel J.; Jordan, Lauren M.

2013-01-01

Landscape-level green infrastructure creates a network of natural and semi-natural areas that protects and enhances ecosystem services, regenerative capacities, and ecological dynamism over long timeframes. It can also enhance quality of life and certain economic activity. Highways create a network for moving goods and services efficiently, enabling commerce, and improving mobility. A fundamentally profound conflict exists between transportation planning and green infrastructure planning because they both seek to create connected, functioning networks across the same landscapes and regions, but transportation networks, especially in the form of highways, fragment and disconnect green infrastructure networks. A key opportunity has emerged in the United States during the last ten years with the promotion of measures to link transportation and environmental concerns. In this article we examined the potential benefits and challenges of linking landscape-level green infrastructure planning and implementation with integrated transportation planning and highway project development in the United States policy context. This was done by establishing a conceptual model that identified logical flow lines from planning to implementation as well as the potential interconnectors between green infrastructure and highway infrastructure. We analyzed the relationship of these activities through literature review, policy analysis, and a case study of a suburban Maryland, USA landscape. We found that regionally developed and adopted green infrastructure plans can be instrumental in creating more responsive regional transportation plans and streamlining the project environmental review process while enabling better outcomes by enabling more targeted mitigation. In order for benefits to occur, however, landscape-scale green infrastructure assessments and plans must be in place before integrated transportation planning and highway project development occurs. It is in the transportation community's interests to actively facilitate green infrastructure planning because it creates a more predictable environmental review context. On the other hand, for landscape-level green infrastructure, transportation planning and development is much more established and better funded and can provide a means of supporting green infrastructure planning and implementation, thereby enhancing conservation of ecological function.

Benefits and challenges of linking green infrastructure and highway planning in the United States.

PubMed

Marcucci, Daniel J; Jordan, Lauren M

2013-01-01

Landscape-level green infrastructure creates a network of natural and semi-natural areas that protects and enhances ecosystem services, regenerative capacities, and ecological dynamism over long timeframes. It can also enhance quality of life and certain economic activity. Highways create a network for moving goods and services efficiently, enabling commerce, and improving mobility. A fundamentally profound conflict exists between transportation planning and green infrastructure planning because they both seek to create connected, functioning networks across the same landscapes and regions, but transportation networks, especially in the form of highways, fragment and disconnect green infrastructure networks. A key opportunity has emerged in the United States during the last ten years with the promotion of measures to link transportation and environmental concerns. In this article we examined the potential benefits and challenges of linking landscape-level green infrastructure planning and implementation with integrated transportation planning and highway project development in the United States policy context. This was done by establishing a conceptual model that identified logical flow lines from planning to implementation as well as the potential interconnectors between green infrastructure and highway infrastructure. We analyzed the relationship of these activities through literature review, policy analysis, and a case study of a suburban Maryland, USA landscape. We found that regionally developed and adopted green infrastructure plans can be instrumental in creating more responsive regional transportation plans and streamlining the project environmental review process while enabling better outcomes by enabling more targeted mitigation. In order for benefits to occur, however, landscape-scale green infrastructure assessments and plans must be in place before integrated transportation planning and highway project development occurs. It is in the transportation community's interests to actively facilitate green infrastructure planning because it creates a more predictable environmental review context. On the other hand, for landscape-level green infrastructure, transportation planning and development is much more established and better funded and can provide a means of supporting green infrastructure planning and implementation, thereby enhancing conservation of ecological function.

Support Process Development for Assessing Green Infrastructure in Omaha, NE

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Evaluates Omaha’s current process for assessing green infrastructure projects and recommends improvements for comparing green and gray infrastructure. Compares Omaha’s design criteria to other cities. Reviews other US programs with rights-of-way criteria.

Alternative Fuels Data Center

Science.gov Websites

Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Grants The Maryland Energy Administration administers the Maryland Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Program (AFIP), which provides grants to develop public access alternative fueling and charging infrastructure. Only Maryland-based private businesses are eligible, and projects

Smart Valley Infrastructure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maule, R. William

1994-01-01

Discusses prototype information infrastructure projects in northern California's Silicon Valley. The strategies of the public and private telecommunications carriers vying for backbone services and industries developing end-user infrastructure technologies via office networks, set-top box networks, Internet multimedia, and "smart homes"…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pardo-Bosch, Francesc, E-mail: francesc.pardo@upc.edu; Political Science Department, University of California - Berkeley; Aguado, Antonio, E-mail: antonio.aguado@upc.edu

Infrastructure construction, one of the biggest driving forces of the economy nowadays, requires a huge analysis and clear transparency to decide what projects have to be executed with the few resources available. With the aim to provide the public administrations a tool with which they can make their decisions easier, the Sustainability Index of Infrastructure Projects (SIIP) has been defined, with a multi-criteria decision system called MIVES, in order to classify non-uniform investments. This index evaluates, in two inseparable stages, the contribution to the sustainable development of each infrastructure project, analyzing its social, environmental and economic impact. The result ofmore » the SIIP allows to decide the order with which projects will be prioritized. The case of study developed proves the adaptability and utility of this tool for the ordinary budget management.« less

The National Information Infrastructure: Requirements for Education and Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Coordinating Committee on Technology in Education and Training, Alexandria, VA.

The National Coordinating Committee for Technology in Education and Training (NCC-TET) has developed these requirements to ensure that the National Information Infrastructure (NII) provides expanded opportunities for education and training. A number of national organizations have contributed to these requirements, which are intended to be used in…

Reducing construction waste: A study of urban infrastructure projects.

PubMed

de Magalhães, Ruane Fernandes; Danilevicz, Ângela de Moura Ferreira; Saurin, Tarcisio Abreu

2017-09-01

The construction industry is well-known for producing waste detrimental to the environment, and its impacts have increased with the development process of cities. Although there are several studies focused on the environmental impact of residential and commercial buildings, less knowledge is available regarding decreasing construction waste (CW) generation in urban infrastructure projects. This study presents best practices to reduce waste in the said projects, stressing the role of decision-making in the design stage and the effective management of construction processes in public sector. The best practices were identified from literature review, document analysis in 14 projects of urban infrastructure, and both qualitative and quantitative survey with 18 experts (architects and engineers) playing different roles on those projects. The contributions of these research are: (i) the identification of the main building techniques related to the urban design typologies analyzed; (ii) the identification of cause-effect relationships between the design choices and the CW generation diagnosis; (iii) the proposal of a checklist to support the decision-making process, that can be used as a control and evaluation instrument when developing urban infrastructure designs, focused on the construction waste minimization (CWM). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NGNP Infrastructure Readiness Assessment: Consolidation Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brian K Castle

2011-02-01

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project supports the development, demonstration, and deployment of high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). The NGNP project is being reviewed by the Nuclear Energy Advisory Council (NEAC) to provide input to the DOE, who will make a recommendation to the Secretary of Energy, whether or not to continue with Phase 2 of the NGNP project. The NEAC review will be based on, in part, the infrastructure readiness assessment, which is an assessment of industry's current ability to provide specified components for the FOAK NGNP, meet quality assurance requirements, transport components, have the necessary workforce inmore » place, and have the necessary construction capabilities. AREVA and Westinghouse were contracted to perform independent assessments of industry's capabilities because of their experience with nuclear supply chains, which is a result of their experiences with the EPR and AP-1000 reactors. Both vendors produced infrastructure readiness assessment reports that identified key components and categorized these components into three groups based on their ability to be deployed in the FOAK plant. The NGNP project has several programs that are developing key components and capabilities. For these components, the NGNP project have provided input to properly assess the infrastructure readiness for these components.« less

A questionnaire for teachers to improve training activity and students on environmental science in the frame of ENVRIPLUS project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Addezio, Giuliana; Marsili, Antonella; Beranzoli, Laura

2017-04-01

ENVRIplus is a Horizon 2020 project bringing together Environmental and Earth System Research Infrastructures, projects and networks together with technical specialist partners to create a more coherent, interdisciplinary and interoperable cluster of Environmental Research. One of the aims of this project is to disseminate knowledge on environmental topics, focusing attention on European secondary schools. We elaborated actions to design an e-Training Platform for multimedia education of secondary school level teachers and students. The purpose is to favor teacher training and consequently students training on selected scientific themes faced within the ENVRIPLUS Research Infrastructures. In particular we address major thematic research areas and challenges on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Greenhouse effect and Earth Warming, Ocean acidifications and Environmental sustainability. To realize the training platform we start detailed study and analysis of teaching and multimedia information materials already available. We plan the realization of an appealing and usable portal/digital repository, to stimulate learning of STEM topics and which also includes opportunities to develop original content. To better project the actions and to catch teacher needs, we prepare a questionnaire that will be administered to a large sample of international school audience to collect input directly from the potential users. The first part focused on objective information about the formal, quantitative and qualitative position of science class in schools and the content and methods of teaching in different countries. The second part investigates subjective teacher experiences, views and proposals on what can improve training offer for environmental science lessons and courses.

Education and public engagement in observatory operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabor, Pavel; Mayo, Louis; Zaritsky, Dennis

2016-07-01

Education and public engagement (EPE) is an essential part of astronomy's mission. New technologies, remote observing and robotic facilities are opening new possibilities for EPE. A number of projects (e.g., Telescopes In Education, MicroObservatory, Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope and UNC's Skynet) have developed new infrastructure, a number of observatories (e.g., University of Arizona's "full-engagement initiative" towards its astronomy majors, Vatican Observatory's collaboration with high-schools) have dedicated their resources to practical instruction and EPE. Some of the facilities are purpose built, others are legacy telescopes upgraded for remote or automated observing. Networking among institutions is most beneficial for EPE, and its implementation ranges from informal agreements between colleagues to advanced software packages with web interfaces. The deliverables range from reduced data to time and hands-on instruction while operating a telescope. EPE represents a set of tasks and challenges which is distinct from research applications of the new astronomical facilities and operation modes. In this paper we examine the experience with several EPE projects, and some lessons and challenges for observatory operation.

Educational process in modern climatology within the web-GIS platform "Climate"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordova, Yulia; Gorbatenko, Valentina; Gordov, Evgeny; Martynova, Yulia; Okladnikov, Igor; Titov, Alexander; Shulgina, Tamara

2013-04-01

These days, common to all scientific fields the problem of training of scientists in the environmental sciences is exacerbated by the need to develop new computational and information technology skills in distributed multi-disciplinary teams. To address this and other pressing problems of Earth system sciences, software infrastructure for information support of integrated research in the geosciences was created based on modern information and computational technologies and a software and hardware platform "Climate» (http://climate.scert.ru/) was developed. In addition to the direct analysis of geophysical data archives, the platform is aimed at teaching the basics of the study of changes in regional climate. The educational component of the platform includes a series of lectures on climate, environmental and meteorological modeling and laboratory work cycles on the basics of analysis of current and potential future regional climate change using Siberia territory as an example. The educational process within the Platform is implemented using the distance learning system Moodle (www.moodle.org). This work is partially supported by the Ministry of education and science of the Russian Federation (contract #8345), SB RAS project VIII.80.2.1, RFBR grant #11-05-01190a, and integrated project SB RAS #131.

Community annotation and bioinformatics workforce development in concert--Little Skate Genome Annotation Workshops and Jamborees.

PubMed

Wang, Qinghua; Arighi, Cecilia N; King, Benjamin L; Polson, Shawn W; Vincent, James; Chen, Chuming; Huang, Hongzhan; Kingham, Brewster F; Page, Shallee T; Rendino, Marc Farnum; Thomas, William Kelley; Udwary, Daniel W; Wu, Cathy H

2012-01-01

Recent advances in high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies have equipped biologists with a powerful new set of tools for advancing research goals. The resulting flood of sequence data has made it critically important to train the next generation of scientists to handle the inherent bioinformatic challenges. The North East Bioinformatics Collaborative (NEBC) is undertaking the genome sequencing and annotation of the little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) to promote advancement of bioinformatics infrastructure in our region, with an emphasis on practical education to create a critical mass of informatically savvy life scientists. In support of the Little Skate Genome Project, the NEBC members have developed several annotation workshops and jamborees to provide training in genome sequencing, annotation and analysis. Acting as a nexus for both curation activities and dissemination of project data, a project web portal, SkateBase (http://skatebase.org) has been developed. As a case study to illustrate effective coupling of community annotation with workforce development, we report the results of the Mitochondrial Genome Annotation Jamborees organized to annotate the first completely assembled element of the Little Skate Genome Project, as a culminating experience for participants from our three prior annotation workshops. We are applying the physical/virtual infrastructure and lessons learned from these activities to enhance and streamline the genome annotation workflow, as we look toward our continuing efforts for larger-scale functional and structural community annotation of the L. erinacea genome.

Community annotation and bioinformatics workforce development in concert—Little Skate Genome Annotation Workshops and Jamborees

PubMed Central

Wang, Qinghua; Arighi, Cecilia N.; King, Benjamin L.; Polson, Shawn W.; Vincent, James; Chen, Chuming; Huang, Hongzhan; Kingham, Brewster F.; Page, Shallee T.; Farnum Rendino, Marc; Thomas, William Kelley; Udwary, Daniel W.; Wu, Cathy H.

2012-01-01

Recent advances in high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies have equipped biologists with a powerful new set of tools for advancing research goals. The resulting flood of sequence data has made it critically important to train the next generation of scientists to handle the inherent bioinformatic challenges. The North East Bioinformatics Collaborative (NEBC) is undertaking the genome sequencing and annotation of the little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) to promote advancement of bioinformatics infrastructure in our region, with an emphasis on practical education to create a critical mass of informatically savvy life scientists. In support of the Little Skate Genome Project, the NEBC members have developed several annotation workshops and jamborees to provide training in genome sequencing, annotation and analysis. Acting as a nexus for both curation activities and dissemination of project data, a project web portal, SkateBase (http://skatebase.org) has been developed. As a case study to illustrate effective coupling of community annotation with workforce development, we report the results of the Mitochondrial Genome Annotation Jamborees organized to annotate the first completely assembled element of the Little Skate Genome Project, as a culminating experience for participants from our three prior annotation workshops. We are applying the physical/virtual infrastructure and lessons learned from these activities to enhance and streamline the genome annotation workflow, as we look toward our continuing efforts for larger-scale functional and structural community annotation of the L. erinacea genome. PMID:22434832

Advanced operations focused on connected vehicles/infrastructure (CVI-UTC).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

The goal of the Infrastructure Safety Assessment in a Connected Vehicle (CV) Environment : project was to develop a method to identify infrastructure safety hot spots using CV data. : Using these basic safety messages to detect hot spots may al...

Eco-logical : an ecosystem approach to developing transportation infrastructure projects in a changing environment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-13

The development of infrastructure facilities can negatively impact critical habitat and essential ecosystems. There are a variety of techniques available to avoid, minimize, and mitigate negative impacts of existing infrastructure as well as future i...

The DLESE Evaluation Toolkit Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buhr, S. M.; Barker, L. J.; Marlino, M.

2002-12-01

The Evaluation Toolkit and Community project is a new Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) collection designed to raise awareness of project evaluation within the geoscience education community, and to enable principal investigators, teachers, and evaluators to implement project evaluation more readily. This new resource is grounded in the needs of geoscience educators, and will provide a virtual home for a geoscience education evaluation community. The goals of the project are to 1) provide a robust collection of evaluation resources useful for Earth systems educators, 2) establish a forum and community for evaluation dialogue within DLESE, and 3) disseminate the resources through the DLESE infrastructure and through professional society workshops and proceedings. Collaboration and expertise in education, geoscience and evaluation are necessary if we are to conduct the best possible geoscience education. The Toolkit allows users to engage in evaluation at whichever level best suits their needs, get more evaluation professional development if desired, and access the expertise of other segments of the community. To date, a test web site has been built and populated, initial community feedback from the DLESE and broader community is being garnered, and we have begun to heighten awareness of geoscience education evaluation within our community. The web site contains features that allow users to access professional development about evaluation, search and find evaluation resources, submit resources, find or offer evaluation services, sign up for upcoming workshops, take the user survey, and submit calendar items. The evaluation resource matrix currently contains resources that have met our initial review. The resources are currently organized by type; they will become searchable on multiple dimensions of project type, audience, objectives and evaluation resource type as efforts to develop a collection-specific search engine mature. The peer review criteria and process for ensuring that the site contains robust and useful resources has been drafted and received initial feedback from the project advisory board, which consists of members of every segment of the target audience. The review criteria are based upon DLESE peer review criteria, the MERLOT digital library peer review criteria, digital resource evaluation criteria, and evaluation best practices. In geoscience education, as in most endeavors, improvements are made by asking questions and acting upon information about successes and failures; project evaluation can be thought of as the systematic process of asking these questions and gathering the right information. The Evaluation Toolkit seeks to help principal investigators, teachers, and evaluators use the evaluation process to improve our projects and our field.

Implementation status of the extreme light infrastructure - nuclear physics (ELI-NP) project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gales, S.; Zamfir, N. V.

2015-02-01

The Project Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) is part of the European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) Roadmap. ELI will be built as a network of three complementary pillars at the frontier of laser technologies. The ELI-NP pillar (NP for Nuclear Physics) is under construction near Bucharest (Romania) and will develop a scientific program using two 10 PW lasers and a Compton back-scattering high-brilliance and intense gamma beam, a marriage of laser and accelerator technology at the frontier of knowledge. In the present paper, the technical description of the facility, the present status of the project as well as the science, applications and future perspectives will be discussed.

Environmental engineering of navigation infrastructure: a survey of existing practices, challenges, and potential opportunities.

PubMed

Fredette, Thomas J; Foran, Christy M; Brasfield, Sandra M; Suedel, Burton C

2012-01-01

Navigation infrastructure such as channels, jetties, river training structures, and lock-and-dam facilities are primary components of a safe and efficient water transportation system. Planning for such infrastructure has until recently involved efforts to minimize impacts on the environment through a standardized environmental assessment process. More recently, consistent with environmental sustainability concepts, planners have begun to consider how such projects can also be constructed with environmental enhancements. This study examined the existing institutional conditions within the US Army Corps of Engineers and cooperating federal agencies relative to incorporating environmental enhancements into navigation infrastructure projects. The study sought to (1) investigate institutional attitudes towards the environmental enhancement of navigation infrastructure (EENI) concept, (2) identify potential impediments to implementation and solutions to such impediments, (3) identify existing navigation projects designed with the express intent of enhancing environmental benefit in addition to the primary project purpose, (4) identify innovative ideas for increasing environmental benefits for navigation projects, (5) identify needs for additional technical information or research, and (6) identify laws, regulations, and policies that both support and hinder such design features. The principal investigation tool was an Internet-based survey with 53 questions. The survey captured a wide range of perspectives on the EENI concept including ideas, concerns, research needs, and relevant laws and policies. Study recommendations included further promotion of the concept of EENI to planners and designers, documentation of existing projects, initiation of pilot studies on some of the innovative ideas provided through the survey, and development of national goals and interagency agreements to facilitate implementation. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Nursing education in Bangladesh: a social business model.

PubMed

Parfitt, Barbara; Nahar, Niru Shamsun

2016-06-01

The aim of this project was to develop a quality nurse education programme in Bangladesh. A sustainable social business financial model was used. The project is a collaboration between Glasgow Caledonian University and the Grameen Health Care Trust. It contributes to the UN development agenda, eradication of poverty, sustainability and the development of global partnerships. There is an acute shortage of nurses in Bangladesh but many young women who wish to become nurses are unable to do so. Women are discriminated against, have few leadership opportunities and poverty affects large proportions of rural society. The collaboration between the University and the Trust provides the necessary input to ensure a quality nursing programme. A business plan was developed, competency-based teaching introduced, infrastructure and financial management processes were set-up and an evaluation framework was put in place. The systems evaluation framework monitors the financial status of the College and the effects of the programme on students. The social business model, providing access to educational loans, has enabled 118 students to graduate into employment. The College is currently on target to be financially sustainable by 2016. This project outlines a business model that tackles poverty, gender equality and contributes to the human resource deficit. Young women are equipped as change agents and leaders. The social business model provides a mechanism for releasing funds for education to those who are impoverished. It provides a viable option for increasing the number of well-educated nurse leaders in developing countries. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Case study and lessons learned for the Great Lakes ITS Program, Airport ITS Integration and the Road Infrastructure Management System projects, final report, Wayne County, Michigan

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-03-02

This report presents the case study and lessons learned for the national evaluation of the Great Lakes Intelligent Transportation Systems (GLITS) Airport ITS Integration and Road Infrastructure Management System (RIMS) projects. The Airport ITS Integ...

EPA’s Summary Report of the Collaborative Green Infrastructure Pilot Project for the Middle Blue River in Kansas City, MO

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency evaluated the performance of a hybrid green-gray infrastructure pilot project installed into the Marlborough Neighborhood by the Kansas City Water Services Department. Kansas City installed 135 vegetated SCMs, 24,290 square feet o...

75 FR 16080 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Basewide Water Infrastructure...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-31

...- design and to develop additional alternatives for analysis. These two water infrastructure projects are... carbon, and reverse osmosis. The facility would be designed in modular form for ease of expandability... lighting, asphalt pavement, and pavement marking and signs. The project includes ``100-year storm'' flood...

UAS Integration in the NAS Project: Integrated Test and LVC Infrastructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Jim; Hoang, Ty

2015-01-01

Overview presentation of the Integrated Test and Evaluation sub-project of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS). The emphasis of the presentation is the Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) system (a broadly used name for classifying modeling and simulation) infrastructure and use of external assets and connection.

Environmental Education and Development Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-03-01

The Environmental Education and Development Program is a component on the effort to accomplish the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management`s (EM) goal of environmental compliance and cleanup of the 1989 inventory of inactive DOE sites and facilities by the year 2019. Education and Development programs were designed specifically to stimulate the knowledge and workforce capability necessary to achieve EM goals while contributing to DOE`s overall goal of increasing scientific and technical literacy and competency. The primary implementation criterion for E&D activities involved a focus on programs and projects that had both immediate and long-range leveraging effects on infrastructure.more » This focus included programs that yielded short term results (one to five years), as well as long-term results, to ensure a steady supply of appropriately trained and educated human resources, including women and minorities, to meet EM`s demands.« less

An inclusive Research Education Community (iREC): Impact of the SEA-PHAGES program on research outcomes and student learning.

PubMed

Hanauer, David I; Graham, Mark J; Betancur, Laura; Bobrownicki, Aiyana; Cresawn, Steven G; Garlena, Rebecca A; Jacobs-Sera, Deborah; Kaufmann, Nancy; Pope, Welkin H; Russell, Daniel A; Jacobs, William R; Sivanathan, Viknesh; Asai, David J; Hatfull, Graham F

2017-12-19

Engaging undergraduate students in scientific research promises substantial benefits, but it is not accessible to all students and is rarely implemented early in college education, when it will have the greatest impact. An inclusive Research Education Community (iREC) provides a centralized scientific and administrative infrastructure enabling engagement of large numbers of students at different types of institutions. The Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) is an iREC that promotes engagement and continued involvement in science among beginning undergraduate students. The SEA-PHAGES students show strong gains correlated with persistence relative to those in traditional laboratory courses regardless of academic, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic profiles. This persistent involvement in science is reflected in key measures, including project ownership, scientific community values, science identity, and scientific networking. Copyright © 2017 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

An inclusive Research Education Community (iREC): Impact of the SEA-PHAGES program on research outcomes and student learning

PubMed Central

Hanauer, David I.; Graham, Mark J.; Betancur, Laura; Bobrownicki, Aiyana; Cresawn, Steven G.; Garlena, Rebecca A.; Jacobs-Sera, Deborah; Kaufmann, Nancy; Pope, Welkin H.; Russell, Daniel A.; Jacobs, William R.; Sivanathan, Viknesh; Asai, David J.

2017-01-01

Engaging undergraduate students in scientific research promises substantial benefits, but it is not accessible to all students and is rarely implemented early in college education, when it will have the greatest impact. An inclusive Research Education Community (iREC) provides a centralized scientific and administrative infrastructure enabling engagement of large numbers of students at different types of institutions. The Science Education Alliance–Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) is an iREC that promotes engagement and continued involvement in science among beginning undergraduate students. The SEA-PHAGES students show strong gains correlated with persistence relative to those in traditional laboratory courses regardless of academic, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic profiles. This persistent involvement in science is reflected in key measures, including project ownership, scientific community values, science identity, and scientific networking. PMID:29208718

78 FR 76187 - Transportation Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Program; Agency Information...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-16

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Office of the Secretary Transportation Infrastructure Financing and... 2013 and $1 billion in FY 2014 for the Transportation Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act... eligible surface transportation projects. This information collection relates to the collection of...

Infrastructure support for a waste management institute. Final project report, September 12, 1994--September 11, 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-11-01

North Carolina A and T State University has completed the development of an infrastructure for the interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute (WMI). The Interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute (WMI) was approved in June, 1994 by the General Administration of the University of North Carolina as an academic support unit with research and public service functions. The mission of the WMI is to enhance awareness and understanding of waste management issues and to provide instructional support including research and outreach. The goals of WMI are as follows: increase the number of minority professionals who will work in waste management fields; develop cooperative andmore » exchange programs involving faculty, students, government, and industry; serve as institutional sponsor of public awareness workshops and lecture series; and support interdisciplinary research programs. The vision of the WMI is to provide continued state-of-the art environmental educational programs, research, and outreach.« less

Monitoring and Evaluation of Public Policies for Educational Infrastructure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, Richard

This paper provides an overview of how the Department for Education and Skills (the Ministry of Education of the United Kingdom) is managing, monitoring, and evaluating investment in school accommodation in England. School infrastructure in the United Kingdom is going through a period of significant change as the government seeks dramatic…

National Coordinating Committee for Technology in Education and Training (NCC-TET) Requirements for the National Information Infrastructure (NII).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yrchik, John; Cradler, John

1994-01-01

Discusses guidelines that were developed to ensure that the National Information Infrastructure provides expanded opportunities for education and training. Topics include access requirements for homes and work places as well as schools; education and training application requirements, including coordination by federal departments and agencies; and…

a System Dynamics Model to Study the Importance of Infrastructure Facilities on Quality of Primary Education System in Developing Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedamallu, Chandra Sekhar; Ozdamar, Linet; Weber, Gerhard-Wilhelm; Kropat, Erik

2010-06-01

The system dynamics approach is a holistic way of solving problems in real-time scenarios. This is a powerful methodology and computer simulation modeling technique for framing, analyzing, and discussing complex issues and problems. System dynamics modeling and simulation is often the background of a systemic thinking approach and has become a management and organizational development paradigm. This paper proposes a system dynamics approach for study the importance of infrastructure facilities on quality of primary education system in developing nations. The model is proposed to be built using the Cross Impact Analysis (CIA) method of relating entities and attributes relevant to the primary education system in any given community. We offer a survey to build the cross-impact correlation matrix and, hence, to better understand the primary education system and importance of infrastructural facilities on quality of primary education. The resulting model enables us to predict the effects of infrastructural facilities on the access of primary education by the community. This may support policy makers to take more effective actions in campaigns.

INcreasing Security and Protection through Infrastructure REsilience: The INSPIRE Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Antonio, Salvatore; Romano, Luigi; Khelil, Abdelmajid; Suri, Neeraj

The INSPIRE project aims at enhancing the European potential in the field of security by ensuring the protection of critical information infrastructures through (a) the identification of their vulnerabilities and (b) the development of innovative techniques for securing networked process control systems. To increase the resilience of such systems INSPIRE will develop traffic engineering algorithms, diagnostic processes and self-reconfigurable architectures along with recovery techniques. Hence, the core idea of the INSPIRE project is to protect critical information infrastructures by appropriately configuring, managing, and securing the communication network which interconnects the distributed control systems. A working prototype will be implemented as a final demonstrator of selected scenarios. Controls/Communication Experts will support project partners in the validation and demonstration activities. INSPIRE will also contribute to standardization process in order to foster multi-operator interoperability and coordinated strategies for securing lifeline systems.

Beyond wilderness: towards an anthropology of infrastructure and the built environment in the Russian North

PubMed Central

Schweitzer, Peter; Povoroznyuk, Olga; Schiesser, Sigrid

2017-01-01

Abstract Public and academic discourses about the Polar regions typically focus on the so-called natural environment. While, these discourses and inquiries continue to be relevant, the current article asks the question how to conceptualize the on-going industrial and infrastructural build-up of the Arctic. Acknowledging that the “built environment” is not an invention of modernity, the article nevertheless focuses on large-scale infrastructural projects of the twentieth century, which marks a watershed of industrial and infrastructural development in the north. Given that the Soviet Union was at the vanguard of these developments, the focus will be on Soviet and Russian large-scale projects. We will be discussing two cases of transportation infrastructure, one of them based on an on-going research project being conducted by the authors along the Baikal–Amur Mainline (BAM) and the other focused on the so-called Northern Sea Route, the marine passage with a long history that has recently been regaining public and academic attention. The concluding section will argue for increased attention to the interactions between humans and the built environment, serving as a kind of programmatic call for more anthropological attention to infrastructure in the Russian north and other polar regions. PMID:29098112

Trans-Pacific Astronomy Experiment Project Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, Eddie

2000-01-01

The Trans-Pacific Astronomy Experiment is Phase 2 of the Trans-Pacific High Data Rate Satcom Experiments following the Trans-Pacific High Definition Video Experiment. It is a part of the Global Information Infrastructure-Global Interoperability for Broadband Networks Project (GII-GIBN). Provides global information infrastructure involving broadband satellites and terrestrial networks and access to information by anyone, anywhere, at any time. Collaboration of government, industry, and academic organizations demonstrate the use of broadband satellite links in a global information infrastructure with emphasis on astronomical observations, collaborative discussions and distance learning.

Patient participation in ERS guidelines and research projects: the EMBARC experience

PubMed Central

Timothy, Alan; Polverino, Eva; Almagro, Marta; Ruddy, Thomas; Powell, Pippa; Boyd, Jeanette

2017-01-01

The European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) is a European Respiratory Society (ERS) Clinical Research Collaboration dedicated to improving research and clinical care for people with bronchiectasis. EMBARC has created a European Bronchiectasis Registry, funded by the ERS and by the European Union (EU) Innovative Medicines Initiative Programme. From the outset, EMBARC had the ambition to be a patient-focussed project. In contrast to many respiratory diseases, however, there are no specific patient charities or European patient organisations for patients with bronchiectasis and no existing infrastructure for patient engagement. This article describes the experience of EMBARC and the European Lung Foundation in establishing a patient advisory group and then engaging this group in European guidelines, an international registry and a series of research studies. Patient involvement in research, clinical guidelines and educational activities is increasingly advocated and increasingly important. Genuine patient engagement can achieve a number of goals that are critical to the success of an EU project, including focussing activities on patient priorities, allowing patients to direct the clinical and research agenda, and dissemination of guidelines and research findings to patients and the general public. Here, we review lessons learned and provide guidance for future ERS task forces, EU-funded projects or clinical research collaborations that are considering patient involvement. Educational aims To understand the different ways in which patients can contribute to clinical guidelines, research projects and educational activities. To understand the barriers and potential solutions to these barriers from a physician’s perspective, in order to ensure meaningful patient involvement in clinical projects. To understand the barriers and potential solutions from a patient’s perspective, in order to meaningfully involve patients in clinical projects. PMID:28894480

21st Century Water Asset Accounting: Implications Report (WERF Report INFR6R12b)

EPA Science Inventory

This project is an important first step towards developing water industry standards and accounting protocols for green infrastructure that could be adopted by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) to promote green infrastructure investment. Green infrastructure, the ...

Real-Time Optimization and Control of Next-Generation Distribution

Science.gov Websites

Infrastructure | Grid Modernization | NREL Real-Time Optimization and Control of Next -Generation Distribution Infrastructure Real-Time Optimization and Control of Next-Generation Distribution Infrastructure This project develops innovative, real-time optimization and control methods for next-generation

Recovery Act-SmartGrid regional demonstration transmission and distribution (T&D) Infrastructure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hedges, Edward T.

This document represents the Final Technical Report for the Kansas City Power & Light Company (KCP&L) Green Impact Zone SmartGrid Demonstration Project (SGDP). The KCP&L project is partially funded by Department of Energy (DOE) Regional Smart Grid Demonstration Project cooperative agreement DE-OE0000221 in the Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure application area. This Final Technical Report summarizes the KCP&L SGDP as of April 30, 2015 and includes summaries of the project design, implementation, operations, and analysis performed as of that date.

Understanding Genomic Knowledge in Rural Appalachia: The West Virginia Genome Community Project.

PubMed

Mallow, Jennifer A; Theeke, Laurie A; Crawford, Patricia; Prendergast, Elizabeth; Conner, Chuck; Richards, Tony; McKown, Barbara; Bush, Donna; Reed, Donald; Stabler, Meagan E; Zhang, Jianjun; Dino, Geri; Barr, Taura L

Rural communities have limited knowledge about genetics and genomics and are also underrepresented in genomic education initiatives. The purpose of this project was to assess genomic and epigenetic knowledge and beliefs in rural West Virginia. A total of 93 participants from three communities participated in focus groups and 68 participants completed a demographic survey. The age of the respondents ranged from 21 to 81 years. Most respondents had a household income of less than $40,000, were female and most were married, completed at least a HS/GED or some college education working either part-time or full-time. A Community Based Participatory Research process with focus groups and demographic questionnaires was used. Most participants had a basic understanding of genetics and epigenetics, but not genomics. Participants reported not knowing much of their family history and that their elders did not discuss such information. If the conversations occurred, it was only during times of crisis or an illness event. Mental health and substance abuse are topics that are not discussed with family in this rural population. Most of the efforts surrounding genetic/genomic understanding have focused on urban populations. This project is the first of its kind in West Virginia and has begun to lay the much needed infrastructure for developing educational initiatives and extending genomic research projects into our rural Appalachian communities. By empowering the public with education, regarding the influential role genetics, genomics, and epigenetics have on their health, we can begin to tackle the complex task of initiating behavior changes that will promote the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities.

77 FR 60687 - Record of Decision for the U.S. Marine Corps Basewide Water Infrastructure Project at Marine...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-04

... Water Infrastructure Project at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California AGENCY: Department of the... Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 4332(2)(c), the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 Code of...

Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project: Infrastructure Enhancements and New Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bezos-OConnor, Gaudy M.

2015-01-01

This oral presentation highlights the technical investments the NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project under the Integrated Systems Research Program within ARMD made during FY10-FY14 to upgrade/enhance the NASA infrastructure/testing assets and new capabilities required to mature the ERA N=2 Portfolio of airframe and propulsion technologies to TRL 5/6.

76 FR 72449 - Notice of Buy American Waiver Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-23

... manufactured goods used in and incorporated into a project funded through the Academic Research Infrastructure... iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in and incorporated into a project funded through the Academic... to be less than 5% of the total Recovery Act funds awarded under the Academic Research Infrastructure...

Implementation status of the extreme light infrastructure - nuclear physics (ELI-NP) project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gales, S., E-mail: sydney.gales@eli-np.ro; Zamfir, N. V., E-mail: sydney.gales@eli-np.ro

2015-02-24

The Project Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) is part of the European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) Roadmap. ELI will be built as a network of three complementary pillars at the frontier of laser technologies. The ELI-NP pillar (NP for Nuclear Physics) is under construction near Bucharest (Romania) and will develop a scientific program using two 10 PW lasers and a Compton back-scattering high-brilliance and intense gamma beam, a marriage of laser and accelerator technology at the frontier of knowledge. In the present paper, the technical description of the facility, the present status of the project as well as themore » science, applications and future perspectives will be discussed.« less

Transforming Our Cities: High-Performance Green Infrastructure (WERF Report INFR1R11)

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this project is to demonstrate that the highly distributed real-time control (DRTC) technologies for green infrastructure being developed by the research team can play a critical role in transforming our nation’s urban infrastructure. These technologies include a...

78 FR 30733 - Modernizing Federal Infrastructure Review and Permitting Regulations, Policies, and Procedures

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-22

... Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies Reliable, safe, and resilient infrastructure is the backbone... and agencies (agencies) have achieved better outcomes for communities and the environment and realized... major infrastructure projects by half, while also improving outcomes for communities and the environment...

Technography and Design-Actuality Gap-Analysis of Internet Computer Technologies-Assisted Education: Western Expectations and Global Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenhalgh-Spencer, Heather; Jerbi, Moja

2017-01-01

In this paper, we provide a design-actuality gap-analysis of the internet infrastructure that exists in developing nations and nations in the global South with the deployed internet computer technologies (ICT)-assisted programs that are designed to use internet infrastructure to provide educational opportunities. Programs that specifically…

Course-based undergraduate research experiences in molecular biosciences-patterns, trends, and faculty support.

PubMed

Wang, Jack T H

2017-08-15

Inquiry-driven learning, research internships and course-based undergraduate research experiences all represent mechanisms through which educators can engage undergraduate students in scientific research. In life sciences education, the benefits of undergraduate research have been thoroughly evaluated, but limitations in infrastructure and training can prevent widespread uptake of these practices. It is not clear how faculty members can integrate complex laboratory techniques and equipment into their unique context, while finding the time and resources to implement undergraduate research according to best practice guidelines. This review will go through the trends and patterns in inquiry-based undergraduate life science projects with particular emphasis on molecular biosciences-the research-aligned disciplines of biochemistry, molecular cell biology, microbiology, and genomics and bioinformatics. This will provide instructors with an overview of the model organisms, laboratory techniques and research questions that are adaptable for semester-long projects, and serve as starting guidelines for course-based undergraduate research. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An ET-CURE Pilot Project Supporting Undergraduate Training in Cancer Research, Emerging Technology, and Health Disparities

PubMed Central

Wilson, Danyell S.; Fang, Bin; Dalton, William S.; Meade, Cathy; Koomen, John M.

2012-01-01

The National Cancer Institute’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities has created pilot training opportunities under the “Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences” (CURE) program that focus on emerging technologies (ET). In this pilot project, an eighteen month cancer biology research internship was reinforced with: instruction in an emerging technology (proteomics), a transition from the undergraduate laboratory to a research setting, education in cancer health disparities, and community outreach activities. A major goal was to provide underrepresented undergraduates with hands-on research experiences that are rarely encountered at the undergraduate level, including mentoring, research presentations, and participation in local and national meetings. These opportunities provided education and career development for the undergraduates, and they have given each student the opportunity to transition from learning to sharing their knowledge and from being mentored to mentoring others. Here, we present the concepts, curriculum, infrastructure, and challenges for this training program along with evaluations by both the students and their mentors. PMID:22528637

An ET-CURE pilot project supporting undergraduate training in cancer research, emerging technology, and health disparities.

PubMed

Wilson, Danyell S; Fang, Bin; Dalton, William S; Meade, Cathy D; Koomen, John M

2012-06-01

The National Cancer Institute's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities has created pilot training opportunities under the "Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences" program that focus on emerging technologies. In this pilot project, an 18-month cancer biology research internship was reinforced with: instruction in an emerging technology (proteomics), a transition from the undergraduate laboratory to a research setting, education in cancer health disparities, and community outreach activities. A major goal was to provide underrepresented undergraduates with hands-on research experiences that are rarely encountered at the undergraduate level, including mentoring, research presentations, and participation in local and national meetings. These opportunities provided education and career development for the undergraduates, and they have given each student the opportunity to transition from learning to sharing their knowledge and from being mentored to mentoring others. Here, we present the concepts, curriculum, infrastructure, and challenges for this training program along with evaluations by both the students and their mentors.

Quantifying Online Learning Contact Hours

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Karan; Helm, Jennifer Stephens; Layne, Melissa; Ice, Phil

2012-01-01

Technological and pedagogical advances in distance education have accentuated the necessity for higher education to keep pace regarding institutional infrastructures. Each infrastructure--driven by a common mission to provide quality learning--interprets quality according to standards established by various governmental and accrediting entities.…

Scaling the PuNDIT project for wide area deployments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKee, Shawn; Batista, Jorge; Carcassi, Gabriele; Dovrolis, Constantine; Lee, Danny

2017-10-01

In today’s world of distributed scientific collaborations, there are many challenges to providing reliable inter-domain network infrastructure. Network operators use a combination of active monitoring and trouble tickets to detect problems, but these are often ineffective at identifying issues that impact wide-area network users. Additionally, these approaches do not scale to wide area inter-domain networks due to unavailability of data from all the domains along typical network paths. The Pythia Network Diagnostic InfrasTructure (PuNDIT) project aims to create a scalable infrastructure for automating the detection and localization of problems across these networks. The project goal is to gather and analyze metrics from existing perfSONAR monitoring infrastructures to identify the signatures of possible problems, locate affected network links, and report them to the user in an intuitive fashion. Simply put, PuNDIT seeks to convert complex network metrics into easily understood diagnoses in an automated manner. We present our progress in creating the PuNDIT system and our status in developing, testing and deploying PuNDIT. We report on the project progress to-date, describe the current implementation architecture and demonstrate some of the various user interfaces it will support. We close by discussing the remaining challenges and next steps and where we see the project going in the future.

A national assessment of green infrastructure and change for the conterminous United States using morphological image processing

Treesearch

J.D Wickham; Kurt H. Riitters; T.G. Wade; P. Vogt

2010-01-01

Green infrastructure is a popular framework for conservation planning. The main elements of green infrastructure are hubs and links. Hubs tend to be large areas of ‘natural’ vegetation and links tend to be linear features (e.g., streams) that connect hubs. Within the United States, green infrastructure projects can be characterized as: (...

Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks and School Shootings. Buildings and Infrastructure Protection Series. FEMA-428/BIPS-07/January 2012. Edition 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chipley, Michael; Lyon, Wesley; Smilowitz, Robert; Williams, Pax; Arnold, Christopher; Blewett, William; Hazen, Lee; Krimgold, Fred

2012-01-01

This publication, part of the new Building and Infrastructure Protection Series (BIPS) published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Infrastructure Protection and Disaster Management Division (IDD), serves to advance high performance and integrated design for buildings and infrastructure. This…

Front Range Infrastructure Resources Project: water-resources activities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robson, Stanley G.; Heiny, Janet S.

1998-01-01

Infrastructure, such as roads, buildings, airports, and dams, is built and maintained by use of large quantities of natural resources such as aggregate (sand and gravel), energy, and water. As urban area expand, local sources of these resource are becoming inaccessible (gravel cannot be mined from under a subdivision, for example), or the cost of recovery of the resource becomes prohibitive (oil and gas drilling in urban areas is costly), or the resources may become unfit for some use (pollution of ground water may preclude its use as a water supply). Governmental land-use decision and environmental mandates can further preclude development of natural resources. If infrastructure resources are to remain economically available. current resource information must be available for use in well-reasoned decisions bout future land use. Ground water is an infrastructure resource that is present in shallow aquifers and deeper bedrock aquifers that underlie much of the 2,450-square-mile demonstration area of the Colorado Front Range Infrastructure Resources Project. In 1996, mapping of the area's ground-water resources was undertaken as a U.S. Geological Survey project in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

Vehicle Infrastructure Cash-Flow Estimation--VICE 2.0; Clean Cities, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitchell, G.

This presentation discusses the differences between the original Vehicle and Infrastructure Cash-Flow Evaluation (VICE) Model and the revamped version, VICE 2.0. The enhanced tool can now help assess projects to acquire vehicles and infrastructure, or to acquire vehicles only.

South Africa's School Infrastructure Performance Indicator System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibberd, Jeremy

2007-01-01

While some South African schools have excellent infrastructure, others lack basic services such as water and sanitation. This article describes the school infrastructure performance indicator system (SIPIS) in South Africa. The project offers an approach that can address both the urgent provision of basic services as well as support the…

Modelling noise propagation using Grid Resources. Progress within GDI-Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiehle, Christian; Mayer, Christian; Padberg, Alexander; Stapelfeld, Hartmut

2010-05-01

Modelling noise propagation using Grid Resources. Progress within GDI-Grid. GDI-Grid (english: SDI-Grid) is a research project funded by the German Ministry for Science and Education (BMBF). It aims at bridging the gaps between OGC Web Services (OWS) and Grid infrastructures and identifying the potential of utilizing the superior storage capacities and computational power of grid infrastructures for geospatial applications while keeping the well-known service interfaces specified by the OGC. The project considers all major OGC webservice interfaces for Web Mapping (WMS), Feature access (Web Feature Service), Coverage access (Web Coverage Service) and processing (Web Processing Service). The major challenge within GDI-Grid is the harmonization of diverging standards as defined by standardization bodies for Grid computing and spatial information exchange. The project started in 2007 and will continue until June 2010. The concept for the gridification of OWS developed by lat/lon GmbH and the Department of Geography of the University of Bonn is applied to three real-world scenarios in order to check its practicability: a flood simulation, a scenario for emergency routing and a noise propagation simulation. The latter scenario is addressed by the Stapelfeldt Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH located in Dortmund adapting their LimA software to utilize grid resources. Noise mapping of e.g. traffic noise in urban agglomerates and along major trunk roads is a reoccurring demand of the EU Noise Directive. Input data requires road net and traffic, terrain, buildings and noise protection screens as well as population distribution. Noise impact levels are generally calculated in 10 m grid and along relevant building facades. For each receiver position sources within a typical range of 2000 m are split down into small segments, depending on local geometry. For each of the segments propagation analysis includes diffraction effects caused by all obstacles on the path of sound propagation. This immense intensive calculation needs to be performed for a major part of European landscape. A LINUX version of the commercial LimA software for noise mapping analysis has been implemented on a test cluster within the German D-GRID computer network. Results and performance indicators will be presented. The presentation is an extension to last-years presentation "Spatial Data Infrastructures and Grid Computing: the GDI-Grid project" that described the gridification concept developed in the GDI-Grid project and provided an overview of the conceptual gaps between Grid Computing and Spatial Data Infrastructures. Results from the GDI-Grid project are incorporated in the OGC-OGF (Open Grid Forum) collaboration efforts as well as the OGC WPS 2.0 standards working group developing the next major version of the WPS specification.

Innovation Network Development Model in Telemedicine: A Change in Participation.

PubMed

Goodarzi, Maryam; Torabi, Mashallah; Safdari, Reza; Dargahi, Hossein; Naeimi, Sara

2015-10-01

This paper introduces a telemedicine innovation network and reports its implementation in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The required conditions for the development of future projects in the field of telemedicine are also discussed; such projects should be based on the common needs and opportunities in the areas of healthcare, education, and technology. The development of the telemedicine innovation network in Tehran University of Medical Sciences was carried out in two phases: identifying the beneficiaries of telemedicine, and codification of the innovation network memorandum; and brainstorming of three workgroup members, and completion and clustering ideas. The present study employed a qualitative survey by using brain storming method. Thus, the ideas of the innovation network members were gathered, and by using Freeplane software, all of them were clustered and innovation projects were defined. In the services workgroup, 87 and 25 ideas were confirmed in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. In the education workgroup, 8 new programs in the areas of telemedicine, tele-education and teleconsultation were codified. In the technology workgroup, 101 and 11 ideas were registered in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. Today, innovation is considered a major infrastructural element of any change or progress. Thus, the successful implementation of a telemedicine project not only needs funding, human resources, and full equipment. It also requires the use of innovation models to cover several different aspects of change and progress. The results of the study can provide a basis for the implementation of future telemedicine projects using new participatory, creative, and innovative models.

Innovation Network Development Model in Telemedicine: A Change in Participation

PubMed Central

Goodarzi, Maryam; Safdari, Reza; Dargahi, Hossein; Naeimi, Sara

2015-01-01

Objectives This paper introduces a telemedicine innovation network and reports its implementation in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The required conditions for the development of future projects in the field of telemedicine are also discussed; such projects should be based on the common needs and opportunities in the areas of healthcare, education, and technology. Methods The development of the telemedicine innovation network in Tehran University of Medical Sciences was carried out in two phases: identifying the beneficiaries of telemedicine, and codification of the innovation network memorandum; and brainstorming of three workgroup members, and completion and clustering ideas. The present study employed a qualitative survey by using brain storming method. Thus, the ideas of the innovation network members were gathered, and by using Freeplane software, all of them were clustered and innovation projects were defined. Results In the services workgroup, 87 and 25 ideas were confirmed in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. In the education workgroup, 8 new programs in the areas of telemedicine, tele-education and teleconsultation were codified. In the technology workgroup, 101 and 11 ideas were registered in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. Conclusions Today, innovation is considered a major infrastructural element of any change or progress. Thus, the successful implementation of a telemedicine project not only needs funding, human resources, and full equipment. It also requires the use of innovation models to cover several different aspects of change and progress. The results of the study can provide a basis for the implementation of future telemedicine projects using new participatory, creative, and innovative models. PMID:26618033

Energy Transmission and Infrastructure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mathison, Jane

2012-12-31

The objective of Energy Transmission and Infrastructure Northern Ohio (OH) was to lay the conceptual and analytical foundation for an energy economy in northern Ohio that will: • improve the efficiency with which energy is used in the residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and transportation sectors for Oberlin, Ohio as a district-wide model for Congressional District OH-09; • identify the potential to deploy wind and solar technologies and the most effective configuration for the regional energy system (i.e., the ratio of distributed or centralized power generation); • analyze the potential within the district to utilize farm wastes to produce biofuels; •more » enhance long-term energy security by identifying ways to deploy local resources and building Ohio-based enterprises; • identify the policy, regulatory, and financial barriers impeding development of a new energy system; and • improve energy infrastructure within Congressional District OH-09. This objective of laying the foundation for a renewable energy system in Ohio was achieved through four primary areas of activity: 1. district-wide energy infrastructure assessments and alternative-energy transmission studies; 2. energy infrastructure improvement projects undertaken by American Municipal Power (AMP) affiliates in the northern Ohio communities of Elmore, Oak Harbor, and Wellington; 3. Oberlin, OH-area energy assessment initiatives; and 4. a district-wide conference held in September 2011 to disseminate year-one findings. The grant supported 17 research studies by leading energy, policy, and financial specialists, including studies on: current energy use in the district and the Oberlin area; regional potential for energy generation from renewable sources such as solar power, wind, and farm-waste; energy and transportation strategies for transitioning the City of Oberlin entirely to renewable resources and considering pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation as well as drivers in developing transportation policies; energy audits and efficiency studies for Oberlin-area businesses and Oberlin College; identification of barriers to residential energy efficiency and development of programming to remove these barriers; mapping of the solar-photovoltaic and wind-energy supply chains in northwest Ohio; and opportunities for vehicle sharing and collaboration among the ten organizations in Lorain County from the private, government, non-profit, and educational sectors. With non-grant funds, organizations have begun or completed projects that drew on the findings of the studies, including: creation of a residential energy-efficiency program for the Oberlin community; installation of energy-efficient lighting in Oberlin College facilities; and development by the City of Oberlin and Oberlin College of a 2.27 megawatt solar photovoltaic facility that is expected to produce 3,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy annually, 12% of the College’s yearly power needs. Implementation of these and other projects is evidence of the economic feasibility and technical effectiveness of grant-supported studies, and additional projects are expected to advance to implementation in the coming years. The public has benefited through improved energydelivery systems and reduced energy use for street lighting in Elmore, Oak Harbor, and Wellington; new opportunities for assistance and incentives for residential energy efficiency in the Oberlin community; new opportunities for financial and energy savings through vehicle collaboration within Lorain County; and decreased reliance on fossil fuels and expanded production of renewable energy in the region. The dissemination conference and the summary report developed for the conference also benefited the public, but making the findings and recommendations of the regional studies broadly available to elected officials, city managers, educators, representatives of the private sector, and the general public.« less

Transportation of Large Wind Components: A Review of Existing Geospatial Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mooney, Meghan; Maclaurin, Galen

2016-09-01

This report features the geospatial data component of a larger project evaluating logistical and infrastructure requirements for transporting oversized and overweight (OSOW) wind components. The goal of the larger project was to assess the status and opportunities for improving the infrastructure and regulatory practices necessary to transport wind turbine towers, blades, and nacelles from current and potential manufacturing facilities to end-use markets. The purpose of this report is to summarize existing geospatial data on wind component transportation infrastructure and to provide a data gap analysis, identifying areas for further analysis and data collection.

43 CFR 404.9 - What types of infrastructure and facilities may be included in an eligible rural water supply...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... related facilities required for the rural water supply project; (f) Equipment and management tools for... facilities may be included in an eligible rural water supply project? 404.9 Section 404.9 Public Lands... RURAL WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM Overview § 404.9 What types of infrastructure and facilities may be included...

Nucleus: A pilot project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finnell, Joshua Eugene; Klein, Martin; Cain, Brian J.

2017-05-09

The proposal is to provide institutional infrastructure that facilitates management of research projects, research collaboration, and management, preservation, and discovery of data. Deploying such infrastructure will amplify the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of research, as well as assist researchers in regards to compliance with both data management mandates and LANL security policy. This will facilitate discoverability of LANL research both within the lab and external to LANL.

The Role of ICT Infrastructure in Its Application to Classrooms: A Large Scale Survey for Middle and Primary Schools in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Chun; Tsai, Chin-Chung; Wu, Di

2015-01-01

With the ever-deepening economic reform and international trend of ICT application in education, the Chinese government is strengthening its basic education curriculum reform and actively facilitating the application of ICT in education. Given the achievement gap of ICT infrastructure and its application in middle and primary schools between urban…

Enterprise infocommunication infrastructure in training of IT-professionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eminov, F. I.; Golitsyna, I. N.; Eminov, B. F.

2018-05-01

The paper presents the enterprise infocommunication infrastructure and its management features as the influenced factors to the training of IT-professionals within the traditional educational process. The paper presents how the educational content of modern IT specialists can be developed on the basis of the infocommunication infrastructure of a modern enterprise and the interdisciplinary connections. Such approach needs to develop special forms and methods of training, adapted to the level of development of the professional environment of IT professionals.

Toward a phenology network in Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalfes, H. N.; Ülgen, H.; Zeydanli, U.; Durak, A. T.

2012-04-01

All climate projections indicate that drastic changes are to occur in the Mediterranean Basin and Southwestern Asia. Detailed studies also foresee strong patterns of change in seasonality for most climate fields all across the country, threatening Turkey's rich biodiversity and diverse ecosystems already in trouble due to massive land use changes and careless resource extraction projects. It is therefore obvious that climate impact studies can benefit from detailed and continuous monitoring of relationships between climate and natural systems. Recently started efforts to build a phenology network for Turkey will hopefully constitute a component of a more comprehensive ecological observation infrastructure. The Phenology Network of Turkey Project saw its debut as a joint initiative of an academic institution (Istanbul Technical University) and a research NGO (Nature Conservation Center). It has been decided from the very beginning to rely a much as possible on Internet technologies (provided by the National High Performance Computing Center of Turkey). The effort is also inspired by and collaborates with already established networks in general and USA National Phenology Network in particular. Many protocols, instructional materials and Nature's Notebook application has been barrowed from the USA NPN. The project has been designed from the start as a two-faceted effort: an infrastructure to accumulate/provide useful data to climate/ecosystem research communities and a 'citizen science' project to raise nature and climate change awareness among all components of the society in Turkey in general and secondary education teachers and students in particular. It has been opted to start by gathering plant phenological data. A set with 20 plant species has been designed to serve as a countrywide 'calibration set'. It is also anticipated to salvage and extend as much of possible historical animal (especially bird and butterfly) observations.

Women in EPOS: the role of women in a large pan-European Research Infrastructure for Solid Earth sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calignano, Elisa; Freda, Carmela; Baracchi, Laura

2017-04-01

Women are outnumbered by men in geosciences senior research positions, but what is the situation if we consider large pan-European Research Infrastructures? With this contribution we want to show an analysis of the role of women in the implementation of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS): a planned research infrastructure for European Solid Earth sciences, integrating national and transnational research infrastructures to enable innovative multidisciplinary research. EPOS involves 256 national research infrastructures, 47 partners (universities and research institutes) from 25 European countries and 4 international organizations. The EPOS integrated platform demands significant coordination between diverse solid Earth disciplinary communities, national research infrastructures and the policies and initiatives they drive, geoscientists and information technologists. The EPOS architecture takes into account governance, legal, financial and technical issues and is designed so that the enterprise works as a single, but distributed, sustainable research infrastructure. A solid management structure is vital for the successful implementation and sustainability of EPOS. The internal organization relies on community-specific Working Packages (WPs), Transversal WPs in charge of the overall EPOS integration and implementation, several governing, executive and advisory bodies, a Project Management Office (PMO) and the Project Coordinator. Driven by the timely debate on gender balance and commitment of the European Commission to promote gender equality in research and innovation, we decided to conduct a mapping exercise on a project that crosses European national borders and that brings together diverse geoscience disciplines under one management structure. We present an analysis of women representation in decision-making positions in each EPOS Working Package (WP Leader, proxy, legal, financial and IT contact persons), in the Boards and Councils and in the PMO, together with statistics on women participation based on the project intranet, which counts more than 500 users. The analysis allows us not only to assess the gender balance in decision-making positions in a pan-European research infrastructure, but also to investigate how women's participation varies with different aspects of the project implementation (management, coordination, legal, financial or technical). Most of the women in EPOS are active geoscientists (academic or in national research institutes), or have a scientific background. By interviewing some of them we report also on how being involved in the project affects their careers. We believe this kind of analysis is an important starting point to promote awareness and achieve gender equality in research and innovation.

A network-based distributed, media-rich computing and information environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phillips, R.L.

1995-12-31

Sunrise is a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) project started in October 1993. It is intended to be a prototype National Information Infrastructure development project. A main focus of Sunrise is to tie together enabling technologies (networking, object-oriented distributed computing, graphical interfaces, security, multi-media technologies, and data-mining technologies) with several specific applications. A diverse set of application areas was chosen to ensure that the solutions developed in the project are as generic as possible. Some of the application areas are materials modeling, medical records and image analysis, transportation simulations, and K-12 education. This paper provides a description of Sunrise andmore » a view of the architecture and objectives of this evolving project. The primary objectives of Sunrise are three-fold: (1) To develop common information-enabling tools for advanced scientific research and its applications to industry; (2) To enhance the capabilities of important research programs at the Laboratory; (3) To define a new way of collaboration between computer science and industrially-relevant research.« less

The ALMA high speed optical communication link is here: an essential component for reliable present and future operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filippi, G.; Ibsen, J.; Jaque, S.; Liello, F.; Ovando, N.; Astudillo, A.; Parra, J.; Saldias, Christian

2016-07-01

Announced in 2012, started in 2013 and completed in 2015, the ALMA high bandwidth communication system has become a key factor to achieve the operational and scientific goals of ALMA. This paper summarizes the technical, organizational, and operational goals of the ALMA Optical Link Project, focused in the creation and operation of an effective and sustainable communication infrastructure to connect the ALMA Operations Support Facility and Array Operations Site, both located in the Atacama Desert in the Northern region of Chile, with the point of presence of REUNA in Antofagasta, about 400km away, and from there to the Santiago Central Office in the Chilean capital through the optical infrastructure created by the EC-funded EVALSO project and now an integral part of the REUNA backbone. This new infrastructure completed in 2014 and now operated on behalf of ALMA by REUNA, the Chilean National Research and Education Network, uses state of the art technologies, like dark fiber from newly built cables and DWDM transmission, allowing extending the reach of high capacity communication to the remote region where the Observatory is located. The paper also reports on the results obtained during the first year and a half testing and operation period, where different operational set ups have been experienced for data transfer, remote collaboration, etc. Finally, the authors will present a forward look of the impact of it to both the future scientific development of the Chajnantor Plateau, where many installations area are (and will be) located, as well as the potential Chilean scientific backbone long term development.

A Nurse Leadership Project to Improve Health Literacy on a Maternal-Infant Unit.

PubMed

Stikes, Reetta; Arterberry, Katheryn; Logsdon, M Cynthia

2015-01-01

To describe how participation in the Sigma Theta Tau International Maternal-Child Health Nurse Leadership Academy positioned the authors to lead an interdisciplinary team through implementation and evaluation of a change project related to patient education based upon national health literacy standards. The project goal was to improve patient satisfaction with nurse communication and preparation for hospital discharge. Quality improvement. Mother/-baby unit of an academic medical center serving a high percentage of patients of a minority population and underserved clients. The five- step intervention included (a) review of current health literacy standards, (b) formation of an infrastructure for development and evaluation of existing patient education materials, (c) assessment of patient education materials currently in use, (d) assessment of literacy level and learning styles of new mothers, and (e) provision of continuing education to increase knowledge of nurses as patient teachers and of health literacy. Mean scores of Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) in the domains of patient satisfaction with nurse communication and discharge information were used to measure patient satisfaction with health communication. Patient satisfaction with nurse communication increased from 75.9% to 84.6%. Satisfaction with discharge information increased from 84.6% to 98.6%. The leadership academy successfully positioned the authors to guide an interdisciplinary team through development of a process to meet the education and communication needs of patients and improve their health literacy. As a result, a positive effect was noted on patient satisfaction with health communication. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-comparative effectiveness research infrastructure investments: emerging data resources, tools and publications.

PubMed

Segal, Courtney; Holve, Erin

2014-11-01

The Recovery Act provided a substantial, one-time investment in data infrastructure for comparative effectiveness research (CER). A review of the publications, data, and tools developed as a result of this support has informed understanding of the level of effort undertaken by these projects. Structured search queries, as well as outreach efforts, were conducted to identify and review resources from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 CER projects building electronic clinical data infrastructure. The findings from this study provide a spectrum of productivity across a range of topics and settings. A total of 451 manuscripts published in 192 journals, and 141 data resources and tools were identified and address gaps in evidence on priority populations, conditions, and the infrastructure needed to support CER.

A service-based BLAST command tool supported by cloud infrastructures.

PubMed

Carrión, Abel; Blanquer, Ignacio; Hernández, Vicente

2012-01-01

Notwithstanding the benefits of distributed-computing infrastructures for empowering bioinformatics analysis tools with the needed computing and storage capability, the actual use of these infrastructures is still low. Learning curves and deployment difficulties have reduced the impact on the wide research community. This article presents a porting strategy of BLAST based on a multiplatform client and a service that provides the same interface as sequential BLAST, thus reducing learning curve and with minimal impact on their integration on existing workflows. The porting has been done using the execution and data access components from the EC project Venus-C and the Windows Azure infrastructure provided in this project. The results obtained demonstrate a low overhead on the global execution framework and reasonable speed-up and cost-efficiency with respect to a sequential version.

Dissemination and implementation of an educational tool for veterans on complementary and alternative medicine: a case study.

PubMed

Held, Rachel Forster; Santos, Susan; Marki, Michelle; Helmer, Drew

2016-09-02

We developed and disseminated an educational DVD to introduce U.S. Veterans to independently-practiced complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques and encourage CAM experimentation. The project's goal was to determine optimal dissemination methods to facilitate implementation within the Veteran's Health Administration. In the first phase, the DVD was disseminated using four methods: passive, provider-mediated, active, and peer-mediated. In the second, implementation phase, "champion" providers who supported CAM integrated dissemination into clinical practice. Qualitative data came from Veteran focus groups and semi-structured provider interviews. Data from both phases was triangulated to identify common themes. Effective dissemination requires engaging patients. Providers who most successfully integrated the DVD into practice already had CAM knowledge, and worked in settings where CAM was accepted clinical practice, or with leadership or infrastructure that supported a culture of CAM use. Institutional buy-in allowed for provider networking and effective implementation of the tool. Providers were given autonomy to determine the most appropriate dissemination strategies, which increased enthusiasm and use. Many of the lessons learned from this project can be applied to dissemination of any new educational tool within a healthcare setting. Results reiterate the importance of utilizing best practices for introducing educational tools within the healthcare context and the need for thoughtful, multi-faceted dissemination strategies.

Idaho National Laboratory’s Analysis of ARRA-Funded Plug-in Electric Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure Projects: Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Francfort, Jim; Bennett, Brion; Carlson, Richard

2015-09-01

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, managing and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is the lead laboratory for U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity (AVTA). INL’s conduct of the AVTA resulted in a significant base of knowledge and experience in the area of testing light-duty vehicles that reduced transportation-related petroleum consumption. Due to this experience, INL was tasked by DOE to develop agreements with companies that were the recipients of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) grants, that would allow INL to collect raw data from light-duty vehicles andmore » charging infrastructure. INL developed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with several companies and their partners that resulted in INL being able to receive raw data via server-to-server connections from the partner companies. This raw data allowed INL to independently conduct data quality checks, perform analysis, and report publicly to DOE, partners, and stakeholders, how drivers used both new vehicle technologies and the deployed charging infrastructure. The ultimate goal was not the deployment of vehicles and charging infrastructure, cut rather to create real-world laboratories of vehicles, charging infrastructure and drivers that would aid in the design of future electric drive transportation systems. The five projects that INL collected data from and their partners are: • ChargePoint America - Plug-in Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Demonstration • Chrysler Ram PHEV Pickup - Vehicle Demonstration • General Motors Chevrolet Volt - Vehicle Demonstration • The EV Project - Plug-in Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Demonstration • EPRI / Via Motors PHEVs – Vehicle Demonstration The document serves to benchmark the performance science involved the execution, analysis and reporting for the five above projects that provided lessons learned based on driver’s use of the vehicles and recharging decisions made. Data is reported for the use of more than 25,000 vehicles and charging units.« less

Supporting Geographic Investigations and Visualizations and Engaging Students as Citizen Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takaki, E.

2011-12-01

Historically, citizen science projects have had to provide their own technical infrastructure to handle the data they collect. National Geographic Education Programs (funded by the National Science Foundation) has developed a free (or low cost for large projects) online data visualization and analysis tool called FieldScope, which is available to any person or group doing studies that involve geographically dispersed data. FieldScope can house and scaffold the analysis of authentic environmental data as well as augment it with other helpful layers such as precipitation, population density, water quality parameters, etc. During the session, participants will come to understand the basics of GIS, the history of FieldScope, and its unique educational features. We will spend the majority of the time exploring specific tools for analyzing authentic data, the different types of layers that make FieldScope powerful in its educational and research capacities, and examining various questions that can be addressed in a classroom or citizen science setting. We'll conclude the hands-on portion by sharing what was learned and how they were able to make meaning from the myriad of ways that data can be displayed.

Strategies for interprofessional education: the Interprofessional Team Objective Structured Clinical Examination for midwifery and medical students.

PubMed

Cullen, Lindsay; Fraser, Diane; Symonds, Ian

2003-08-01

This paper provides an overview of the processes involved in implementing an interprofessional education (IPE) strategy in a recently established School of Human Development at the University of Nottingham. The merger of the academic divisions of child health, midwifery, obstetrics and gynaecology was a deliberate initiative to create an organisational infrastructure intended to enhance opportunities for interprofessional collaborations in research and education. As a first step, a small group of academic midwives and obstetricians formed a project group to find the best way of facilitating IPE for medical and midwifery students at undergraduate level. A discussion is provided of the work the project group undertook to: determine an agreed definition of IPE; decide an action research approach was needed; determine the ways in which teaching and learning strategies were to be implemented, evaluated and compared; and identify the factors inhibiting and enhancing developments. Evaluations have demonstrated that the Interprofessional Team Objective Structured Clinical Examination (ITOSCE) focusing on intrapartum scenarios is effective in promoting interprofessional learning. Both medical and midwifery students and facilitators agree that team working and understanding each other's roles has been enhanced and that although resource intensive, IPE is worth the time and effort involved.

A National contribution to the GEO Science and Technology roadmap: GIIDA Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nativi, Stefano; Mazzetti, Paolo; Guzzetti, Fausto; Oggioni, Alessandro; Pirrone, Nicola; Santolieri, Rosalia; Viola, Angelo; Tartari, Gianni; Santoro, Mattia

2010-05-01

The GIIDA (Gestione Integrata e Interoperativa dei Dati Ambientali) project is an initiative of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) launched in 2008 as an inter-departmental project, aiming to design and develop a multidisciplinary e-infrastructure (cyber-infrastructure) for the management, processing, and evaluation of Earth and Environmental resources -i.e. data, services, models, sensors, best practices. GIIDA has been contributing to the implementation of the GEO (Group of Earth Observation) Science and Technology (S&T) roadmap by: (a) linking relevant S&T communities to GEOSS (GEO System of Systems); (b) ensuring that GEOSS is built based on state-of-the-art science and technology. GIIDA co-ordinates the CNR's digital infrastructure development for Earth Observation resources sharing and cooperates with other national agencies and existing projects pursuing the same objective. For the CNR, GIIDA provides an interface to European and international interoperability programmes (e.g. INSPIRE, and GMES). It builds a national network for dialogue and resolution of issues at varying scientific and technical levels. To achieve such goals, GIIDA introduced a set of guidance principles: • To shift from a "traditional" data centric approach to a more advanced service-based solution for Earth System Science and Environmental information. • To shift the focus from Data to Information Spatial Infrastructures in order to support decision-making. • To be interoperable with analogous National (e.g. SINAnet, and the INSPIRE National Infrastructure) and international initiatives (e.g. INSPIRE, GMES, SEIS, and GEOSS). • To reinforce the Italian presence in the European and international programmes concerning digital infrastructures, geospatial information, and the Mega-Science approach. • To apply the National and International Information Technology (IT) standards for achieving multi-disciplinary interoperability in the Earth and Space Sciences (e.g. ISO, OGC, CEN, CNIPA) In keeping with GEOSS, GIIDA infrastructure adopts a System of Systems architectural approach in order to federate the existing systems managed by a set of recognized Thematic Areas (i.e. Risks, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Air Quality, Land and Water Quality, Ocean and Marine resources, Joint Research and Public Administration infrastructures). GIIDA system of systems will contribute to develop multidisciplinary teams studying the global Earth systems in order to address the needs coming from the GEO Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs). GIIDA issued a Call For Pilots receiving more than 20 high-level projects which are contributing to the GIIDA system development. A national-wide research environmental infrastructure must be interconnected with analogous digital infrastructures operated by other important stakeholders, such as public users and private companies. In fact, the long-term sustainability of a "System of Systems" requires synergies between all the involved stakeholders' domains: Users, Governance, Capacity provision, and Research. Therefore, in order to increase the effectiveness of the GIIDA contribution process to a national environmental e-infrastructure, collaborations were activated with relevant actors of the other stakeholders' domains at the national level (e.g. ISPRA SINAnet).

Fuzzy net present valuation based on risk assessment of Malaysian infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaffie, Siti Salihah; Jaaman, Saiful Hafizah; Mohamad, Daud

2017-04-01

In recent years, built-operate-transfer (BOT) projects have profoundly been accepted under project financing for infrastructure developments in many countries. It requires high financing and involves complex mutual risk. The assessment of the risks is vital to avert huge financial loss. Net present value is widely applied to BOT project where the uncertainties in cash flows are deemed to be deterministic values. This study proposed a fuzzy net present value model taking consideration the assessment of risks from the BOT project. The proposed model is adopted to provide more flexible net present valuation of the project. It is shown and proven that the improved fuzzy cash flow model will provide a valuation that is closed to the real value of the project.

Integration of structural health monitoring and asset management.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-01

This project investigated the feasibility and potential benefits of the integration of infrastructure monitoring systems into enterprise-scale transportation management systems. An infrastructure monitoring system designed for bridges was implemented...

Green Infrastructure Research at EPA's Edison Environmental Center

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation outline includes: (1) Green infrastructure research objectives (2) Introduction to ongoing research projects - Aspects of design, construction, and maintenence that affect function - Real-world applications of GI research

Health Impacts of Increased Physical Activity from Changes in Transportation Infrastructure: Quantitative Estimates for Three Communities

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Recently, two quantitative tools have emerged for predicting the health impacts of projects that change population physical activity: the Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) and Dynamic Modeling for Health Impact Assessment (DYNAMO-HIA). HEAT has been used to support health impact assessments of transportation infrastructure projects, but DYNAMO-HIA has not been previously employed for this purpose nor have the two tools been compared. To demonstrate the use of DYNAMO-HIA for supporting health impact assessments of transportation infrastructure projects, we employed the model in three communities (urban, suburban, and rural) in North Carolina. We also compared DYNAMO-HIA and HEAT predictions in the urban community. Using DYNAMO-HIA, we estimated benefit-cost ratios of 20.2 (95% C.I.: 8.7–30.6), 0.6 (0.3–0.9), and 4.7 (2.1–7.1) for the urban, suburban, and rural projects, respectively. For a 40-year time period, the HEAT predictions of deaths avoided by the urban infrastructure project were three times as high as DYNAMO-HIA's predictions due to HEAT's inability to account for changing population health characteristics over time. Quantitative health impact assessment coupled with economic valuation is a powerful tool for integrating health considerations into transportation decision-making. However, to avoid overestimating benefits, such quantitative HIAs should use dynamic, rather than static, approaches. PMID:26504832

Health Impacts of Increased Physical Activity from Changes in Transportation Infrastructure: Quantitative Estimates for Three Communities.

PubMed

Mansfield, Theodore J; MacDonald Gibson, Jacqueline

2015-01-01

Recently, two quantitative tools have emerged for predicting the health impacts of projects that change population physical activity: the Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) and Dynamic Modeling for Health Impact Assessment (DYNAMO-HIA). HEAT has been used to support health impact assessments of transportation infrastructure projects, but DYNAMO-HIA has not been previously employed for this purpose nor have the two tools been compared. To demonstrate the use of DYNAMO-HIA for supporting health impact assessments of transportation infrastructure projects, we employed the model in three communities (urban, suburban, and rural) in North Carolina. We also compared DYNAMO-HIA and HEAT predictions in the urban community. Using DYNAMO-HIA, we estimated benefit-cost ratios of 20.2 (95% C.I.: 8.7-30.6), 0.6 (0.3-0.9), and 4.7 (2.1-7.1) for the urban, suburban, and rural projects, respectively. For a 40-year time period, the HEAT predictions of deaths avoided by the urban infrastructure project were three times as high as DYNAMO-HIA's predictions due to HEAT's inability to account for changing population health characteristics over time. Quantitative health impact assessment coupled with economic valuation is a powerful tool for integrating health considerations into transportation decision-making. However, to avoid overestimating benefits, such quantitative HIAs should use dynamic, rather than static, approaches.

Identification of Transportation Infrastructure at Risk Due To Sea-Level Rise and Subsidence of Land In Coastal Louisiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tewari, S.; Palmer, W.; Manning, F.

2017-12-01

Climate change can affect coastal areas in a variety of ways. Coasts are sensitive to sea level rise, changes in the frequency/intensity of storms, increase in precipitation and storm surges. The resilience of transportation infrastructure located in Louisiana's coastal zone, against storm surges and climatic sea-level rise is critical. The net change in sea-level is affected by the increase in global sea level as well as land movement up or down. There are many places in coastal Louisiana that have a high subsidence rate. The subsidence could be related to excess extraction activities of oil and water, natural and/or human induced compaction, and tectonic movement. Where the land is sinking, the rate of relative sea level rise is larger than the global rate. Some of the fastest rates of relative sea level rise in the United States are occurring in areas where the land is sinking, including parts of the Gulf Coast. For example, coastal Louisiana has seen its relative sea level rise by eight inches or more in the last 50 years, which is about twice the global rate. Subsiding land in the Gulf area worsens the effects of relative sea level rise, increasing the risk of flooding in cities, inhabited islands, and tidal wetlands. The research team is investigating the trends for sea-level rise and land subsidence in coastal region of Louisiana. The variability in storm surges and its potential implication on the transportation infrastructure in the region is the focus of the study. The spatial maps will be created for spatial trends. This is extremely useful in being prepared for long-term natural hazards. The results of this study will be helpful to LADOTD and infrastructure managers and officials who are tasked with resiliency planning and management. Research results will also directly benefit university researchers in the state, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and LADOTD/LTRC through collaborative activity which will educate both professionals and the general public on issues related to transportation infrastructure in coastal areas while increasing overall public awareness. Also, the outcomes of the project will serve as an educational and research tool to convey to undergraduate and graduate students on how climate changes affect the transportation infrastructure safety/stability in the coastal region of the state.

Neuroscience in Nigeria: the past, the present and the future.

PubMed

Balogun, Wasiu Gbolahan; Cobham, Ansa Emmanuel; Amin, Abdulbasit

2018-04-01

The science of the brain and nervous system cuts across almost all aspects of human life and is one of the fastest growing scientific fields worldwide. This necessitates the demand for pragmatic investment by all nations to ensure improved education and quality of research in Neurosciences. Although obvious efforts are being made in advancing the field in developed societies, there is limited data addressing the state of neuroscience in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we review the state of neuroscience development in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country and its largest economy, critically evaluating the history, the current situation and future projections. This review specifically addresses trends in clinical and basic neuroscience research and education. We conclude by highlighting potentially helpful strategies that will catalyse development in neuroscience education and research in Nigeria, among which are an increase in research funding, provision of tools and equipment for training and research, and upgrading of the infrastructure at hand.

The Ocean Observatories Initiative: Data, Data and More Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowley, M. F.; Vardaro, M.; Belabbassi, L.; Smith, M. J.; Garzio, L. M.; Knuth, F.; Glenn, S. M.; Schofield, O.; Lichtenwalner, C. S.; Kerfoot, J.

2016-02-01

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and managed by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, is a networked infrastructure of science-driven sensor systems that measure the physical, chemical, geological, and biological variables in the ocean and seafloor on coastal, regional, and global scales. OOI long term research arrays have been installed off the Washington coast (Cabled), Massachusetts and Oregon coasts (Coastal) and off Alaska, Greenland, Chile and Argentina (Global). Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Oregon State University are responsible for the coastal and global moorings and their autonomous vehicles. The University of Washington is responsible for cabled seafloor systems and moorings. Rutgers University operates the Cyberinfrastructure (CI) portion of the OOI, which acquires, processes and distributes data to the scientists, researchers, educators and the public. It also provides observatory mission command and control, data assessment and distribution, and long-term data management. This talk will present an overview of the OOI infrastructure and its three primary websites which include: 1) An OOI overview website offering technical information on the infrastructure ranging from instruments to science goals, news, deployment updates, and information on the proposal process, 2) The Education and Public Engagement website where students can view and analyze exactly the same data that scientists have access to at exactly the same time, but with simple visualization tools and compartmentalized lessons that lead them through complex science questions, and 3) The primary data access website and machine to machine interface where anyone can plot or download data from the over 700 instruments within the OOI Network.

Joint Knowledge Generation Between Climate Science and Infrastructure Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoner, A. M. K.; Hayhoe, K.; Jacobs, J. M.

2015-12-01

Over the past decade the engineering community has become increasingly aware of the need to incorporate climate projections into the planning and design of sensitive infrastructure. However, this is a task that is easier said than done. This presentation will discuss some of the successes and hurdles experiences through the past year, from a climate scientist's perspective, working with engineers in infrastructure research and applied engineering through the Infrastructure & Climate Network (ICNet). Engineers rely on strict building codes and ordinances, and can be the subject of lawsuits if those codes are not followed. Matters are further complicated by the uncertainty inherent to climate projections, which include short-term natural variability, as well as the influence of scientific uncertainty and even human behavior on the rate and magnitude of change. Climate scientists typically address uncertainty by creating projections based on multiple models following different future scenarios. This uncertainty is difficult to incorporate into engineering projects, however, due to the fact that they cannot build two different bridges, one allowing for a lower amount of change, and another for a higher. More often than not there is a considerable difference between the costs of building two such bridges, which means that available funds often are the deciding factor. Discussions of climate science are often well received with engineers who work in the research area of infrastructure; going a step further, however, and implementing it in applied engineering projects can be challenging. This presentation will discuss some of the challenges and opportunities inherent to collaborations between climate scientists and transportation engineers, drawing from a range of studies including truck weight restrictions on roads during the spring thaw, and bridge deck performance due to environmental forcings.

FOSS Tools for Research Data Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stender, Vivien; Jankowski, Cedric; Hammitzsch, Martin; Wächter, Joachim

2017-04-01

Established initiatives and organizations, e.g. the Initiative for Scientific Cyberinfrastructures (NSF, 2007) or the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI, 2008), promote and foster the development of sustainable research infrastructures. These infrastructures aim the provision of services supporting scientists to search, visualize and access data, to collaborate and exchange information, as well as to publish data and other results. In this regard, Research Data Management (RDM) gains importance and thus requires the support by appropriate tools integrated in these infrastructures. Different projects provide arbitrary solutions to manage research data. However, within two projects - SUMARIO for land and water management and TERENO for environmental monitoring - solutions to manage research data have been developed based on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) components. The resulting framework provides essential components for harvesting, storing and documenting research data, as well as for discovering, visualizing and downloading these data on the basis of standardized services stimulated considerably by enhanced data management approaches of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI). In order to fully exploit the potentials of these developments for enhancing data management in Geosciences the publication of software components, e.g. via GitHub, is not sufficient. We will use our experience to move these solutions into the cloud e.g. as PaaS or SaaS offerings. Our contribution will present data management solutions for the Geosciences developed in two projects. A sort of construction kit with FOSS components build the backbone for the assembly and implementation of projects specific platforms. Furthermore, an approach is presented to stimulate the reuse of FOSS RDM solutions with cloud concepts. In further projects specific RDM platforms can be set-up much faster, customized to the individual needs and tools can be added during the run-time.

Pennsylvania Reaches Infrastructure Milestone

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

With a series of “aye” votes, the Pennsylvania agency that turns EPA funding and state financing into water infrastructure projects crossed a key threshold recently – $8 billion in investment over nearly three decades

13 CFR 314.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... includes land that is improved by the construction of Project infrastructure such as, but not limited to, roads, sewers and water lines that are not situated on or under the land, where the infrastructure...

Greening the Iron Arts District in Scranton PA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The concept designs described in this report are examples of how green infrastructure can be used to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff and catalyze additional green infrastructure projects throughout Scranton.

Understanding Genomic Knowledge in Rural Appalachia: The West Virginia Genome Community Project

PubMed Central

Mallow, Jennifer A.; Theeke, Laurie A.; Crawford, Patricia; Prendergast, Elizabeth; Conner, Chuck; Richards, Tony; McKown, Barbara; Bush, Donna; Reed, Donald; Stabler, Meagan E.; Zhang, Jianjun; Dino, Geri; Barr, Taura L.

2016-01-01

Purpose Rural communities have limited knowledge about genetics and genomics and are also underrepresented in genomic education initiatives. The purpose of this project was to assess genomic and epigenetic knowledge and beliefs in rural West Virginia. Sample A total of 93 participants from three communities participated in focus groups and 68 participants completed a demographic survey. The age of the respondents ranged from 21 to 81 years. Most respondents had a household income of less than $40,000, were female and most were married, completed at least a HS/GED or some college education working either part-time or full-time. Method A Community Based Participatory Research process with focus groups and demographic questionnaires was used. Findings Most participants had a basic understanding of genetics and epigenetics, but not genomics. Participants reported not knowing much of their family history and that their elders did not discuss such information. If the conversations occurred, it was only during times of crisis or an illness event. Mental health and substance abuse are topics that are not discussed with family in this rural population. Conclusions Most of the efforts surrounding genetic/genomic understanding have focused on urban populations. This project is the first of its kind in West Virginia and has begun to lay the much needed infrastructure for developing educational initiatives and extending genomic research projects into our rural Appalachian communities. By empowering the public with education, regarding the influential role genetics, genomics, and epigenetics have on their health, we can begin to tackle the complex task of initiating behavior changes that will promote the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities. PMID:27212895

Transport infrastructure surveillance and monitoring by electromagnetic sensing: the ISTIMES project.

PubMed

Proto, Monica; Bavusi, Massimo; Bernini, Romeo; Bigagli, Lorenzo; Bost, Marie; Bourquin, Frédrèric; Cottineau, Louis-Marie; Cuomo, Vincenzo; Della Vecchia, Pietro; Dolce, Mauro; Dumoulin, Jean; Eppelbaum, Lev; Fornaro, Gianfranco; Gustafsson, Mats; Hugenschmidt, Johannes; Kaspersen, Peter; Kim, Hyunwook; Lapenna, Vincenzo; Leggio, Mario; Loperte, Antonio; Mazzetti, Paolo; Moroni, Claudio; Nativi, Stefano; Nordebo, Sven; Pacini, Fabrizio; Palombo, Angelo; Pascucci, Simone; Perrone, Angela; Pignatti, Stefano; Ponzo, Felice Carlo; Rizzo, Enzo; Soldovieri, Francesco; Taillade, Fédrèric

2010-01-01

The ISTIMES project, funded by the European Commission in the frame of a joint Call "ICT and Security" of the Seventh Framework Programme, is presented and preliminary research results are discussed. The main objective of the ISTIMES project is to design, assess and promote an Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)-based system, exploiting distributed and local sensors, for non-destructive electromagnetic monitoring of critical transport infrastructures. The integration of electromagnetic technologies with new ICT information and telecommunications systems enables remotely controlled monitoring and surveillance and real time data imaging of the critical transport infrastructures. The project exploits different non-invasive imaging technologies based on electromagnetic sensing (optic fiber sensors, Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite platform based, hyperspectral spectroscopy, Infrared thermography, Ground Penetrating Radar-, low-frequency geophysical techniques, Ground based systems for displacement monitoring). In this paper, we show the preliminary results arising from the GPR and infrared thermographic measurements carried out on the Musmeci bridge in Potenza, located in a highly seismic area of the Apennine chain (Southern Italy) and representing one of the test beds of the project.

Transport Infrastructure Surveillance and Monitoring by Electromagnetic Sensing: The ISTIMES Project

PubMed Central

Proto, Monica; Bavusi, Massimo; Bernini, Romeo; Bigagli, Lorenzo; Bost, Marie; Bourquin, Frédrèric.; Cottineau, Louis-Marie; Cuomo, Vincenzo; Vecchia, Pietro Della; Dolce, Mauro; Dumoulin, Jean; Eppelbaum, Lev; Fornaro, Gianfranco; Gustafsson, Mats; Hugenschmidt, Johannes; Kaspersen, Peter; Kim, Hyunwook; Lapenna, Vincenzo; Leggio, Mario; Loperte, Antonio; Mazzetti, Paolo; Moroni, Claudio; Nativi, Stefano; Nordebo, Sven; Pacini, Fabrizio; Palombo, Angelo; Pascucci, Simone; Perrone, Angela; Pignatti, Stefano; Ponzo, Felice Carlo; Rizzo, Enzo; Soldovieri, Francesco; Taillade, Fédrèric

2010-01-01

The ISTIMES project, funded by the European Commission in the frame of a joint Call “ICT and Security” of the Seventh Framework Programme, is presented and preliminary research results are discussed. The main objective of the ISTIMES project is to design, assess and promote an Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)-based system, exploiting distributed and local sensors, for non-destructive electromagnetic monitoring of critical transport infrastructures. The integration of electromagnetic technologies with new ICT information and telecommunications systems enables remotely controlled monitoring and surveillance and real time data imaging of the critical transport infrastructures. The project exploits different non-invasive imaging technologies based on electromagnetic sensing (optic fiber sensors, Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite platform based, hyperspectral spectroscopy, Infrared thermography, Ground Penetrating Radar-, low-frequency geophysical techniques, Ground based systems for displacement monitoring). In this paper, we show the preliminary results arising from the GPR and infrared thermographic measurements carried out on the Musmeci bridge in Potenza, located in a highly seismic area of the Apennine chain (Southern Italy) and representing one of the test beds of the project. PMID:22163489

In-Space Assembly and Construction Technology Project Summary: Infrastructure Operations Area of the Operations Technology Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bush, Harold

1991-01-01

Viewgraphs describing the in-space assembly and construction technology project of the infrastructure operations area of the operation technology program are presented. Th objective of the project is to develop and demonstrate an in-space assembly and construction capability for large and/or massive spacecraft. The in-space assembly and construction technology program will support the need to build, in orbit, the full range of spacecraft required for the missions to and from planet Earth, including: earth-orbiting platforms, lunar transfer vehicles, and Mars transfer vehicles.

Building a multidisciplinary e-infrastructure for the NextData Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nativi, Stefano; Rorro, Marco; Mazzetti, Paolo; Fiameni, Giuseppe; Papeschi, Fabrizio; Carpenè, Michele

2014-05-01

In 2012, Italy decided to launch a national initiative called NextData (http://www.nextdataproject.it/): a national system for the retrieval, storage, access and diffusion of environmental and climate data from mountain and marine areas. NextData is funded by the Research and University Ministry, as a "Project of Interest". In 2013, NextData funded a "special project", the NextData System of Systems Infrastructure project (ND-SoS-Ina). The main objective is to design, build and operate in production the NextData multidisciplinary and multi-organizational e-infrastructure for the publication and sharing of its resources (e.g. data, services, vocabularies, models). SoS-Ina realizes the NextData general portal implementing the interoperability among the data archives carried out by NextData. The Florentine Division of the Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research of CNR (CNR-IIA) and CINECA run the project. SoS-Ina (http://essi-lab.eu/nextdata/sosina/) decided to adopt a "System of Systems" (SoS) approach based on a brokering architecture. This has been pursued by applying the brokering technology first developed by the EC-FP7 EuroGEOSS project (http://www.eurogeoss.eu/broker/Pages/AbouttheEuroGEOSSBroker.aspx) and more recently consolidated by the international programme GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) of GEO (Group oh Earth Observation) -see http://www.earthobservations.org/documents/geo_ix/20111122_geoss_implementation_highlights.pdf. The NextData general Portal architecture definition will proceed accordingly with the requirements elicited by user communities. The portal will rely on services and interfaces being offered by the brokering middleware and will be based on Liferay (http://www.liferay.com/). Liferay is free and open source, it provides many built-in applications for social collaboration, content and document management. Liferay is also configurable for high availability. The project considers three distinct phases and related milestones: (a) the first prototype of the NextData SoS infrastructure, implementing the core functionalities; (b) the consolidated version of the NextData SoS infrastructure, implementing advanced functionalities; (c) the final and operative NextData SoS infrastructure for data and information sharing and publication. An important outcome of the project will be the performances and scalability advancement of the current brokering and portal technologies, exploiting resources and middleware services provided by CINECA.

Role of Computational Fluid Dynamics and Wind Tunnels in Aeronautics R and D

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malik, Murjeeb R.; Bushnell, Dennis M.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this report is to investigate the status and future projections for the question of supplantation of wind tunnels by computation in design and to intuit the potential impact of computation approaches on wind-tunnel utilization all with an eye toward reducing the infrastructure cost at aeronautics R&D centers. Wind tunnels have been closing for myriad reasons, and such closings have reduced infrastructure costs. Further cost reductions are desired, and the work herein attempts to project which wind-tunnel capabilities can be replaced in the future and, if possible, the timing of such. If the possibility exists to project when a facility could be closed, then maintenance and other associated costs could be rescheduled accordingly (i.e., before the fact) to obtain an even greater infrastructure cost reduction.

The Other Infrastructure: Distance Education's Digital Plant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boettcher, Judith V.; Kumar, M. S. Vijay

2000-01-01

Suggests a new infrastructure--the digital plant--for supporting flexible Web campus environments. Describes four categories which make up the infrastructure: personal communication tools and applications; network of networks for the Web campus; dedicated servers and software applications; software applications and services from external…

Scaling the CERN OpenStack cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, T.; Bompastor, B.; Bukowiec, S.; Castro Leon, J.; Denis, M. K.; van Eldik, J.; Fermin Lobo, M.; Fernandez Alvarez, L.; Fernandez Rodriguez, D.; Marino, A.; Moreira, B.; Noel, B.; Oulevey, T.; Takase, W.; Wiebalck, A.; Zilli, S.

2015-12-01

CERN has been running a production OpenStack cloud since July 2013 to support physics computing and infrastructure services for the site. In the past year, CERN Cloud Infrastructure has seen a constant increase in nodes, virtual machines, users and projects. This paper will present what has been done in order to make the CERN cloud infrastructure scale out.

Federal resource guide for infrastructure planning and design.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-05-01

This Guide describes the important role of planning and design typically known as predevelopment in the life of an : infrastructure project and provides: : Guiding principles for predevelopment; : Case studies highlighting how t...

Oklahoma's transportation infrastructure : inventory and impacts.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-10-01

This project comprehensively analyzed Oklahomas transportation infrastructure and its impact on the states economy via network analysis techniques that are widely used in and outside geography. The focus was on the context, connectivity, and co...

Outlook for grid service technologies within the @neurIST eHealth environment.

PubMed

Arbona, A; Benkner, S; Fingberg, J; Frangi, A F; Hofmann, M; Hose, D R; Lonsdale, G; Ruefenacht, D; Viceconti, M

2006-01-01

The aim of the @neurIST project is to create an IT infrastructure for the management of all processes linked to research, diagnosis and treatment development for complex and multi-factorial diseases. The IT infrastructure will be developed for one such disease, cerebral aneurysm and subarachnoid haemorrhage, but its core technologies will be transferable to meet the needs of other medical areas. Since the IT infrastructure for @neurIST will need to encompass data repositories, computational analysis services and information systems handling multi-scale, multi-modal information at distributed sites, the natural basis for the IT infrastructure is a Grid Service middleware. The project will adopt a service-oriented architecture because it aims to provide a system addressing the needs of medical researchers, clinicians and health care specialists (and their IT providers/systems) and medical supplier/consulting industries.

Contour Crafting Simulation Plan for Lunar Settlement Infrastructure Build-Up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khoshnevis, B.; Carlson, A.; Leach N.; Thangavelu, M.

2016-01-01

Economically viable and reliable building systems and tool sets are being sought, examined and tested for extraterrestrial infrastructure buildup. This project focused on a unique architecture weaving the robotic building construction technology with designs for assisting rapid buildup of initial operational capability Lunar and Martian bases. The project aimed to study new methodologies to construct certain crucial infrastructure elements in order to evaluate the merits, limitations and feasibility of adapting and using such technologies for extraterrestrial application. Current extraterrestrial settlement buildup philosophy holds that in order to minimize the materials needed to be flown in, at great transportation costs, strategies that maximize the use of locally available resources must be adopted. Tools and equipment flown as cargo from Earth are proposed to build required infrastructure to support future missions and settlements on the Moon and Mars.

Instrumentation and monitoring of the nextgen road infrastructure: Some results and perspectives from the R5G project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hautière, Nicolas; Bourquin, Frédéric

2017-04-01

Through the centuries, the roads - which today constitute in France a huge transport network of 1 millions kilometers length - have always been able to cope with society needs and challenges. As a consequence, the next generation road infrastructure will have to take into account at least three societal transitions: ecological, energetic and digital. The goal of the 5th generation road project (R5G©) [1], led by Ifsttar in France, aligned with the Forever Open program [2], is to design and build demonstrators of such future road infrastructures. The goal of this presentation is to present different results related to the greening of road materials [3], the design of energy-positive roads [4, 5], the test of roads that self-diagnose [6], the design of roads adapted for connected [7], autonomous [8] and electrified vehicles [9], etc. In terms of perspectives, we will demonstrate that the road infrastructures will soon become a complex system: On one side road users will benefit from new services, on the other side such massively connected and instrumented infrastructures will potentially become an opportune sensor for knowledge development in geoscience, such as air quality, visibility and fog monitoring. References: [1] R5G project. r5g.ifsttar.fr [2] Forever Open Road project. www.foreveropenroad.eu [3] Biorepavation project. www.infravation.net/projects/BIOREPAVATION [4] N. Le Touz, J. Dumoulin. Numerical study of the thermal behavior of a new deicing road structure design with energy harvesting capabilities. EGU General Assembly 2015, Apr 2015, Vienne, Austria. [5] S. Asfour, F. Bernardin, E. Toussaint, J.-M. Piau. Hydrothermal modeling of porous pavement for its surface de-freezing. Applied Thermal Engineering. Volume 107, 25 August 2016, Pages 493-500 [6] LGV BPL Instrumentation. http://railenium.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/INSTRUMENTATION-BPL-FR.pdf [7] SCOOP@F project. https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/connecting-europe-facility/cef-transport/projects-by-country/multi-country/2014-eu-ta-0669-s [8] J. Ehrlich, D. Gruyer, O. Orfila, N. Hautière. Autonomous vehicle : The concept of high quality of service highway. FISITA World congress, Busan, Korea, 2016. [9] FABRIC project. www.fabric-project.eu

Efficiency improvement of the investment and innovation activities in the transport facility construction field with public-private partnership involvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibayeva, Marina; Serebryakova, Yelena; Shalnev, Oleg

2017-10-01

Growing demand to increase the investment volume in modernization and development projects for transport infrastructure define the urgency of the current study. The amount of private sector investments in the field is insufficient to implement the projects for road construction due to their significant capital intensity and long payoff period. The implementation of social significant infrastructure projects on the principles of public-private partnership is one of the key strategic directions of growth for transport facilities. The authors come up with a concept and methodology for modeling the investment and innovation activity in the transport facility construction. Furthermore, there is developed a model to find the balance between public and private sector investments in implementing construction projects for transport infrastructure with involvement of PPP (further - public-private partnership). The suggested concepts aim to improve the efficiency rate of the investment and innovation activity in the field of transport facility construction on the basis of public and private sectors collaboration.

Michigan E85 Infrastructure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandstrom, Matthew M.

2012-03-30

This is the final report for a grant-funded project to financially assist and otherwise provide support to projects that increase E85 infrastructure in Michigan at retail fueling locations. Over the two-year project timeframe, nine E85 and/or flex-fuel pumps were installed around the State of Michigan at locations currently lacking E85 infrastructure. A total of five stations installed the nine pumps, all providing cost share toward the project. By using cost sharing by station partners, the $200,000 provided by the Department of Energy facilitated a total project worth $746,332.85. This project was completed over a two-year timetable (eight quarters). The firstmore » quarter of the project focused on project outreach to station owners about the incentive on the installation and/or conversion of E85 compatible fueling equipment including fueling pumps, tanks, and all necessary electrical and plumbing connections. Utilizing Clean Energy Coalition (CEC) extensive knowledge of gasoline/ethanol infrastructure throughout Michigan, CEC strategically placed these pumps in locations to strengthen the broad availability of E85 in Michigan. During the first and second quarters, CEC staff approved projects for funding and secured contracts with station owners; the second through eighth quarters were spent working with fueling station owners to complete projects; the third through eighth quarters included time spent promoting projects; and beginning in the second quarter and running for the duration of the project was spent performing project reporting and evaluation to the US DOE. A total of 9 pumps were installed (four in Elkton, two in Sebewaing, one in East Lansing, one in Howell, and one in Whitmore Lake). At these combined station locations, a total of 192,445 gallons of E85, 10,786 gallons of E50, and 19,159 gallons of E30 were sold in all reporting quarters for 2011. Overall, the project has successfully displaced 162,611 gallons (2,663 barrels) of petroleum, and reduced regional GHG emissions by 375 tons in the first year of station deployment.« less

[Health education trough the development of scientific skills in Chilean schools].

PubMed

Burgos, Soledad; Yohannessen, Karla; Álvarez, Andrea; Rebolledo, Alejandro; Valenzuela, María Teresa

2017-01-01

To describe the interests, preferred topics and learning in public health issues emerging from Chilean students with their participation in a science education experience. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in 29 school research groups through the project Salud Con-Ciencia en tu Barrio, based on a content analysis of texts and narratives of students. Students prioritize the situation of abandoned animals, waste management, security and urban infrastructure, mainly. They view the role of social actors, the positive/negative impacts on the community, valuing the knowledge gained through observation neighborhoods and interaction with neighbors. Scientific inquiry school in the neighborhood context provides teaching strategies for the promotion of local health, develops basic notions of community health and motivation in students linked to the socio-environmental reality of their neighborhoods.

California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Projections: 2017-2025 - Future Infrastructure Needs for Reaching the State's Zero Emission-Vehicle Deployment Goals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wood, Eric W; Rames, Clement L; Bedir, Abdulkadir

This report analyzes plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) infrastructure needs in California from 2017 to 2025 in a scenario where the State's zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) deployment goals are achieved by household vehicles. The statewide infrastructure needs are evaluated by using the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Projection tool, which incorporates representative statewide travel data from the 2012 California Household Travel Survey. The infrastructure solution presented in this assessment addresses two primary objectives: (1) enabling travel for battery electric vehicles and (2) maximizing the electric vehicle-miles traveled for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The analysis is performed at the county-level for each year between 2017more » and 2025 while considering potential technology improvements. The results from this study present an infrastructure solution that can facilitate market growth for PEVs to reach the State's ZEV goals by 2025. The overall results show a need for 99k-130k destination chargers, including workplaces and public locations, and 9k-25k fast chargers. The results also show a need for dedicated or shared residential charging solutions at multi-family dwellings, which are expected to host about 120k PEVs by 2025. An improvement to the scientific literature, this analysis presents the significance of infrastructure reliability and accessibility on the quantification of charger demand.« less

Optimizing the Prioritization of Natural Disaster Recovery Projects

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

collection, and basic utility and infrastructure restoration. The restoration of utilities can include temporary bridges, temporary water and sewage lines...interrupted such as in the case of the 9/11 disaster. Perhaps next time our enemies may target our power grid or water systems. It is the duty of...Transportation The amount and type of transportation infrastructure damage a repair project addresses Water The amount and type of water

23 CFR 505.5 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS OF... efficient management of the project in accordance with applicable Federal statutes, regulations, and policy... of State Transportation Departments, with one State acting as the project lead. Eligible project...

Assessment Systems and Data Management in Colleges of Education: An Examination of Systems and Infrastructure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haughton, Noela A.; Keil, Virginia L.

2009-01-01

The College of Education Assessment Infrastructure Survey was developed and administered to 1011 institutions over a twelve-month period ending April 2007. The survey examined the capacity of university-based teacher preparation programs to respond to the growing and increasingly complex data management requirements that accompanies assessment and…

Quality Support Infrastructure in Early Childhood: Still (Mostly) Missing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azzi-Lessing, Lenette

2009-01-01

Support for early care and education among policy makers and the public is at an unprecedented high. As investments in early care and education programs in the United States continue to rise, the issue of quality becomes increasingly critical. This article addresses the need for adequate infrastructure to support high-quality early care and…

Reflections on Policy in Gifted Education: James J. Gallagher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Elissa F.; Garland, Rebecca B.

2015-01-01

In this article, Brown and Garland, reflect on issues raised by James J. Gallagher, such as educational policies helping to create and support an infrastructure within which the needs of students can be addressed. Gallagher felt that a strong federal policy, such as IDEA, was critical to building and maintaining a solid infrastructure. Gallagher…

Creating Anytime, Anywhere Learning for All Students: Key Elements of a Comprehensive Digital Infrastructure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thigpen, Kamila

2014-01-01

While connecting the nation's schools and libraries to the internet by modernizing and expanding the federal E-rate program currently dominates education technology efforts, a new report from the Alliance for Excellent Education urges that adequate broadband access be accompanied by a comprehensive "digital infrastructure" that unlocks…

The Infrastructure of Accountability: Data Use and the Transformation of American Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anagnostopoulos, Dorothea, Ed.; Rutledge, Stacey A., Ed.; Jacobsen, Rebecca, Ed.

2013-01-01

"The Infrastructure of Accountability" brings together leading and emerging scholars who set forth an ambitious conceptual framework for understanding the full impact of large-scale, performance-based accountability systems on education. Over the past 20 years, schools and school systems have been utterly reshaped by the demands of…

Development of a Real-Time GPS/Seismic Displacement Meter: Applications to Civilian Infrastructure in Orange and Western Riverside Counties, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bock, Yehuda

2005-01-01

We propose a three-year applications project that will develop an Integrated Real-Time GPS/Seismic System and deploy it in Orange and Western Riverside Counties, spanning three major strike-slip faults in southern California (San Andreas, San Jacinto, and Elsinore) and significant populations and civilian infrastructure. The system relying on existing GPS and seismic networks will collect and analyze GPS and seismic data for the purpose of estimating and disseminating real-time positions and total ground displacements (dynamic, as well as static) during all phases of the seismic cycle, from fractions of seconds to years. Besides its intrinsic scientific use as a real-time displacement meter (transducer), the GPS/Seismic System will be a powerful tool for local and state decision makers for risk mitigation, disaster management, and structural monitoring (dams, bridges, and buildings). Furthermore, the GPS/Seismic System will become an integral part of California's spatial referencing and positioning infrastructure, which is complicated by tectonic motion, seismic displacements, and land subsidence. Finally, the GPS/Seismic system will also be applicable to navigation in any environment (land, sea, or air) by combining precise real-time instantaneous GPS positioning with inertial navigation systems. This development will take place under the umbrella of the California Spatial Reference Center, in partnership with local (Counties, Riverside County Flood and Water Conservation District, Metropolitan Water District), state (Caltrans), and Federal agencies (NGS, NASA, USGS), the geophysics community (SCIGN/SCEC2), and the private sector (RBF Consulting). The project will leverage considerable funding, resources, and R&D from SCIGN, CSRC and two NSF-funded IT projects at UCSD and SDSU: RoadNet (Real-Time Observatories, Applications and Data Management Network) and the High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (HPWREN). These two projects are funded to develop both the wireless networks and the integrated, seamless, and transparent information management system that will deliver seismic, geodetic, oceanographic, hydrological, ecological, and physical data to a variety of end users in real-time in the San Diego region. CSRC is interested in providing users access to real-time, accurate GPS data for a wide variety of applications including RTK surveying/GIS and positioning of moving platforms such as aircraft and emergency vehicles. SCIGN is interested in upgrading sites to high-frequency real-time operations for rapid earthquake response and GPS seismology. The successful outcome of the project will allow the implementation of similar systems elsewhere, particularly in plate boundary zones with significant populations and civilian infrastructure. CSRC would like to deploy the GPS/Seismic System in other parts of California, in particular San Diego, Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Develop Improved Materials to Support the Hydrogen Economy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dr. Michael C. Martin

The Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC) solicited and funded hydrogen infrastructure related projects that have a near term potential for commercialization. The subject technology of each project is related to the US Department of Energy hydrogen economy goals as outlined in the multi-year plan titled, 'Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program Multi-Year Research, Development and Demonstration Plan.' Preference was given to cross cutting materials development projects that might lead to the establishment of manufacturing capability and job creation. The Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC) used the US Department of Energy hydrogen economy goals to find and fund projects withmore » near term commercialization potential. An RFP process aligned with this plan required performance based objectives with go/no-go technology based milestones. Protocols established for this program consisted of a RFP solicitation process, white papers and proposals with peer technology and commercialization review (including DoE), EMTEC project negotiation and definition and DoE cost share approval. Our RFP approach specified proposals/projects for hydrogen production, hydrogen storage or hydrogen infrastructure processing which may include sensor, separator, compression, maintenance, or delivery technologies. EMTEC was especially alert for projects in the appropriate subject area that have cross cutting materials technology with near term manufacturing and commercialization opportunities.« less

Indicators for Assessing Climate Change Resilience Resulting from Emplacement of Green Infrastructure Projects Across an Urban Landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parish, E. S.; Omitaomu, O.; Sylvester, L.; Nugent, P.

2015-12-01

Many U.S. cities are exploring the potential of using green infrastructure (e.g., porous pavements, green roofs, street planters) to reduce urban storm water runoff, which can be both be a nuisance and costly to treat. While tools exist to measure local runoff changes resulting from individual green infrastructure (GI) projects, most municipalities currently have no method of analyzing the collective impact of GI projects on urban stormwater systems under future rainfall scenarios and impervious surface distribution patterns. Using the mid-sized city of Knoxville, Tennessee as a case study, we propose a set of indicators that can be used to monitor and analyze the collective effects of GI emplacement on urban storm water runoff volumes as well as to quantify potential co-benefits of GI projects (e.g., urban heat island reduction, reduced stream scouring) under different climate projection ensembles and population growth scenarios. These indicators are intended to help the city prioritize GI projects as opportunities arise, as well as to track the effectiveness of GI implementation over time. We explore the aggregation of these indicators across different spatial scales (e.g., plot, neighborhood, watershed, city) in order to assess potential changes in climate change resilience resulting from the collective implementation of GI projects across an urban landscape.

75 FR 60093 - Record of Decision for the United States Marine Corps Basewide Utilities Infrastructure Project...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-29

... construction, operation, and maintenance of utility infrastructure upgrades, expansions, and improvements... and wastewater facilities and road improvements to Range 130. All practical means to avoid or minimize...

Preliminary human factors guidelines for traffic management centers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-04-01

Sometimes the development of infrastructure can negatively impact habitat and ecosystems. Ways to better avoid, minimize, and mitigate these impacts, as well as the impacts of past infrastructure projects, have been developed. Nevertheless, these avo...

Recycled carpet materials for infrastructure applications.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

The objective of this project was to develop novel composite materials for infrastructure applications by recycling nylon based waste carpets. These novel composites have been proven to possess improved mechanical and sound barrier properties to meet...

Impacts and benefits of implementing BIM on bridge infrastructure projects.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-01

To date, BIM (Building Information Modeling) is not widely utilized in infrastructure asset management. : Benefits achieved through implementation in vertical construction, however, suggest that BIM represents : significant opportunity for gains in p...

Eligibility of Indoor Plumbing Under Alaska Sanitation Infrastructure Grant Program

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Memorandum response to questions that relate to whether indoor plumbing of homes, as part of a wastewater construction project, is an eligible cost item under the EPA Alaska Sanitation Infrastructure Grant Program.

Towards sustainable transport infrastructure : a sectoral approach in practice

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-07-01

These guidelines provide a comprehensive overview of the issues in moving towards more sustainable transport infrastructure in developing countries. They provide a sectoral framework in which project proposals and requests for European Union assistan...

Critical review and analysis of the impact of the physical infrastructure on the driving ability, performance, and safety of older adults.

PubMed

Bohr, Paula Christine

2008-01-01

Literature on the impact of physical infrastructure on older adult safe driving performance was reviewed in 2005 as part of the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Literature Review Project. Existing guidelines for driving environments, related to changes in visual, cognitive, and psychomotor abilities associated with the aging process (as published in the Highway Design Handbook for Older Drivers and Pedestrians, Federal Highway Administration, 2001), are exhaustive, but the authors made no attempt to critically assess the strength of the study design or level of evidence. In laboratory studies since 1999, the interventions lacked applicability to real-life driving environments. Further investigation of the effectiveness of best practice interventions and how the driving environment can better accommodate the needs of older drivers is needed. Occupational therapy interventions that focus on the occupation of driving and compensation and education strategies that allow older adults to drive safely as long as possible are included.

A consensus action agenda for achieving the national health information infrastructure.

PubMed

Yasnoff, William A; Humphreys, Betsy L; Overhage, J Marc; Detmer, Don E; Brennan, Patricia Flatley; Morris, Richard W; Middleton, Blackford; Bates, David W; Fanning, John P

2004-01-01

Improving the safety, quality, and efficiency of health care will require immediate and ubiquitous access to complete patient information and decision support provided through a National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII). To help define the action steps needed to achieve an NHII, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sponsored a national consensus conference in July 2003. Attendees favored a public-private coordination group to guide NHII activities, provide education, share resources, and monitor relevant metrics to mark progress. They identified financial incentives, health information standards, and overcoming a few important legal obstacles as key NHII enablers. Community and regional implementation projects, including consumer access to a personal health record, were seen as necessary to demonstrate comprehensive functional systems that can serve as models for the entire nation. Finally, the participants identified the need for increased funding for research on the impact of health information technology on patient safety and quality of care. Individuals, organizations, and federal agencies are using these consensus recommendations to guide NHII efforts.

Battery Electric Vehicle Driving and Charging Behavior Observed Early in The EV Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

John Smart; Stephen Schey

2012-04-01

As concern about society's dependence on petroleum-based transportation fuels increases, many see plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) as enablers to diversifying transportation energy sources. These vehicles, which include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), range-extended electric vehicles (EREV), and battery electric vehicles (BEV), draw some or all of their power from electricity stored in batteries, which are charged by the electric grid. In order for PEVs to be accepted by the mass market, electric charging infrastructure must also be deployed. Charging infrastructure must be safe, convenient, and financially sustainable. Additionally, electric utilities must be able to manage PEV charging demand on themore » electric grid. In the Fall of 2009, a large scale PEV infrastructure demonstration was launched to deploy an unprecedented number of PEVs and charging infrastructure. This demonstration, called The EV Project, is led by Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec) and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. eTec is partnering with Nissan North America to deploy up to 4,700 Nissan Leaf BEVs and 11,210 charging units in five market areas in Arizona, California, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington. With the assistance of the Idaho National Laboratory, eTec will collect and analyze data to characterize vehicle consumer driving and charging behavior, evaluate the effectiveness of charging infrastructure, and understand the impact of PEV charging on the electric grid. Trials of various revenue systems for commercial and public charging infrastructure will also be conducted. The ultimate goal of The EV Project is to capture lessons learned to enable the mass deployment of PEVs. This paper is the first in a series of papers documenting the progress and findings of The EV Project. This paper describes key research objectives of The EV Project and establishes the project background, including lessons learned from previous infrastructure deployment and PEV demonstrations. One such previous study was a PHEV demonstration conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity (AVTA), led by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). AVTA's PHEV demonstration involved over 250 vehicles in the United States, Canada, and Finland. This paper summarizes driving and charging behavior observed in that demonstration, including the distribution of distance driven between charging events, charging frequency, and resulting proportion of operation charge depleting mode. Charging demand relative to time of day and day of the week will also be shown. Conclusions from the PHEV demonstration will be given which highlight the need for expanded analysis in The EV Project. For example, the AVTA PHEV demonstration showed that in the absence of controlled charging by the vehicle owner or electric utility, the majority of vehicles were charged in the evening hours, coincident with typical utility peak demand. Given this baseline, The EV Project will demonstrate the effects of consumer charge control and grid-side charge management on electricity demand. This paper will outline further analyses which will be performed by eTec and INL to documenting driving and charging behavior of vehicles operated in a infrastructure-rich environment.« less

Application of ESE Data and Tools to Air Quality Management: Services for Helping the Air Quality Community use ESE Data (SHAirED)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falke, Stefan; Husar, Rudolf

2011-01-01

The goal of this REASoN applications and technology project is to deliver and use Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) data and tools in support of air quality management. Its scope falls within the domain of air quality management and aims to develop a federated air quality information sharing network that includes data from NASA, EPA, US States and others. Project goals were achieved through a access of satellite and ground observation data, web services information technology, interoperability standards, and air quality community collaboration. In contributing to a network of NASA ESE data in support of particulate air quality management, the project will develop access to distributed data, build Web infrastructure, and create tools for data processing and analysis. The key technologies used in the project include emerging web services for developing self describing and modular data access and processing tools, and service oriented architecture for chaining web services together to assemble customized air quality management applications. The technology and tools required for this project were developed within DataFed.net, a shared infrastructure that supports collaborative atmospheric data sharing and processing web services. Much of the collaboration was facilitated through community interactions through the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Air Quality Workgroup. The main activities during the project that successfully advanced DataFed, enabled air quality applications and established community-oriented infrastructures were: develop access to distributed data (surface and satellite), build Web infrastructure to support data access, processing and analysis create tools for data processing and analysis foster air quality community collaboration and interoperability.

The DNA Files: Report from Genome Radio Project, March--June 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The Genome Radio Project (GRP) core staff are now all in place and the office infrastructure has been set up. The project logo, stationery, and letterhead have all been approved. The name of the series has been identified: The DNA Files. Weekly staff planning meetings and work plans have been initiated; the research component has been launched; interviews of potential production personnel are being conducted. The first three months of the GRP were principally devoted to the further development of the entire two-year project, specifically by pursuing full funding for this project from sources other than DOE. The principal purposemore » of this planning grant includes the following: produce a pilot documentary which can be used to strengthen the marketing strategy of the overall project; create concrete strategies for best engaging the talents and energies of the project`s advisors; and identify concrete collaborations that maximize the efficacy of a well-designed set of ancillary materials. During this period, GRP collaborated with the Exploratorium in San Francisco to record their series of evening lectures on the social implications of genetic research and its applications. Project staff also attended Lawrence Berkeley Lab.`s Genome Educators Workshops, and the Public Radio Conference.« less

Characterizing Crowd Participation and Productivity of Foldit Through Web Scraping

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing CDF Cumulative Distribution Function CPU Central Processing Unit CSSG Crowdsourced Serious Game...computers at once can create a similar capacity. According to Anderson [6], principal investigator for the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network...extraterrestrial life. From this project, a software-based distributed computing platform called the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing

A tale of two rain gardens: Barriers and bridges to adaptive ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Green infrastructure installations such as rain gardens and bioswales are increasingly regarded as viable tools to mitigate stormwater runoff at the parcel level. The use of adaptive management to implement and monitor green infrastructure projects as experimental attempts to manage stormwater has not been adequately explored as a way to optimize green infrastructure performance or increase social and political acceptance. Efforts to improve stormwater management through green infrastructure suffer from the complexity of overlapping jurisdictional boundaries, as well as interacting social and political forces that dictate the flow, consumption, conservation and disposal of urban wastewater flows. Within this urban milieu, adaptive management—rigorous experimentation applied as policy—can inform new wastewater management techniques such as the implementation of green infrastructure projects. In this article, we present a narrative of scientists and practitioners working together to apply an adaptive management approach to green infrastructure implementation for stormwater management in Cleveland, Ohio. In Cleveland, contextual legal requirements and environmental factors created an opportunity for government researchers, stormwater managers and community organizers to engage in the development of two distinct sets of rain gardens, each borne of unique social, economic and environmental processes. In this article we analyze social and political barriers to app

Linking International Development Actors to Geophysical Infrastructure: Exploring an IRIS Community Role in Bridging a Communications Gap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerner-Lam, A.; Aster, R.; Beck, S.; Ekstrom, G.; Fisher, K.; Meltzer, A.; Nyblade, A.; Sandvol, E.; Willemann, R.

2008-12-01

Over the past quarter century, national investments in high-fidelity digital seismograph networks have resulted in a global infrastructure for real-time in situ earthquake monitoring. Many network operators adhere to community-developed standards, with the result that there are few technical impediments to data sharing and real-time information exchange. Two unanswered questions, however, are whether the existing models of international collaboration will ensure the stability and sustainability of global earthquake monitoring, and whether the participating institutions can work with international development agencies and non- governmental organizations in meeting linked development and natural hazard risk reduction goals. Since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, many of these actors are enlarging their commitments to natural hazard risk reduction and building national technical capacities, among broader programs in poverty alleviation and adaptation to environmental stress. Despite this renewed commitment, international development organizations, with notable exceptions, have been relatively passive in discussions of how the existing earthquake monitoring infrastructure could be leveraged to support risk-reduction programs and meet sustainable development goals. At the same time, the international seismological community - comprising universities and government seismological surveys - has built research and education initiatives such as EarthScope, AfricaArray, and similar programs in China, Europe and South America, that use innovative instrumentation technologies and deployment strategies to enable new science and applications, and promote education and training in critical sectors. Can these developments be combined? Recognizing this communication or knowledge gap, the IRIS International Working Group (IWG) explores the link between the activities of IRIS Members using IRIS facilities and the missions of international development agencies, such as US AID, the World Bank, other international development banks, and agencies of the United Nations. Interests of US seismologists are served by encouraging development of modern seismographic systems in countries around the world to collect data that are useful in research as well as hazard mitigation and other national interests. Activities of the IWG to date include communicating the benefits of geophysical infrastructure and training to disaster risk reduction programs within the United Nations and development banks, coordinating an initiative to leverage retired PASSCAL data loggers through long-term loans to network operators in foreign countries, preparing a white paper outlining IRIS capabilities relevant to international development, and conducting a workshop, "Out of Africa", on modernizing geophysical infrastructure in the Americas and Southeast Asia through projects that are closely tied to university education and academic research.

The TENCompetence Infrastructure: A Learning Network Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogten, Hubert; Martens, Harrie; Lemmers, Ruud

The TENCompetence project developed a first release of a Learning Network infrastructure to support individuals, groups and organisations in professional competence development. This infrastructure Learning Network infrastructure was released as open source to the community thereby allowing users and organisations to use and contribute to this development as they see fit. The infrastructure consists of client applications providing the user experience and server components that provide the services to these clients. These services implement the domain model (Koper 2006) by provisioning the entities of the domain model (see also Sect. 18.4) and henceforth will be referenced as domain entity services.

Integration of research infrastructures and ecosystem models toward development of predictive ecology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Y.; Huang, Y.; Jiang, J.; MA, S.; Saruta, V.; Liang, G.; Hanson, P. J.; Ricciuto, D. M.; Milcu, A.; Roy, J.

2017-12-01

The past two decades have witnessed rapid development in sensor technology. Built upon the sensor development, large research infrastructure facilities, such as National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and FLUXNET, have been established. Through networking different kinds of sensors and other data collections at many locations all over the world, those facilities generate large volumes of ecological data every day. The big data from those facilities offer an unprecedented opportunity for advancing our understanding of ecological processes, educating teachers and students, supporting decision-making, and testing ecological theory. The big data from the major research infrastructure facilities also provides foundation for developing predictive ecology. Indeed, the capability to predict future changes in our living environment and natural resources is critical to decision making in a world where the past is no longer a clear guide to the future. We are living in a period marked by rapid climate change, profound alteration of biogeochemical cycles, unsustainable depletion of natural resources, and deterioration of air and water quality. Projecting changes in future ecosystem services to the society becomes essential not only for science but also for policy making. We will use this panel format to outline major opportunities and challenges in integrating research infrastructure and ecosystem models toward developing predictive ecology. Meanwhile, we will also show results from an interactive model-experiment System - Ecological Platform for Assimilating Data into models (EcoPAD) - that have been implemented at the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Climatic and Environmental change (SPRUCE) experiment in Northern Minnesota and Montpellier Ecotron, France. EcoPAD is developed by integrating web technology, eco-informatics, data assimilation techniques, and ecosystem modeling. EcoPAD is designed to streamline data transfer seamlessly from research infrastructure facilities to model simulation, data assimilation, and ecological forecasting.

Quantification of physical and economic impacts of climate change on public infrastructure in Alaska and benefits of global greenhouse gas mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melvin, A. M.; Larsen, P.; Boehlert, B.; Martinich, J.; Neumann, J.; Chinowsky, P.; Schweikert, A.; Strzepek, K.

2015-12-01

Climate change poses many risks and challenges for the Arctic and sub-Arctic, including threats to infrastructure. The safety and stability of infrastructure in this region can be impacted by many factors including increased thawing of permafrost soils, reduced coastline protection due to declining arctic sea ice, and changes in inland flooding. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is coordinating an effort to quantify physical and economic impacts of climate change on public infrastructure across the state of Alaska and estimate how global greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation may avoid or reduce these impacts. This research builds on the Climate Change Impacts and Risk Analysis (CIRA) project developed for the contiguous U.S., which is described in an EPA report released in June 2015. We are using a multi-model analysis focused primarily on the impacts of changing permafrost, coastal erosion, and inland flooding on a range of infrastructure types, including transportation (e.g. roads, airports), buildings and harbors, energy sources and transmission, sewer and water systems, and others. This analysis considers multiple global GHG emission scenarios ranging from a business as usual future to significant global action. These scenarios drive climate projections through 2100 spanning a range of outcomes to capture variability amongst climate models. Projections are being combined with a recently developed public infrastructure database and integrated into a version of the Infrastructure Planning Support System (IPSS) we are modifying for use in the Arctic and sub-Arctic region. The IPSS tool allows for consideration of both adaptation and reactive responses to climate change. Results of this work will address a gap in our understanding of climate change impacts in Alaska, provide estimates of the physical and economic damages we may expect with and without global GHG mitigation, and produce important insights about infrastructure vulnerabilities in response to warming at northern latitudes.

Hazard Management with DOORS: Rail Infrastructure Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Dave; Saeed, Amer

LOI is a major rail infrastructure project that will contribute to a modernised transport system in time for the 2012 Olympic Games. A review of the procedures and tool infrastructure was conducted in early 2006, coinciding with a planned move to main works. A hazard log support tool was needed to provide: an automatic audit trial, version control and support collaborative working. A DOORS based Hazard Log (DHL) was selected as the Tool Strategy. A systematic approach was followed for the development of DHL, after a series of tests and acceptance gateways, DHL was handed over to the project in autumn 2006. The first few months were used for operational trials and he Hazard Management rocedure was modified to be a hybrid approach that used the strengths of DHL and Excel. The user experience in the deployment of DHL is summarised and directions for future improvement identified.

Dynamic interaction between vehicles and infrastructure experiment (DIVINE) : policy implications

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

The Dynamic Interaction between Vehicles and Infrastructure Experiment (DIVINE) Project provided scientific evidence of the dynamic effects of heavy vehicles and their suspension systems on pavements and bridges. These conclusions are detailed in the...

Dynamic interaction between vehicles and infrastructure experiment (DIVINE) : technical report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-10-27

The Dynamic Interaction between Vehicles and Infrastructure Experiment (DIVINE) Project provides scientific evidence of the dynamic effects of heavy vehicles and their suspension systems on pavements and bridges in support of transport policy decisio...

Better state-of-good-repair indicators for the transportation performance index.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

The Transportation Performance Index was developed for the US Chamber of Commerce to track the : performance of transportation infrastructure over time and explore the connection between economic : health and infrastructure performance. This project ...

Second annual Transportation Infrastructure Engineering Conference.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

The conference will highlight a few of the current projects that have been sponsored by the Center for Transportation : Infrastructure and Safety (CTIS), a national University Transportation Center at S&T. In operation since 1998, the CTIS supports :...

An Overview of the Distributed Space Exploration Simulation (DSES) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crues, Edwin Z.; Chung, Victoria I.; Blum, Michael G.; Bowman, James D.

2007-01-01

This paper describes the Distributed Space Exploration Simulation (DSES) Project, a research and development collaboration between NASA centers which investigates technologies, and processes related to integrated, distributed simulation of complex space systems in support of NASA's Exploration Initiative. In particular, it describes the three major components of DSES: network infrastructure, software infrastructure and simulation development. With regard to network infrastructure, DSES is developing a Distributed Simulation Network for use by all NASA centers. With regard to software, DSES is developing software models, tools and procedures that streamline distributed simulation development and provide an interoperable infrastructure for agency-wide integrated simulation. Finally, with regard to simulation development, DSES is developing an integrated end-to-end simulation capability to support NASA development of new exploration spacecraft and missions. This paper presents the current status and plans for these three areas, including examples of specific simulations.

System Engineering Infrastructure Evolution Galileo IOV and the Steps Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eickhoff, J.; Herpel, H.-J.; Steinle, T.; Birn, R.; Steiner, W.-D.; Eisenmann, H.; Ludwig, T.

2009-05-01

The trends to more and more constrained financial budgets in satellite engineering require a permanent optimization of the S/C system engineering processes and infrastructure. Astrium in the recent years already has built up a system simulation infrastructure - the "Model-based Development & Verification Environment" - which meanwhile is well known all over Europe and is established as Astrium's standard approach for ESA, DLR projects and now even the EU/ESA-Project Galileo IOV. The key feature of the MDVE / FVE approach is to provide entire S/C simulation (with full featured OBC simulation) already in early phases to start OBSW code tests on a simulated S/C and to later add hardware in the loop step by step up to an entire "Engineering Functional Model (EFM)" or "FlatSat". The subsequent enhancements to this simulator infrastructure w.r.t. spacecraft design data handling are reported in the following sections.

Terra Populus and DataNet Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kugler, T.; Ruggles, S.; Fitch, C. A.; Clark, P. D.; Sobek, M.; Van Riper, D.

2012-12-01

Terra Populus, part of NSF's new DataNet initiative, is developing organizational and technical infrastructure to integrate, preserve, and disseminate data describing changes in the human population and environment over time. Terra Populus will incorporate large microdata and aggregate census datasets from the United States and around the world, as well as land use, land cover, climate and other environmental datasets. These data are widely dispersed, exist in a variety of data structures, have incompatible or inadequate metadata, and have incompatible geographic identifiers. Terra Populus is developing methods of integrating data from different domains and translating across data structures based on spatio-temporal linkages among data contents. The new infrastructure will enable researchers to identify and merge data from heterogeneous sources to study the relationships between human behavior and the natural world. Terra Populus will partner with data archives, data producers, and data users to create a sustainable international organization that will guarantee preservation and access over multiple decades. Terra Populus is also collaborating with the other projects in the DataNet initiative - DataONE, the DataNet Federation Consortium (DFC) and Sustainable Environment-Actionable Data (SEAD). Taken together, the four projects address aspects of the entire data lifecycle, including planning, collection, documentation, discovery, integration, curation, preservation, and collaboration; and encompass a wide range of disciplines including earth sciences, ecology, social sciences, hydrology, oceanography, and engineering. The four projects are pursuing activities to share data, tools, and expertise between pairs of projects as well as collaborating across the DataNet program on issues of cyberinfrastructure and community engagement. Topics to be addressed through program-wide collaboration include technical, organizational, and financial sustainability; semantic integration; data management training and education; and cross-disciplinary awareness of data resources.

A global resource to translational medicine: the International Park of Translational Medicine and BioMedicine (IPTBM).

PubMed

Wu, Xiaodan; Marincola, Francesco M; Liebman, Michael N; Wang, Xiangdong

2013-01-08

Translational science consists of research and development that integrates multiple resources to expedite the successful treatment of disease. The International Park of Translational BioMedicine (IPTBM) is currently being developed within the interface between Zhejiang Province and Shanghai Municipality. IPTBM has been designed to pioneer comprehensive biomedical research that spans the continuum from the education of young scientists to providing the infrastructure necessary for clinical testing and direct observation to better understand human biology while promoting viable commercial results within a vibrant biotechnology community. IPTBM's goal is to attract global partners organized around five fundamental pillars: 1) Institutional Development, 2) Project Implementation, 3) Development and Production, 4) Investment and 5) Regulatory Clusters to address the needs of an international platform of scientists, institutes, universities, commercial enterprises, investors, politicians, and other stakeholders. The IPTBM differs from existing models including CTSA's (US, NIH) technology because of its comprehensive approach to merge education, research, innovation, and development to translate clinical and public health needs into target-oriented and cost-efficient projects.

Pan European Phenological database (PEP725): a single point of access for European data.

PubMed

Templ, Barbara; Koch, Elisabeth; Bolmgren, Kjell; Ungersböck, Markus; Paul, Anita; Scheifinger, Helfried; Rutishauser, This; Busto, Montserrat; Chmielewski, Frank-M; Hájková, Lenka; Hodzić, Sabina; Kaspar, Frank; Pietragalla, Barbara; Romero-Fresneda, Ramiro; Tolvanen, Anne; Vučetič, Višnja; Zimmermann, Kirsten; Zust, Ana

2018-06-01

The Pan European Phenology (PEP) project is a European infrastructure to promote and facilitate phenological research, education, and environmental monitoring. The main objective is to maintain and develop a Pan European Phenological database (PEP725) with an open, unrestricted data access for science and education. PEP725 is the successor of the database developed through the COST action 725 "Establishing a European phenological data platform for climatological applications" working as a single access point for European-wide plant phenological data. So far, 32 European meteorological services and project partners from across Europe have joined and supplied data collected by volunteers from 1868 to the present for the PEP725 database. Most of the partners actively provide data on a regular basis. The database presently holds almost 12 million records, about 46 growing stages and 265 plant species (including cultivars), and can be accessed via http://www.pep725.eu/ . Users of the PEP725 database have studied a diversity of topics ranging from climate change impact, plant physiological question, phenological modeling, and remote sensing of vegetation to ecosystem productivity.

Pan European Phenological database (PEP725): a single point of access for European data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Templ, Barbara; Koch, Elisabeth; Bolmgren, Kjell; Ungersböck, Markus; Paul, Anita; Scheifinger, Helfried; Rutishauser, This; Busto, Montserrat; Chmielewski, Frank-M.; Hájková, Lenka; Hodzić, Sabina; Kaspar, Frank; Pietragalla, Barbara; Romero-Fresneda, Ramiro; Tolvanen, Anne; Vučetič, Višnja; Zimmermann, Kirsten; Zust, Ana

2018-02-01

The Pan European Phenology (PEP) project is a European infrastructure to promote and facilitate phenological research, education, and environmental monitoring. The main objective is to maintain and develop a Pan European Phenological database (PEP725) with an open, unrestricted data access for science and education. PEP725 is the successor of the database developed through the COST action 725 "Establishing a European phenological data platform for climatological applications" working as a single access point for European-wide plant phenological data. So far, 32 European meteorological services and project partners from across Europe have joined and supplied data collected by volunteers from 1868 to the present for the PEP725 database. Most of the partners actively provide data on a regular basis. The database presently holds almost 12 million records, about 46 growing stages and 265 plant species (including cultivars), and can be accessed via http://www.pep725.eu/. Users of the PEP725 database have studied a diversity of topics ranging from climate change impact, plant physiological question, phenological modeling, and remote sensing of vegetation to ecosystem productivity.

A global resource to translational medicine: the International Park of Translational Medicine and BioMedicine (IPTBM)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Translational science consists of research and development that integrates multiple resources to expedite the successful treatment of disease. The International Park of Translational BioMedicine (IPTBM) is currently being developed within the interface between Zhejiang Province and Shanghai Municipality. IPTBM has been designed to pioneer comprehensive biomedical research that spans the continuum from the education of young scientists to providing the infrastructure necessary for clinical testing and direct observation to better understand human biology while promoting viable commercial results within a vibrant biotechnology community. IPTBM’s goal is to attract global partners organized around five fundamental pillars: 1) Institutional Development, 2) Project Implementation, 3) Development and Production, 4) Investment and 5) Regulatory Clusters to address the needs of an international platform of scientists, institutes, universities, commercial enterprises, investors, politicians, and other stakeholders. The IPTBM differs from existing models including CTSA’s (US, NIH) technology because of its comprehensive approach to merge education, research, innovation, and development to translate clinical and public health needs into target-oriented and cost-efficient projects. PMID:23298286

Teaching Geology in Situ: Modern Approaches and Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakhmenkulova, I. F.

2014-12-01

Geology and Geophysics Department of Novosibirsk State University (GGD NSU) is famous not only because of its specific location in Academgorodok (Novosibirsk, Russia) but because of its unique traditions: - conception of permanent geology education (starting from school to scientific research for postgraduate programs) - flexible curricula allowing students to be involved in research from the second year of study - field trips covering not only famous geologic objects in Siberia (Baikal, Siberian Traps, Altay, etc.), but places all over the world. GGD students traditionally participate in the following field trips: Altay (after the first year of study), Shira (Krasnoyarsk Krai) (after the second year of study). Further field trips are real research projects and cover various places in Siberia, Russia and other countries (China, Africa, USA, Mongolia, etc.). Shira field camp is of specific interest not only because of its various geology and interesting location (it is located in the resort area surrounded by beautiful landscapes, fresh and salt lakes of various salinity) but infrastructure. This year the Top 100 Project allows the department to upgrade the camp and therefore use it not only for field trips, but for other various purposes including international conferences, research projects, geo- and ecotourism. GGD NSU is ready to be involved into research, exchange educational programs and other projects (both domestically and internationally) based on the renewed Shira field camp.

SeaDataNet Pan-European infrastructure for Ocean & Marine Data Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzella, G. M.; Maillard, C.; Maudire, G.; Schaap, D.; Rickards, L.; Nast, F.; Balopoulos, E.; Mikhailov, N.; Vladymyrov, V.; Pissierssens, P.; Schlitzer, R.; Beckers, J. M.; Barale, V.

2007-12-01

SEADATANET is developing a Pan-European data management infrastructure to insure access to a large number of marine environmental data (i.e. temperature, salinity current, sea level, chemical, physical and biological properties), safeguard and long term archiving. Data are derived from many different sensors installed on board of research vessels, satellite and the various platforms of the marine observing system. SeaDataNet allows to have information on real time and archived marine environmental data collected at a pan-european level, through directories on marine environmental data and projects. SeaDataNet allows the access to the most comprehensive multidisciplinary sets of marine in-situ and remote sensing data, from about 40 laboratories, through user friendly tools. The data selection and access is operated through the Common Data Index (CDI), XML files compliant with ISO standards and unified dictionaries. Technical Developments carried out by SeaDataNet includes: A library of Standards - Meta-data standards, compliant with ISO 19115, for communication and interoperability between the data platforms. Software of interoperable on line system - Interconnection of distributed data centres by interfacing adapted communication technology tools. Off-Line Data Management software - software representing the minimum equipment of all the data centres is developed by AWI "Ocean Data View (ODV)". Training, Education and Capacity Building - Training 'on the job' is carried out by IOC-Unesco in Ostende. SeaDataNet Virtual Educational Centre internet portal provides basic tools for informal education

The Infrastructure of Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Marshall S.; Wang, Phoenix M.

2007-01-01

The success of OER is likely to depend on a flexible, extendable infrastructure that will meet the challenges of an evolving World Wide Web. In this article, the authors examine three key dimensions of this infrastructure--technical, legal/cultural/social/political, and research--and discuss possible directions for development. (Contains 1 table…

Virtual Breakthrough Series, Part 2: Improving Fall Prevention Practices in the Veterans Health Administration.

PubMed

Zubkoff, Lisa; Neily, Julia; Quigley, Pat; Soncrant, Christina; Young-Xu, Yinong; Boar, Shoshana; Mills, Peter D

2016-11-01

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented a Virtual Breakthrough Series (VBTS) collaborative to help prevent falls and fall-related injuries. This project enabled teams to expand program infrastructure, redesign improvement strategies, and enhance program evaluation. A VBTS collaborative involves prework, action, and continuous improvement. Actions included educational calls, monthly reports, coaching, and feedback. Evaluation included assessment of interventions, team capacity and infrastructure changes, and rates of falls and fall-related major injuries. Fifty-nine teams completed the project. The majority submitted monthly reports. The average number of interventions per team was 6.66 (range, 1-12; mode = 6). The most frequently implemented changes were staff education; post-fall huddles; data tracking; and classifying falls, handoff communication, and intentional rounding. On a program questionnaire aggregated average summary scores improved from 136.54 (baseline) to 58.26 (follow-up; range, 0-189; p < 0.0001). The mean aggregated fall-related major injury rate for participants decreased from 6.8 to 4.8 per 100,000 bed-days of care (p = 0.02), or 5 major injuries avoided per month. No statistically significant changes occurred for nonparticipants. The mean aggregated fall rate did not change significantly from baseline to follow-up for participants (p = 0.42) or nonparticipants (p = 0.21). Teams submitted reports and implemented changes resulting in decreased major injuries related to falls for participating units. Teams also made changes in their fall prevention programs such as classifying how they analyze falls and implementing injury reduction strategies. The approaches used show promise for reducing fall-related harm for inpatients, as well as assisting teams in implementing changes. Copyright 2016 The Joint Commission.

Self-directed e-learning at a tertiary hospital in Malawi – A qualitative Evaluation and Lessons learnt

PubMed Central

Barteit, Sandra; Hoepffner, Philip; Huwendiek, Sören; Karamagi, Angela; Munthali, Charles; Theurer, Antje; Neuhann, Florian

2015-01-01

Background: Malawi faces a severe lack of health workers. Despite initiatives to address this problem, a critical shortage of health care staff remains. This lack challenges the education and training of junior medical staff, especially medical interns in their final and crucial training year before they independently work as medical doctors. Project description: We have introduced an e-learning platform in the medical department of the Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Malawi. With the support of computer-assisted instruction, we aimed to improve the quality of medical training and education, as well as access to current medical materials, in particular for interns. Method: From March to April 2012, we conducted a qualitative evaluation to assess relevance and appropriateness of the e-learning platform. Data was collected via face-to-face interviews, a guided group discussion and a checklist based observation log. Evaluation data was recorded and coded using content analysis, interviewees were chosen via purposive sampling. Results: E-learning proved to be technically feasible in this setting. Users considered the e-learning platform to be relevant and appropriate. Concerns were raised about sustainability, accessibility and technical infrastructure, as well as limited involvement and responsibilities of Malawian partners. Interest in e-learning was high, yet, awareness of and knowledge about the e-learning platform among potential users was low. Evaluation results indicated that further adaptions to local needs are necessary to increase usage and accessibility. Conclusions: Interview results and our project experiences showed that, in the given setting, e-learning requires commitment from local stakeholders, adequate technical infrastructure, identification and assignation of responsibilities, as well as specific adaption to local needs. PMID:25699110

The Broadband Imperative: Recommendations to Address K-12 Education Infrastructure Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Christine; Waters, John; Fletcher, Geoff; Levin, Douglas

2012-01-01

It is a simple fact that access to high-speed broadband is now as vital a component of K-12 school infrastructure as electricity, air conditioning, and heating. The same tools and resources that have transformed educators' personal, civic, and professional lives must be part of learning experiences intended to prepare today's students for college…

Youth and Lifelong Education: After-School Programmes as a Vital Component of Lifelong Education Infrastructure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lauzon, Allan C.

2013-01-01

This paper argues that after-school programmes need to be considered an essential part of lifelong learning infrastructure, particularly in light of the dominance of the economic discourse in both lifelong learning literature and the initial schooling literature. The paper, which is based upon existing literature, begins by providing an overview…

Testing Omega P’s 650 KW, 1.3 GHZ Low-Voltage Multi-Beam Klystron for the Project X Pulsed LINAC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fermi Research Alliance; Omega-P Inc.

Omega-P Inc. had developed a multi beam 1.3 GHz klystron (MBK) for the Project X pulsed linac application. Testing of the klystron require a special hardware such as a modulator, RF components, control system, power supplies, etc, as well as associated infrastructure( electricity, water, safety). This is an expensive part of klystron development for which Omega-P does not have the required equipment. Fermilab will test the MBK at Fermilab site providing contribution to the project all the necessary facilities, infrastructure and manpower for MBK test performance and analysis.

California Hydrogen Infrastructure Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heydorn, Edward C

2013-03-12

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has completed a comprehensive, multiyear project to demonstrate a hydrogen infrastructure in California. The specific primary objective of the project was to demonstrate a model of a real-world retail hydrogen infrastructure and acquire sufficient data within the project to assess the feasibility of achieving the nation's hydrogen infrastructure goals. The project helped to advance hydrogen station technology, including the vehicle-to-station fueling interface, through consumer experiences and feedback. By encompassing a variety of fuel cell vehicles, customer profiles and fueling experiences, this project was able to obtain a complete portrait of real market needs. The projectmore » also opened its stations to other qualified vehicle providers at the appropriate time to promote widespread use and gain even broader public understanding of a hydrogen infrastructure. The project engaged major energy companies to provide a fueling experience similar to traditional gasoline station sites to foster public acceptance of hydrogen. Work over the course of the project was focused in multiple areas. With respect to the equipment needed, technical design specifications (including both safety and operational considerations) were written, reviewed, and finalized. After finalizing individual equipment designs, complete station designs were started including process flow diagrams and systems safety reviews. Material quotes were obtained, and in some cases, depending on the project status and the lead time, equipment was placed on order and fabrication began. Consideration was given for expected vehicle usage and station capacity, standard features needed, and the ability to upgrade the station at a later date. In parallel with work on the equipment, discussions were started with various vehicle manufacturers to identify vehicle demand (short- and long-term needs). Discussions included identifying potential areas most suited for hydrogen fueling stations with a focus on safe, convenient, fast-fills. These potential areas were then compared to and overlaid with suitable sites from various energy companies and other potential station operators. Work continues to match vehicle needs with suitable fueling station locations. Once a specific site was identified, the necessary agreements could be completed with the station operator and expected station users. Detailed work could then begin on the site drawings, permits, safety procedures and training needs. Permanent stations were successfully installed in Irvine (delivered liquid hydrogen), Torrance (delivered pipeline hydrogen) and Fountain Valley (renewable hydrogen from anaerobic digester gas). Mobile fueling stations were also deployed to meet short-term fueling needs in Long Beach and Placerville. Once these stations were brought online, infrastructure data was collected and reported to DOE using Air Products Enterprise Remote Access Monitoring system. Feedback from station operators was incorporated to improve the station user's fueling experience.« less

The Quixote project: Collaborative and Open Quantum Chemistry data management in the Internet age.

PubMed

Adams, Sam; de Castro, Pablo; Echenique, Pablo; Estrada, Jorge; Hanwell, Marcus D; Murray-Rust, Peter; Sherwood, Paul; Thomas, Jens; Townsend, Joe

2011-10-14

Computational Quantum Chemistry has developed into a powerful, efficient, reliable and increasingly routine tool for exploring the structure and properties of small to medium sized molecules. Many thousands of calculations are performed every day, some offering results which approach experimental accuracy. However, in contrast to other disciplines, such as crystallography, or bioinformatics, where standard formats and well-known, unified databases exist, this QC data is generally destined to remain locally held in files which are not designed to be machine-readable. Only a very small subset of these results will become accessible to the wider community through publication.In this paper we describe how the Quixote Project is developing the infrastructure required to convert output from a number of different molecular quantum chemistry packages to a common semantically rich, machine-readable format and to build respositories of QC results. Such an infrastructure offers benefits at many levels. The standardised representation of the results will facilitate software interoperability, for example making it easier for analysis tools to take data from different QC packages, and will also help with archival and deposition of results. The repository infrastructure, which is lightweight and built using Open software components, can be implemented at individual researcher, project, organisation or community level, offering the exciting possibility that in future many of these QC results can be made publically available, to be searched and interpreted just as crystallography and bioinformatics results are today.Although we believe that quantum chemists will appreciate the contribution the Quixote infrastructure can make to the organisation and and exchange of their results, we anticipate that greater rewards will come from enabling their results to be consumed by a wider community. As the respositories grow they will become a valuable source of chemical data for use by other disciplines in both research and education.The Quixote project is unconventional in that the infrastructure is being implemented in advance of a full definition of the data model which will eventually underpin it. We believe that a working system which offers real value to researchers based on tools and shared, searchable repositories will encourage early participation from a broader community, including both producers and consumers of data. In the early stages, searching and indexing can be performed on the chemical subject of the calculations, and well defined calculation meta-data. The process of defining more specific quantum chemical definitions, adding them to dictionaries and extracting them consistently from the results of the various software packages can then proceed in an incremental manner, adding additional value at each stage.Not only will these results help to change the data management model in the field of Quantum Chemistry, but the methodology can be applied to other pressing problems related to data in computational and experimental science.

The Quixote project: Collaborative and Open Quantum Chemistry data management in the Internet age

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Computational Quantum Chemistry has developed into a powerful, efficient, reliable and increasingly routine tool for exploring the structure and properties of small to medium sized molecules. Many thousands of calculations are performed every day, some offering results which approach experimental accuracy. However, in contrast to other disciplines, such as crystallography, or bioinformatics, where standard formats and well-known, unified databases exist, this QC data is generally destined to remain locally held in files which are not designed to be machine-readable. Only a very small subset of these results will become accessible to the wider community through publication. In this paper we describe how the Quixote Project is developing the infrastructure required to convert output from a number of different molecular quantum chemistry packages to a common semantically rich, machine-readable format and to build respositories of QC results. Such an infrastructure offers benefits at many levels. The standardised representation of the results will facilitate software interoperability, for example making it easier for analysis tools to take data from different QC packages, and will also help with archival and deposition of results. The repository infrastructure, which is lightweight and built using Open software components, can be implemented at individual researcher, project, organisation or community level, offering the exciting possibility that in future many of these QC results can be made publically available, to be searched and interpreted just as crystallography and bioinformatics results are today. Although we believe that quantum chemists will appreciate the contribution the Quixote infrastructure can make to the organisation and and exchange of their results, we anticipate that greater rewards will come from enabling their results to be consumed by a wider community. As the respositories grow they will become a valuable source of chemical data for use by other disciplines in both research and education. The Quixote project is unconventional in that the infrastructure is being implemented in advance of a full definition of the data model which will eventually underpin it. We believe that a working system which offers real value to researchers based on tools and shared, searchable repositories will encourage early participation from a broader community, including both producers and consumers of data. In the early stages, searching and indexing can be performed on the chemical subject of the calculations, and well defined calculation meta-data. The process of defining more specific quantum chemical definitions, adding them to dictionaries and extracting them consistently from the results of the various software packages can then proceed in an incremental manner, adding additional value at each stage. Not only will these results help to change the data management model in the field of Quantum Chemistry, but the methodology can be applied to other pressing problems related to data in computational and experimental science. PMID:21999363

Arctic cities and climate change: climate-induced changes in stability of Russian urban infrastructure built on permafrost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiklomanov, Nikolay; Streletskiy, Dmitry; Swales, Timothy

2014-05-01

Planned socio-economic development during the Soviet period promoted migration into the Arctic and work force consolidation in urbanized settlements to support mineral resources extraction and transportation industries. These policies have resulted in very high level of urbanization in the Soviet Arctic. Despite the mass migration from the northern regions during the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the diminishing government support, the Russian Arctic population remains predominantly urban. In five Russian Administrative regions underlined by permafrost and bordering the Arctic Ocean 66 to 82% (depending on region) of the total population is living in Soviet-era urban communities. The political, economic and demographic changes in the Russian Arctic over the last 20 years are further complicated by climate change which is greatly amplified in the Arctic region. One of the most significant impacts of climate change on arctic urban landscapes is the warming and degradation of permafrost which negatively affects the structural integrity of infrastructure. The majority of structures in the Russian Arctic are built according to the passive principle, which promotes equilibrium between the permafrost thermal regime and infrastructure foundations. This presentation is focused on quantitative assessment of potential changes in stability of Russian urban infrastructure built on permafrost in response to ongoing and future climatic changes using permafrost - geotechnical model forced by GCM-projected climate. To address the uncertainties in GCM projections we have utilized results from 6 models participated in most recent IPCC model inter-comparison project. The analysis was conducted for entire extent of Russian permafrost-affected area and on several representative urban communities. Our results demonstrate that significant observed reduction in urban infrastructure stability throughout the Russian Arctic can be attributed to climatic changes and that projected future climatic changes will further negatively affect communities on permafrost. However, the uncertainties in magnitude and spatial and temporal patterns of projected climate change produced by individual GCMs translate to substantial variability of the future state of infrastructure built on permafrost.

Educating the humanitarian engineer.

PubMed

Passino, Kevin M

2009-12-01

The creation of new technologies that serve humanity holds the potential to help end global poverty. Unfortunately, relatively little is done in engineering education to support engineers' humanitarian efforts. Here, various strategies are introduced to augment the teaching of engineering ethics with the goal of encouraging engineers to serve as effective volunteers for community service. First, codes of ethics, moral frameworks, and comparative analysis of professional service standards lay the foundation for expectations for voluntary service in the engineering profession. Second, standard coverage of global issues in engineering ethics educates humanitarian engineers about aspects of the community that influence technical design constraints encountered in practice. Sample assignments on volunteerism are provided, including a prototypical design problem that integrates community constraints into a technical design problem in a novel way. Third, it is shown how extracurricular engineering organizations can provide a theory-practice approach to education in volunteerism. Sample completed projects are described for both undergraduates and graduate students. The student organization approach is contrasted with the service-learning approach. Finally, long-term goals for establishing better infrastructure are identified for educating the humanitarian engineer in the university, and supporting life-long activities of humanitarian engineers.

Transportation Infrastructure Design and Construction \\0x16 Virtual Training Tools

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-09-01

This project will develop 3D interactive computer-training environments for a major element of transportation infrastructure : hot mix asphalt paving. These tools will include elements of hot mix design (including laboratory equipment) and constructi...

Comparison of WinSLAMM Modeled Results with Monitored Biofiltration Data

EPA Science Inventory

The US EPA’s Green Infrastructure Demonstration project in Kansas City incorporates both small scale individual biofiltration device monitoring, along with large scale watershed monitoring. The test watershed (100 acres) is saturated with green infrastructure components (includin...

Vehicle-to-infrastructure program cooperative adaptive cruise control.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-01

This report documents the work completed by the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partners LLC (CAMP) Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) Consortium during the project titled Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC). Participating companies in the V2I Cons...

Integrating grey and green infrastructure to improve the health and well-being of urban populations

Treesearch

Erika S. Svendsen; Mary E. Northridge; Sara S. Metcalf

2012-01-01

One of the enduring lessons of cities is the essential relationship between grey infrastructure (e.g., streets and buildings) and green infrastructure (e.g., parks and open spaces). The design and management of natural resources to enhance human health and well-being may be traced back thousands of years to the earliest urban civilizations. From the irrigation projects...

Crowdsourcing Physical Network Topology Mapping With Net.Tagger

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

backend server infrastructure . This in- cludes a full security audit, better web services handling, and integration with the OSM stack and dataset to...a novel approach to network infrastructure mapping that combines smartphone apps with crowdsourced collection to gather data for offline aggregation...and analysis. The project aims to build a map of physical network infrastructure such as fiber-optic cables, facilities, and access points. The

The Electronic Data Methods (EDM) forum for comparative effectiveness research (CER).

PubMed

Holve, Erin; Segal, Courtney; Lopez, Marianne Hamilton; Rein, Alison; Johnson, Beth H

2012-07-01

AcademyHealth convened the Electronic Data Methods (EDM) Forum to collect, synthesize, and share lessons from eleven projects that are building infrastructure and using electronic clinical data for comparative effectiveness research (CER) and patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR). This paper provides a brief review of participating projects and provides a framework of common challenges. EDM Forum staff conducted a text review of relevant grant programs' funding opportunity announcements; projects' research plans; and available information on projects' websites. Additional information was obtained from presentations provided by each project; phone calls with project principal investigators, affiliated partners, and staff from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); and six site visits. Projects participating in the EDM Forum are building infrastructure and developing innovative strategies to address a set of methodological, and data and informatics challenges, here identified in a common framework. The eleven networks represent more than 20 states and include a range of partnership models. Projects vary substantially in size, from 11,000 to more than 7.5 million individuals. Nearly all of the AHRQ priority populations and conditions are addressed. In partnership with the projects, the EDM Forum is focused on identifying and sharing lessons learned to advance the national dialogue on the use of electronic clinical data to conduct CER and PCOR. These efforts have the shared goal of addressing challenges in traditional research studies and data sources, and aim to build infrastructure and generate evidence to support a learning health care system that can improve patient outcomes.

Review of EuCARD project on accelerator infrastructure in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

2013-01-01

The aim of big infrastructural and research programs (like pan-European Framework Programs) and individual projects realized inside these programs in Europe is to structure the European Research Area - ERA in this way as to be competitive with the leaders of the world. One of this projects in EuCARD (European Coordination of Accelerator Research and Development) with the aim to structure and modernize accelerator, (including accelerators for big free electron laser machines) research infrastructure. This article presents the periodic development of EuCARD which took place between the annual meeting, April 2012 in Warsaw and SC meeting in Uppsala, December 2012. The background of all these efforts are achievements of the LHC machine and associated detectors in the race for new physics. The LHC machine works in the regime of p-p, Pb-p, Pb-Pb (protons and lead ions). Recently, a discovery by the LHC of Higgs like boson, has started vivid debates on the further potential of this machine and the future. The periodic EuCARD conference, workshop and meetings concern building of the research infrastructure, including in this advanced photonic and electronic systems for servicing large high energy physics experiments. There are debated a few basic groups of such systems like: measurement - control networks of large geometrical extent, multichannel systems for large amounts of metrological data acquisition, precision photonic networks of reference time, frequency and phase distribution. The aim of the discussion is not only summarize the current status but make plans and prepare practically to building new infrastructures. Accelerator science and technology is one of a key enablers of the developments in the particle physic, photon physics and also applications in medicine and industry. Accelerator technology is intensely developed in all developed nations and regions of the world. The EuCARD project contains a lot of subjects related directly and indirectly to photon physics and photonics, as well as optoelectronics, electronics and integration of these with large research infrastructure.

Educating for action: Aligning skills with policies for sustainable development in the Danube river basin.

PubMed

Irvine, Kenneth; Weigelhofer, Gabriele; Popescu, Ioana; Pfeiffer, Ellen; Păun, Andrei; Drobot, Radu; Gettel, Gretchen; Staska, Bernadette; Stanica, Adrian; Hein, Thomas; Habersack, Helmut

2016-02-01

Sustainable river basin management depends on knowledge, skills and education. The DANCERS project set out to identify feasible options for achieving education for sustainable water management across the Danube river basin, and its integration with broader education and economic development. The study traced the historic, regulatory and educational landscape of water management in the basin, contrasting it with the complex political decision-making, data-heavy decision support, learning-centred collaboration, and information-based participation that are all inherent components of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). While there is a wide range of educational opportunities and mobility schemes available to individuals, there is no coherent network related to training in water management and sustainable development in the study region. Progress in addressing the multi-layered environmental challenges within the basin requires further aligning of economic, environmental and educational policies, advancing the EU Bologna Process across the region, and the development of dedicated training programmes that combine technical and relational skills. The DANCERS project identified key short and medium term needs for education and research to support progressive adoption of sustainable development, and the necessary dialogue across the public and private sectors to align policies. These include the development of new education networks for masters and PhD programmes, including joint programmes; improved access to technical training and life-long learning programmes for skills development; developing formalized and certified competency structures and associated accreditation of institutions where such skilled individuals work; and developing a co-ordinated research infrastructure and pan-basin programme for research for water management and sustainable development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Roadmap for Developing of Brokering as a Component of EarthCube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearlman, J.; Khalsa, S. S.; Browdy, S.; Duerr, R. E.; Nativi, S.; Parsons, M. A.; Pearlman, F.; Robinson, E. M.

2012-12-01

The goal of NSF's EarthCube is to create a sustainable infrastructure that enables the sharing of all geosciences data, information, and knowledge in an open, transparent and inclusive manner. Key to achieving the EarthCube vision is establishing a process that will guide the evolution of the infrastructure through community engagement and appropriate investment so that the infrastructure is embraced and utilized by the entire geosciences community. In this presentation we describe a roadmap, developed through the EarthCube Brokering Concept Award, for an evolutionary process of infrastructure and interoperability development. All geoscience communities already have, to a greater or lesser degree, elements of an information infrastructure in place. These elements include resources such as data archives, catalogs, and portals as well as vocabularies, data models, protocols, best practices and other community conventions. What is necessary now is a process for consolidating these diverse infrastructure elements into an overall infrastructure that provides easy discovery, access and utilization of resources across disciplinary boundaries. This process of consolidation will be achieved by creating "interfaces," what we call "brokers," between systems. Brokers connect disparate systems without imposing new burdens upon those systems, and enable the infrastructure to adjust to new technical developments and scientific requirements as they emerge. Robust cyberinfrastructure will arise only when social, organizational, and cultural issues are resolved in tandem with the creation of technology-based services. This is best done through use-case-driven requirements and agile, iterative development methods. It is important to start by solving real (not hypothetical) information access and use problems via small pilot projects that develop capabilities targeted to specific communities. These pilots can then grow into larger prototypes addressing intercommunity problems working towards a full-scale socio-technical infrastructure vision. Brokering, as a critical capability for connecting systems, evolves over time through more connections and increased functionality. This adaptive process allows for continual evaluation as to how well science-driven use cases are being met. Several NSF infrastructure projects are underway and beginning to shape the next generation of information sharing. There is a near term, and possibly unique, opportunity to increase the impact and interconnectivity of these projects, and further improve science research collaboration through brokering. Brokering has been demonstrated to be an essential part of a robust, adaptive infrastructure, but critical questions of governance and detailed implementation remain. Our roadmap proposes the expansion of brokering pilots into fully operational prototypes that work with the broader science and informatics communities to answer these questions, connect existing and emerging systems, and evolve the EarthCube infrastructure.

The 3D Elevation Program and America's infrastructure

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lukas, Vicki; Carswell, Jr., William J.

2016-11-07

Infrastructure—the physical framework of transportation, energy, communications, water supply, and other systems—and construction management—the overall planning, coordination, and control of a project from beginning to end—are critical to the Nation’s prosperity. The American Society of Civil Engineers has warned that, despite the importance of the Nation’s infrastructure, it is in fair to poor condition and needs sizable and urgent investments to maintain and modernize it, and to ensure that it is sustainable and resilient. Three-dimensional (3D) light detection and ranging (lidar) elevation data provide valuable productivity, safety, and cost-saving benefits to infrastructure improvement projects and associated construction management. By providing data to users, the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) of the U.S. Geological Survey reduces users’ costs and risks and allows them to concentrate on their mission objectives. 3DEP includes (1) data acquisition partnerships that leverage funding, (2) contracts with experienced private mapping firms, (3) technical expertise, lidar data standards, and specifications, and (4) most important, public access to high-quality 3D elevation data. The size and breadth of improvements for the Nation’s infrastructure and construction management needs call for an efficient, systematic approach to acquiring foundational 3D elevation data. The 3DEP approach to national data coverage will yield large cost savings over individual project-by-project acquisitions and will ensure that data are accessible for other critical applications.

The World Wide Web as a Medium of Instruction: What Works and What Doesn't

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCarthy, Marianne; Grabowski, Barbara; Hernandez, Angel; Koszalka, Tiffany; Duke, Lee

1997-01-01

A conference was held on March 18-20, 1997 to investigate the lessons learned by the Aeronautics Cooperative Agreement Projects with regard to the most effective strategies for developing instruction for the World Wide Web. The conference was a collaboration among the NASA Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology Centers (Ames, Dryden, Langley, and Lewis), NASA Headquarters, the University of Idaho and The Pennsylvania State University. The conference consisted of presentations by the Aeronautics Cooperative Agreement Teams, the University of Idaho, and working sessions in which the participants addressed teacher training and support, technology, evaluation and pedagogy. The conference was also undertaken as part of the Dryden Learning Technologies Project which is a collaboration between the Dryden Education Office and The Pennsylvania State University. The DFRC Learning Technology Project goals relevant to the conference are as follows: conducting an analysis of current teacher needs, classroom infrastructure and exemplary instructional World Wide Web sites, and developing models for Web-enhanced learning environments that optimize teaching practices and student learning.

23 CFR 505.7 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS OF... under this program: (a) A project meeting the definition of an eligible project under 505.5 of this section located fully within one State shall have eligible project costs that are quantified in the...

Transportation Infrastructure: Central Artery/Tunnel Project Faces Continued Financial Uncertainties

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-05-01

At a cost of over $1 billion a mile, the Central Artery/Tunnel project - an Interstate Highway System project in Boston, Massachusetts - is one of the largest, most complex, and most expensive highway construction projects ever undertaken. In respons...

Resource allocation in road infrastructure using ANP priorities with ZOGP formulation-A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alias, Suriana; Adna, Norfarziah; Soid, Siti Khuzaimah; Kardri, Mahani

2013-09-01

Road Infrastructure (RI) project evaluation and selection is concern with the allocation of scarce organizational resources. In this paper, it is suggest an improved RI project selection methodology which reflects interdependencies among evaluation criteria and candidate projects. Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) is use to evoking expert group opinion and also to determine a degree of interdependences relationship between the alternative projects. In order to provide a systematic approach to set priorities among multi-criteria and trade-off among objectives, Analytic Network Process (ANP) is suggested to be applied prior to Zero-One Goal Programming (ZOGP) formulation. Specifically, this paper demonstrated how to combined FDM and ANP with ZOGP through a real-world RI empirical example on an ongoing decision-making project in Johor, Malaysia.

Mental health research in Brazil: policies, infrastructure, financing and human resources.

PubMed

Mari, Jair de Jesus; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Almeida-Filho, Naomar; Gerolin, Jerônimo; Sharan, Pratap; Saxena, Shekhar

2006-02-01

The objective of this descriptive study was to map mental health research in Brazil, providing an overview of infrastructure, financing and policies mental health research. As part of the Atlas-Research Project, a WHO initiative to map mental health research in selected low and middle-income countries, this study was carried out between 1998 and 2002. Data collection strategies included evaluation of governmental documents and sites and questionnaires sent to key professionals for providing information about the Brazilian mental health research infrastructure. In the year 2002, the total budget for Health Research was USD 101 million, of which USD 3.4 million (3.4) was available for Mental Health Research. The main funding sources for mental health research were found to be the São Paulo State Funding Agency (FAPESP, 53.2%) and the Ministry of Education (CAPES, 30.2%). The rate of doctors is 1.7 per 1,000 inhabitants, and the rate of psychiatrists is 2.7 per 100,000 inhabitants estimated 2000 census. In 2002, there were 53 postgraduate courses directed to mental health training in Brazil (43 in psychology, six in psychiatry, three in psychobiology and one in psychiatric nursing), with 1,775 students being trained in Brazil and 67 overseas. There were nine programs including psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, psychobiology and mental health, seven of them implemented in Southern states. During the five-year period, 186 students got a doctoral degree (37 per year) and 637 articles were published in Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)-indexed journals. The investment channeled towards postgraduate and human resource education programs, by means of grants and other forms of research support, has secured the country a modest but continuous insertion in the international knowledge production in the mental health area.

Zooniverse - A Platform for Data-Driven Citizen Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, A.; Lintott, C.; Bamford, S.; Fortson, L.

2011-12-01

In July 2007 a team of astrophysicists created a web-based astronomy project called Galaxy Zoo in which members of the public were asked to classify galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey by their shape. Over the following year a community of more than 150,000 people classified each of the 1 million galaxies more than 50 times each. Four years later this community of 'citizen scientists' is more than 450,000 strong and is contributing their time and efforts to more than 10 Zooniverse projects each with its own science team and research case. With projects ranging from transcribing ancient greek texts (ancientlives.org) to lunar science (moonzoo.org) the challenges to the Zooniverse community have gone well beyond the relatively simple original Galaxy Zoo interface. Delivering a range of citizen science projects to a large web-based audience presents challenges on a number of fronts including interface design, data architecture/modelling and reduction techniques, web-infrastructure and software design. In this paper we will describe how the Zooniverse team (a collaboration of scientists, software developers and educators ) have developed tools and techniques to solve some of these issues.

Project Fever - Fostering Electric Vehicle Expansion in the Rockies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swalnick, Natalia

2013-06-30

Project FEVER (Fostering Electric Vehicle Expansion in the Rockies) is a part of the Clean Cities Community Readiness and Planning for Plug-in Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure Funding Opportunity funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the state of Colorado. Tasks undertaken in this project include: Electric Vehicle Grid Impact Assessment; Assessment of Electrical Permitting and Inspection for EV/EVSE (electric vehicle/electric vehicle supply equipment); Assessment of Local Ordinances Pertaining to Installation of Publicly Available EVSE;Assessment of Building Codes for EVSE; EV Demand and Energy/Air Quality Impacts Assessment; State and Local Policy Assessment; EV Grid Impact Minimization Efforts; Unificationmore » and Streamlining of Electrical Permitting and Inspection for EV/EVSE; Development of BMP for Local EVSE Ordinances; Development of BMP for Building Codes Pertaining to EVSE; Development of Colorado-Specific Assessment for EV/EVSE Energy/Air Quality Impacts; Development of State and Local Policy Best Practices; Create Final EV/EVSE Readiness Plan; Develop Project Marketing and Communications Elements; Plan and Schedule In-person Education and Outreach Opportunities.« less

The EV Project Price/Fee Models for Publicly Accessible Charging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Francfort, James Edward

As plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are introduced to the market place and gain more consumer acceptance, it is important for a robust and self-sustaining non-residential infrastructure of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to be established to meet the needs of PEV drivers. While federal and state financial incentives for electric vehicles were in place and remain so today, future incentives are uncertain. In order for PEVs to achieve mainstream adoption, an adequate and sustainable commercial or publicly available charging infrastructure was pursued by The EV Project to encourage increased PEV purchases by alleviating range anxiety, and by removing adoption barriersmore » for consumers without a dedicated overnight parking location to provide a home-base charger. This included determining a business model for publicly accessible charge infrastructure. To establish this business model, The EV Project team created a fee for charge model along with various ancillary offerings related to charging that would generate revenue. And after placing chargers in the field the Project rolled out this fee structure.« less

Infrastructure and Resources of Private Schools in Cali and the Implementation of the Bilingual Colombia Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miranda, Norbella; Echeverry, Ángela Patricia

2010-01-01

Institutional factors affect the implementation of educational policies. Physical school infrastructure and the availability of resources determine to a certain extent whether a policy may be successfully transformed into practice. This article provides a description and analysis of school infrastructure and resources of private institutions of…

Infrastructure Redesign and Instructional Reform in Mathematics: Formal Structure and Teacher Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Megan; Spillane, James P.; Jakopovic, Paula; Heaton, Ruth M.

2013-01-01

Designing infrastructures to support instruction remains a challenge in educational reform. This article reports on a study of one school system's efforts to redesign its infrastructure for mathematics instruction by promoting teacher leadership. Using social network and interview data from 12 elementary schools, we explore how the district's…

The Broadband Imperative: Recommendations to Address K-12 Education Infrastructure Needs. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, C.; Waters, J.; Fletcher, G.; Levin, D.

2012-01-01

It is a simple fact that access to high-speed broadband is now as vital a component of K-12 school infrastructure as electricity, air conditioning, and heating. The same tools and resources that have transformed educators' personal, civic, and professional lives must be part of learning experiences intended to prepare today's students for college…

The Development and Infrastructure Needs Required for Success--One College's Model: Online Nursing Education at Drexel University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornelius, Fran; Glasgow, Mary Ellen Smith

2007-01-01

Technology's impact on the delivery of health care mandates that nursing faculty use all technologies at their disposal to better prepare students to work in technology-infused health care environments. Essential components of an infrastructure to grow technology-infused nursing education include a skilled team comprised of tech-savvy faculty and…

Distance Education Assessment Infrastructure and Process Design Based on International Standard 23988

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaffer, Steven C.

2012-01-01

Assessment is an important part of distance education (DE). As class sizes get larger and workloads increase, the IT infrastructure and processes used for DE assessments become more of an issue. Using the BS ISO/IEC 23988:2007 Standard for the use of technology in the delivery of assessments as a guide, this paper describes a rational approach to…

How Much and What Kind? Identifying an Adequate Technology Infrastructure for Early Childhood Education. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daugherty, Lindsay; Dossani, Rafiq; Johnson, Erin-Elizabeth; Wright, Cameron

2014-01-01

To realize the potential benefits of technology use in early childhood education (ECE), and to ensure that technology can help to address the digital divide, providers, families of young children, and young children themselves must have access to an adequate technology infrastructure. The goals for technology use in ECE that a technology…

Siberia Integrated Regional Study megaproject: approaches, first results and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordov, E. P.; Vaganov, E. A.

2010-12-01

Siberia Integrated Regional Study (SIRS, http://sirs.scert.ru/en/) is a NEESPI megaproject coordinating national and international activity in the region in line with Earth System Science Program approach whose overall objectives are to understand impact of Global change on on-going regional climate and ecosystems dynamics; to study future potential changes in both, and to estimate possible influence of those processes on the whole Earth System dynamics. Needs for SIRS are caused by accelerated warming occurring in Siberia, complexity of on-going and potential land-surface processes sharpened by inherent hydrology pattern and permafrost presence, and lack of reliable high-resolution meteorological and climatic modeling data. The SIRS approaches include coordination of different scale national and international projects, capacity building targeted to early career researchers thematic education and training, and development of distributed information-computational infrastructure required in support of multidisciplinary teams of specialists performing cooperative work with tools for sharing of data, models and knowledge. Coordination within SIRS projects is devoted to major regional and global risks rising with regional environment changes and currently is concentrated on three interrelated problems, whose solution has strong regional environmental and socio-economical impacts and is very important for understanding potential change of the whole Earth System dynamics: Permafrost border shift, which seriously threatens the oil and gas transporting infrastructure and leads to additional carbon release; Desert - steppe- forest-tundra ecosystems changes, which might vary region input into global carbon cycle as well as provoke serious socio-economical consequences for local population; and Temperature/precipitation/hydrology regime changes, which might increase risks of forest and peat fires, thus causing significant carbon release from the region under study. Some findings of those projects will be presented in the report. The information-computational infrastructure is aimed to manage multidisciplinary environmental data and to generate high resolution data sets on demand. One of its key elements, optimizing the usage of information-computational resources, services and applications is the climatic web portal under development. The prototype (http://climate.risks.scert.ru/) is now providing an access to an interactive web- GIS system for climate change assessment on the base of available meteorological data archives in the selected region. SIRS education and training program is run via annual organization in the region either international multidisciplinary conference with elements of young scientists school ENVIROMIS or young scientists school and collocated international conference CITES (http://www.scert.ru/en/conferences/). All the listed above activities have an international dimension whose enlargement might significantly assist in profound understanding of regional and global consequences in on-going Siberia processes.

Broad economic benefits of freight transportation infrastructure improvement.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

This project strives to introduce a novel way to quantify the broad re-organization benefits associated with an : improvement in the freight infrastructure. Using the approach based on 1) the technique known as Field of Influence, and : 2) RAS adjust...

Digital Signature Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassler, Vesna; Biely, Helmut

1999-01-01

Describes the Digital Signature Project that was developed in Austria to establish an infrastructure for applying smart card-based digital signatures in banking and electronic-commerce applications. Discusses the need to conform to international standards, an international certification infrastructure, and security features for a public directory…

InSAR remote sensing for performance monitoring of transportation infrastructure at the network level.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-11

The goal of the project was the implementation of interferometric synthetic aperture radar : (InSAR) monitoring techniques to allow for early detection of geohazard, potentially : affecting the transportation infrastructure, as well as the monitoring...

Examination of State-of-the-Art Rehabilitation Technologies for the Nation's Water Infrastructure - slides

EPA Science Inventory

The research overview of the US EPA Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program includes: Research areas: condition assessment; rehabilitation; advanced design/treatment concepts and Research project focused on innovative rehabilitation technologies to reduce costs and increase...

Developing self-cleaning and air purifying transportation infrastructure components to minimize environmental impact of transportation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

Creating transportation infrastructure, which can clean up itself and contaminated air surrounding it, can be a : groundbreaking approach in addressing environmental challenges of our time. This project has explored a possibility of : depositing coat...

Intermodal transportation infrastructure interactions : utilizing acoustic emission and other non-destructive evaluation technologies.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-01

This project studied application of acoustic emission (AE) technology to perform structural : health monitoring of highway bridges. Highway bridges are a vital part of transportation : infrastructure and there is need for reliable non-destructive met...

Introduction of Cooperative Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Systems to Improve Speed Harmonization

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-03-01

This project executed a preliminary experiment of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I)-based speed harmonization in which speed guidance was communicated directly to vehicles. This experiment involved a set of micro-simulation experiments and a limited nu...

Management advisory memorandum on National Airspace System infrastructure management system prototype, Federal Aviation Administration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-03-01

This is our Management Advisory Memorandum on the National Airspace : System (NAS) Infrastructure Management System (NIMS) prototype : project in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Our review was : initiated in response to a hotline complaint...

Prototype Rail Crossing Violation Warning Application Project Report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-09-05

This report is the Project Report for the Rail Crossing Violation Warning (RCVW) safety application developed for the project on Rail Crossing Violation Warning Application and Infrastructure Connection, providing a means for equipped connected vehic...

Learn about the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides financial assistance for a range of water infrastructure projects. Learn how it works, project eligibility, and types of financial assistance it can provide for water quality projects.

Parallel digital forensics infrastructure.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liebrock, Lorie M.; Duggan, David Patrick

2009-10-01

This report documents the architecture and implementation of a Parallel Digital Forensics infrastructure. This infrastructure is necessary for supporting the design, implementation, and testing of new classes of parallel digital forensics tools. Digital Forensics has become extremely difficult with data sets of one terabyte and larger. The only way to overcome the processing time of these large sets is to identify and develop new parallel algorithms for performing the analysis. To support algorithm research, a flexible base infrastructure is required. A candidate architecture for this base infrastructure was designed, instantiated, and tested by this project, in collaboration with New Mexicomore » Tech. Previous infrastructures were not designed and built specifically for the development and testing of parallel algorithms. With the size of forensics data sets only expected to increase significantly, this type of infrastructure support is necessary for continued research in parallel digital forensics. This report documents the implementation of the parallel digital forensics (PDF) infrastructure architecture and implementation.« less

Policy model for space economy infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komerath, Narayanan; Nally, James; Zilin Tang, Elizabeth

2007-12-01

Extraterrestrial infrastructure is key to the development of a space economy. Means for accelerating transition from today's isolated projects to a broad-based economy are considered. A large system integration approach is proposed. The beginnings of an economic simulation model are presented, along with examples of how interactions and coordination bring down costs. A global organization focused on space infrastructure and economic expansion is proposed to plan, coordinate, fund and implement infrastructure construction. This entity also opens a way to raise low-cost capital and solve the legal and public policy issues of access to extraterrestrial resources.

Assessing the Health Impact of the following Measures in Schools in Maradi (Niger): Construction of Latrines, Clean Water Supply, Establishment of Hand Washing Stations, and Health Education

PubMed Central

Tohon, Zilahatou

2014-01-01

Objective. To assess the effect on health of the following measures in schools in Maradi (Niger): clean water supply, construction of latrines, establishment of hand washing stations, and health education. Methodology. It was a “before and after” intervention study on a sample of school children aged 7 to 12 years in the Maradi region. The interventions included building of latrines, supplying clean water, setting up hand washing stations, and teaching health education lessons. An individual questionnaire, analysis of stool samples, and a group questionnaire were administered to children and teachers, respectively. The threshold for significance was set at P < 0.05. Results. A statistically significant reduction in cases of diarrhoea and abdominal pains was noted after the project. Overall, carriage of at least one parasite increased from 7.5% before the project to 10.2% after it (P = 0.04). In the programme group schools, there was a statistically significant increase in the prevalence of Hymenolepis nana, from 0 to 1.9 (P = 0.02). Pinworm prevalence remained stable in this group but increased significantly in the control group. Conclusions. Putting health infrastructure in place in schools obviously had an impact on hygiene-related habits in the beneficiary schools and communities. PMID:24563779

Integrated Research and Capacity Building in Geophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willemann, R. J.; Lerner-Lam, A.; Nyblade, A.

2008-05-01

There have been special opportunities over the past several years to improve the ways that newly-constructed geophysical observatories in Southeast Asia and the Americas are linked with educational and civil institutions. Because these opportunities have been only partially fulfilled, there remains the possibility that new networks will not fully address desired goals or even lose operational capabilities. In contrast, the AfricaArray project continues to progress towards goals for linkages among education, research, mitigation and observatories. With support from the Office of International Science and Education at the US National Science Foundation, we convened a workshop to explore lessons learned from the AfricaArray experience and their relevance to network development opportunities in other regions. We found closer parallels than we expected between geophysical infrastructure in the predominantly low income countries of Africa with low risk of geophysical disasters and the mostly middle-income countries of Southeast Asia and the Americas with high risk of geophysical disasters. Except in larger countries of South America, workshop participants reported that there are very few geophysicists engaged in research and observatory operations, that geophysical education programs are nearly non-existent even at the undergraduate university level, and that many monitoring agencies continue to focus on limited missions even though closer relationships researchers could facilitate new services that would make important contributions to disaster mitigation and sustainable operations. Workshop participants began discussing plans for international research collaborations that, unlike many projects of even the recent past, would include long-term capacity building and disaster mitigation among their goals. Specific project objectives would include national or regional hazard mapping, development of indigenous education programs, training to address the needs of local monitoring agencies, strategic international university partnerships, commitments to open data, and installation of permanent analysis systems that include open- source software. Such projects are intrinsically more complex than pure research - partly because they require funding from multiple sources to address diverse goals - but experience in Africa suggests that integrated programs contribute to long-term capacity building in ways that projects founded on basic research questions may not.

Developing a Community-Academic Partnership to Improve Recognition and Treatment of Depression in Underserved African American and White Elders

PubMed Central

Dobransky-Fasiska, Deborah; Brown, Charlotte; Pincus, Harold A.; Nowalk, Mary P.; Wieland, Melissa; Parker, Lisa S.; Cruz, Mario; McMurray, Michelle L.; Mulsant, Benoit; Reynolds, Charles F.

2011-01-01

Objective Reducing mental health disparities among underserved populations, particularly African American elders, is an important public health priority. The authors describe the process and challenges of developing a community/academic research partnership to address these disparities. Methods The authors are using a Community-Based Participatory Research approach to gain access to underserved populations in need of depression treatment. The authors identify six stages: 1) Collaborating to Secure Funding; 2) Building a Communications Platform and Research Infrastructure; 3) Fostering Enduring Relationships; 4) Assessing Needs/Educating about Research Process; 5) Initiating Specific Collaborative Projects (meeting mutual needs/interests); and 6) Maintaining a Sustainable and Productive Partnership. Data from a needs assessment developed collaboratively by researchers and community agencies facilitated agreement on mutual research goals, while strengthening the partnership. Results A community/academic-based partnership with a solid research infrastructure has been established and maintained for 3 years. Using the results of a needs assessment, the working partnership prioritized and launched several projects. Through interviews and questionnaires, community partners identified best practices for researchers working in the community. Future research and interventional projects have been developed, including plans for sustainability that will eventually shift more responsibility from the academic institution to the community agencies. Conclusions To reach underserved populations by developing and implementing models of more effective mental health treatment, it is vital to engage community agencies offering services to this population. A successful partnership requires “cultural humility,” collaborative efforts, and the development of flexible protocols to accommodate diverse communities. PMID:20104053

Advanced Computational Methods for Optimization of Non-Periodic Inspection Intervals for Aging Infrastructure

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-05

AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2017-0002 Advanced Computational Methods for Optimization of Non-Periodic Inspection Intervals for Aging Infrastructure Manabu...Computational Methods for Optimization of Non-Periodic Inspection Intervals for Aging Infrastructure 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT NUMBER FA2386...UNLIMITED: PB Public Release 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT This report for the project titled ’Advanced Computational Methods for Optimization of

Critical Infrastructure: The National Asset Database

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-16

Infrastructure: The National Asset Database 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e...upon which federal resources, including infrastructure protection grants , are allocated. According to DHS, both of those assumptions are wrong. DHS...assets that it has determined are critical to the nation. Also, while the National Asset Database has been used to support federal grant -making

Patient participation in ERS guidelines and research projects: the EMBARC experience.

PubMed

Chalmers, James D; Timothy, Alan; Polverino, Eva; Almagro, Marta; Ruddy, Thomas; Powell, Pippa; Boyd, Jeanette

2017-09-01

The European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) is a European Respiratory Society (ERS) Clinical Research Collaboration dedicated to improving research and clinical care for people with bronchiectasis. EMBARC has created a European Bronchiectasis Registry, funded by the ERS and by the European Union (EU) Innovative Medicines Initiative Programme. From the outset, EMBARC had the ambition to be a patient-focussed project. In contrast to many respiratory diseases, however, there are no specific patient charities or European patient organisations for patients with bronchiectasis and no existing infrastructure for patient engagement. This article describes the experience of EMBARC and the European Lung Foundation in establishing a patient advisory group and then engaging this group in European guidelines, an international registry and a series of research studies. Patient involvement in research, clinical guidelines and educational activities is increasingly advocated and increasingly important. Genuine patient engagement can achieve a number of goals that are critical to the success of an EU project, including focussing activities on patient priorities, allowing patients to direct the clinical and research agenda, and dissemination of guidelines and research findings to patients and the general public. Here, we review lessons learned and provide guidance for future ERS task forces, EU-funded projects or clinical research collaborations that are considering patient involvement. To understand the different ways in which patients can contribute to clinical guidelines, research projects and educational activities.To understand the barriers and potential solutions to these barriers from a physician's perspective, in order to ensure meaningful patient involvement in clinical projects.To understand the barriers and potential solutions from a patient's perspective, in order to meaningfully involve patients in clinical projects.

Impact of configuration management system of computer center on support of scientific projects throughout their lifecycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogdanov, A. V.; Iuzhanin, N. V.; Zolotarev, V. I.; Ezhakova, T. R.

2017-12-01

In this article the problem of scientific projects support throughout their lifecycle in the computer center is considered in every aspect of support. Configuration Management system plays a connecting role in processes related to the provision and support of services of a computer center. In view of strong integration of IT infrastructure components with the use of virtualization, control of infrastructure becomes even more critical to the support of research projects, which means higher requirements for the Configuration Management system. For every aspect of research projects support, the influence of the Configuration Management system is being reviewed and development of the corresponding elements of the system is being described in the present paper.

Civilian Skills for African Military Officers to Resolve the Infrastructure, Economic Development, and Stability Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Army War College,Strategic... projects build - ing Chinese infrastructure in both rural and urban ar- eas.53 The Chinese model thus instills a lifelong dedica- tion to and...Studies Institute,122 Forbes Avenue,Carlisle,PA,17013 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES

Safety and operations of hydrogen fuel infrastructure in northern climates : a collaborative complex systems approach.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-10-07

"This project examined the safety and operation of hydrogen (H2) fueling system infrastructure in : northern climates. A multidisciplinary team lead by the University of Vermont (UVM), : combined with investigators from Zhejiang and Tsinghua Universi...

78 FR 34661 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-10

...: Infrastructure development; collaboration and coordination among partner agencies, organizations, and service...). Project LAUNCH promotes the healthy development and wellness of children ages birth to eight years. A..., build infrastructure, and improve methods for providing services. Grantees implement a range of public...

Using Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure to Get Benefits From FEMA Programs

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

LID and Green Infrastructure is a cost-effective, resilient approach to stormwater management. Projects that reduce flood losses may be eligible for grant funding through FEMA and may allow communities to claim points through FEMA's rating system -CRS

Evaluating Green/Gray Infrastructure for CSO/Stormwater Control

EPA Science Inventory

The NRMRL is conducting this project to evaluate the water quality and quantity benefits of a large-scale application of green infrastructure (low-impact development/best management practices) retrofits in an entire subcatchment. It will document ORD's effort to demonstrate the e...

Implementation of the Texas Medication Algorithm Project patient and family education program.

PubMed

Toprac, Marcia G; Dennehy, Ellen B; Carmody, Thomas J; Crismon, M Lynn; Miller, Alexander L; Trivedi, Madhukar H; Suppes, Trisha; Rush, A John

2006-09-01

This article describes the implementation and utilization of the patient and family education program (PFEP) component of the Texas Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP). The extent of participation, types of psychoeducation received, and predictors of receiving at least a minimum level of education are presented. TMAP included medication guidelines, a dedicated clinical coordinator, standardized assessments of symptoms and side effects, uniform documentation, and a PFEP. The PFEP includes phased, multimodal, disorder-specific educational materials for patients and families. Participants were adult outpatients of 1 of 7 community mental health centers in Texas that were implementing the TMAP disease management package. Patients had DSM-IV clinical diagnoses of major depressive disorder, with or without psychotic features; bipolar I disorder or schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type; or schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Assessments were administered by independent research coordinators. Study data were collected between March 1998 and March 2000, and patients participated for at least 1 year. Of the 487 participants, nearly all (95.1%) had at least 1 educational encounter, but only 53.6% of participants met criteria for "minimum exposure" to individual education interventions. Furthermore, only 31.0% participated in group education, and 42.5% had a family member involved in at least 1 encounter. Participants with schizophrenia were less involved in the PFEP across multiple indicators of utilization. Diagnosis, intensity of symptoms, age, and receipt of public assistance were related to the likelihood of exposure to minimum levels of individual education. Despite adequate resources and infrastructure to provide PFEP, utilization was less than anticipated. Although implementation guidelines were uniform across diagnoses, participants with schizophrenia experienced less exposure to psychoeducation. Recommendations for improving program implementation and modification of materials are discussed.

Data access systems in the real world: How distributed environmental and socio-economic data from the Dutch Wadden Sea are being integrated and made accessible through one portal, using the SeaDataNet infrastructure as a basis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Bruin, T.; Thijsse, P.

2013-12-01

The Wadden Sea, an UNESCO World Heritage Site along the Northern coasts of The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, is a very valuable, yet also highly vulnerable tidal flats area. It is noted for its ecological diversity and value, being a stopover for large numbers of migrating birds. The Wadden Sea is also used intensively for economic activities by inhabitants of the surrounding coasts and islands, as well as by the many tourists visiting the area every year. A whole series of monitoring programmes of both ecological and socio-economic parameters is carried out by a range of governmental bodies and institutes, to study the natural processes occuring in the Wadden Sea ecosystems as well as the influence of human activities on those ecosystems. Yet, the monitoring programmes are scattered and it is difficult to get an overview of those monitoring activities or to get access to the data resulting from those monitoring programmes. The Wadden Sea Long Term Ecosystem Research (WaLTER) project aims to: 1. Provide access through one data portal to a base set of consistent, standardized, long-term data on changes in the Wadden Sea ecological and socio-economic systems, in order to model and understand interrelationships with human use, climate variation and possible other drivers. 2. Provide a research infrastructure, open access to commonly shared databases, educational facilities and one or more field sites in which experimental, innovative and process-driven research can be carried out. This presentation will, after a short introduction of the WaLTER-project (2011-2015), focus on the distributed data access infrastructure which is being developed and used for WaLTER. This is based on and makes use of the existing data access infrastructure of the Netherlands National Oceanographic Data Committee (NL-NODC), which has been operational since early 2009. The NL-NODC system is identical to and in fact developed by the European SeaDataNet project, furthering standardisation on a pan-European scale. The WaLTER data portal will provide a centralized overview of all relevant Wadden Sea data, both from environmental as well as socio-economic disciplines and it will provide access to a system of distributed data sources. Much emphasis is given to address the different needs of various groups of users, such as policy makers, scientists and the general public. Benefits and pitfalls (and ways to circumvent the latter) of using this infrastructure with data from widely different disciplines will be addressed.

The ERESE Project: Interfacing with the ERDA Digital Archive and ERR Reference Database in EarthRef.org

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koppers, A. A.; Staudigel, H.; Mills, H.; Keller, M.; Wallace, A.; Bachman, N.; Helly, J.; Helly, M.; Miller, S. P.; Massell Symons, C.

2004-12-01

To bridge the gap between Earth science teachers, librarians, scientists and data archive managers, we have started the ERESE project that will create, archive and make available "Enduring Resources in Earth Science Education" through information technology (IT) portals. In the first phase of this National Science Digital Library (NSDL) project, we are focusing on the development of these ERESE resources for middle and high school teachers to be used in lesson plans with "plate tectonics" and "magnetics" as their main theme. In this presentation, we will show how these new ERESE resources are being generated, how they can be uploaded via online web wizards, how they are archived, how we make them available via the EarthRef.org Digital Archive (ERDA) and Reference Database (ERR), and how they relate to the SIOExplorer database containing data objects for all seagoing cruises carried out by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The EarthRef.org web resource uses the vision of a "general description" of the Earth as a geological system to provide an IT infrastructure for the Earth sciences. This emphasizes the marriage of the "scientific process" (and its results) with an educational cyber-infrastructure for teaching Earth sciences, on any level, from middle school to college and graduate levels. Eight different databases reside under EarthRef.org from which ERDA holds any digital object that has been uploaded by other scientists, teachers and students for free, while the ERR holds more than 80,000 publications. For more than 1,500 of these publications, this latter database makes available for downloading JPG/PDF images of the abstracts, data tables, methods and appendices, together with their digitized contents in Microsoft Word and Excel format. Both holdings are being used to store the ERESE objects that are being generated by a group of undergraduate students majoring in Environmental Systems (ESYS) program at the UCSD with an emphasis on the Earth Sciences. These students perform library and internet research in order to design and generate these "Enduring Resources in Earth Science Education" that they test by closely interacting with the research faculty at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Typical ERESE resources can be diagrams, model cartoons, maps, data sets for analyses, and glossary items and essays to explain certain Earth Science concepts and are ready to be used in the classroom.

Recommendations From the Common Terminology Panel of the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy.

PubMed

Erickson, Mia; Birkmeier, Marisa; Booth, Melissa; Hack, Laurita M; Hartmann, Julie; Ingram, Debbie A; Jackson-Coty, Janet M; LaFay, Vicki L; Wheeler, Emma; Soper, Shawne

2018-06-19

In 2015, the American Council for Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) developed 3 strategic initiative panels to address integrated clinical education, student readiness, and common terminology for physical therapist clinical education. The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of the work from the common terminology panel. This was a descriptive, consensus-based study. Using a consensus process and data that were collected from a review of literature, a document analysis of core and historical professional documents, focus group discussions, and an online open-comment period, panel members developed a glossary for physical therapist clinical education. The final glossary included 34 terms in 4 categories. The categories included clinical education infrastructure, sites, stakeholders, and assessment. The ACAPT Board of Directors approved the glossary in June 2017, and the ACAPT membership approved the glossary in October 2017. The focus of the glossary was on physical therapist clinical education. A future, similar project should be undertaken for physical therapist assistant clinical education. This process resulted in a comprehensive glossary for physical therapist clinical education; changes to several current terms, including "internship" and "full-time clinical education experience"; and the addition of new terms, including "preceptor" and "site coordinator for clinical education." New terminology will provide standard language for consistent communication and a common framework for all stakeholders.

Joint-operation in water resources project in Indonesia: Integrated or non-integrated

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ophiyandri, Taufika; Istijono, Bambang; Hidayat, Benny

2017-11-01

The construction of large water resources infrastructure project often involved a joint-operation (JO) project between two or more construction companies. The form of JO can be grouped into two categories - an integrated type and a non-integrated type. This paper investigates the reason of forming a JO project made by companies. The specific advantages and problems of JO project is also analysed in this paper. In order to achieve the objectives, three water resources infrastructure projects were selected as case studies. Data was gathered by conducting 11 semi-structured interviews to project owners, contractor managers, and project staffs. Data was analysed by means of content analysis. It was found that the most fundamental factor to form a JO is to win a competition or tender. An integrated model is in favour because it can reduce overhead costs and has a simple management system, while a non-integrated model is selected because it can avoid a sleeping partner and make contractor more responsible for their own job.

Building Capacity for Civic Learning and Engagement: An Emerging Infrastructure in the Academic Arts and Humanities in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heiland, Donna; Huber, Mary Taylor

2015-01-01

American higher education has always articulated a civic mission as part of its purpose: colleges and universities educate students for life in a democratic society and provide that society with citizens who ensure that it thrives in turn. This essay maps the development of a national infrastructure for civic learning and engagement in American…

A tale of two rain gardens: Barriers and bridges to adaptive management of urban stormwater in Cleveland, Ohio.

PubMed

Chaffin, Brian C; Shuster, William D; Garmestani, Ahjond S; Furio, Brooke; Albro, Sandra L; Gardiner, Mary; Spring, MaLisa; Green, Olivia Odom

2016-12-01

Green infrastructure installations such as rain gardens and bioswales are increasingly regarded as viable tools to mitigate stormwater runoff at the parcel level. The use of adaptive management to implement and monitor green infrastructure projects as experimental attempts to manage stormwater has not been adequately explored as a way to optimize green infrastructure performance or increase social and political acceptance. Efforts to improve stormwater management through green infrastructure suffer from the complexity of overlapping jurisdictional boundaries, as well as interacting social and political forces that dictate the flow, consumption, conservation and disposal of urban wastewater flows. Within this urban milieu, adaptive management-rigorous experimentation applied as policy-can inform new wastewater management techniques such as the implementation of green infrastructure projects. In this article, we present a narrative of scientists and practitioners working together to apply an adaptive management approach to green infrastructure implementation for stormwater management in Cleveland, Ohio. In Cleveland, contextual legal requirements and environmental factors created an opportunity for government researchers, stormwater managers and community organizers to engage in the development of two distinct sets of rain gardens, each borne of unique social, economic and environmental processes. In this article we analyze social and political barriers to applying adaptive management as a framework for implementing green infrastructure experiments as policy. We conclude with a series of lessons learned and a reflection on the prospects for adaptive management to facilitate green infrastructure implementation for improved stormwater management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brokering Capabilities for EarthCube - supporting Multi-disciplinary Earth Science Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jodha Khalsa, Siri; Pearlman, Jay; Nativi, Stefano; Browdy, Steve; Parsons, Mark; Duerr, Ruth; Pearlman, Francoise

2013-04-01

The goal of NSF's EarthCube is to create a sustainable infrastructure that enables the sharing of all geosciences data, information, and knowledge in an open, transparent and inclusive manner. Brokering of data and improvements in discovery and access are a key to data exchange and promotion of collaboration across the geosciences. In this presentation we describe an evolutionary process of infrastructure and interoperability development focused on participation of existing science research infrastructures and augmenting them for improved access. All geosciences communities already have, to a greater or lesser degree, elements of an information infrastructure in place. These elements include resources such as data archives, catalogs, and portals as well as vocabularies, data models, protocols, best practices and other community conventions. What is necessary now is a process for levering these diverse infrastructure elements into an overall infrastructure that provides easy discovery, access and utilization of resources across disciplinary boundaries. Brokers connect disparate systems with only minimal burdens upon those systems, and enable the infrastructure to adjust to new technical developments and scientific requirements as they emerge. Robust cyberinfrastructure will arise only when social, organizational, and cultural issues are resolved in tandem with the creation of technology-based services. This is a governance issue, but is facilitated by infrastructure capabilities that can impact the uptake of new interdisciplinary collaborations and exchange. Thus brokering must address both the cyberinfrastructure and computer technology requirements and also the social issues to allow improved cross-domain collaborations. This is best done through use-case-driven requirements and agile, iterative development methods. It is important to start by solving real (not hypothetical) information access and use problems via small pilot projects that develop capabilities targeted to specific communities. Brokering, as a critical capability for connecting systems, evolves over time through more connections and increased functionality. This adaptive process allows for continual evaluation as to how well science-driven use cases are being met. There is a near term, and possibly unique, opportunity through EarthCube and European e-Infrastructure projects to increase the impact and interconnectivity of projects. In the developments described in this presentation, brokering has been demonstrated to be an essential part of a robust, adaptive technical infrastructure and demonstration and user scenarios can address of both the governance and detailed implementation paths forward. The EarthCube Brokering roadmap proposes the expansion of brokering pilots into fully operational prototypes that work with the broader science and informatics communities to answer these questions, connect existing and emerging systems, and evolve the EarthCube infrastructure.

Building a Community Infrastructure for Scalable On-Line Performance Analysis Tools around Open|Speedshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Barton

2014-06-30

Peta-scale computing environments pose significant challenges for both system and application developers and addressing them required more than simply scaling up existing tera-scale solutions. Performance analysis tools play an important role in gaining this understanding, but previous monolithic tools with fixed feature sets have not sufficed. Instead, this project worked on the design, implementation, and evaluation of a general, flexible tool infrastructure supporting the construction of performance tools as “pipelines” of high-quality tool building blocks. These tool building blocks provide common performance tool functionality, and are designed for scalability, lightweight data acquisition and analysis, and interoperability. For this project, wemore » built on Open|SpeedShop, a modular and extensible open source performance analysis tool set. The design and implementation of such a general and reusable infrastructure targeted for petascale systems required us to address several challenging research issues. All components needed to be designed for scale, a task made more difficult by the need to provide general modules. The infrastructure needed to support online data aggregation to cope with the large amounts of performance and debugging data. We needed to be able to map any combination of tool components to each target architecture. And we needed to design interoperable tool APIs and workflows that were concrete enough to support the required functionality, yet provide the necessary flexibility to address a wide range of tools. A major result of this project is the ability to use this scalable infrastructure to quickly create tools that match with a machine architecture and a performance problem that needs to be understood. Another benefit is the ability for application engineers to use the highly scalable, interoperable version of Open|SpeedShop, which are reassembled from the tool building blocks into a flexible, multi-user interface set of tools. This set of tools targeted at Office of Science Leadership Class computer systems and selected Office of Science application codes. We describe the contributions made by the team at the University of Wisconsin. The project built on the efforts in Open|SpeedShop funded by DOE/NNSA and the DOE/NNSA Tri-Lab community, extended Open|Speedshop to the Office of Science Leadership Class Computing Facilities, and addressed new challenges found on these cutting edge systems. Work done under this project at Wisconsin can be divided into two categories, new algorithms and techniques for debugging, and foundation infrastructure work on our Dyninst binary analysis and instrumentation toolkits and MRNet scalability infrastructure.« less

How much are researchers aware of the ethical and social implications of their activities? The example of the European Project ENVRI Plus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peppoloni, Silvia; Di Capua, Giuseppe; Haslinger, Florian

2017-04-01

Over the last years the attention to ethical and social aspects of scientific research has grown remarkably. Large scientific projects that refer to environment, resources, or natural hazards, assign great importance to the topics of big data and data management, environmental impact, science dissemination and education. These topics are also analyzed from an ethical and social perspective, recognizing the close relation to and evident repercussions on the life and activity of the human communities touched by those projects. ENVRIplus is a Horizon2020 project in which ethics applied to geosciences features as a fundamental issue, at the base of scientific activities. It brings together Environmental and Earth System Research Infrastructures (RIs), projects, and networks, with technical specialist partners to create a more coherent, interdisciplinary and interoperable cluster of Environmental Research Infrastructures across Europe (http://www.envriplus.eu/). In ENVRIplus, ethics applied to geosciences features as a fundamental issue at the base of scientific activities. Within the theme "Societal relevance and understanding", an entire work package aims at developing an ethical framework for RIs. Its objectives are: • increase the awareness of both the scientists and the public on the importance of ethical aspects in Earth and Environmental sciences; • establish a shared ethical reference framework, to be adopted by RIs governing bodies; • increase the awareness of RIs management and operational levels and of the individual involved scientists on their social role in conducting research activities and research work environment; • assess the ethical and social aspects related to the results achieved and deliverables released within the project. As one element of this work we created a questionnaire to investigate how each RI participating in ENVRI Plus faces ethical issues in relation to its activities, and so to understand the level of perception that researchers and technicians involved in the project have on the ethical implications of their scientific activities. Here we present and discuss the results of this survey, together with the next steps towards the formulation of an ethical reference framework.

Improving FHWA's Ability to Assess Highway Infrastructure Health : Pilot Study Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-07-01

This report documents the results of a pilot study conducted as part of a project on improving FHWAs ability to assess highway infrastructure health. As part of the pilot study, a section of Interstate 90 through South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisco...

Cloud Environment Automation: from infrastructure deployment to application monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aiftimiei, C.; Costantini, A.; Bucchi, R.; Italiano, A.; Michelotto, D.; Panella, M.; Pergolesi, M.; Saletta, M.; Traldi, S.; Vistoli, C.; Zizzi, G.; Salomoni, D.

2017-10-01

The potential offered by the cloud paradigm is often limited by technical issues, rules and regulations. In particular, the activities related to the design and deployment of the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud layer can be difficult to apply and time-consuming for the infrastructure maintainers. In this paper the research activity, carried out during the Open City Platform (OCP) research project [1], aimed at designing and developing an automatic tool for cloud-based IaaS deployment is presented. Open City Platform is an industrial research project funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR), started in 2014. It intends to research, develop and test new technological solutions open, interoperable and usable on-demand in the field of Cloud Computing, along with new sustainable organizational models that can be deployed for and adopted by the Public Administrations (PA). The presented work and the related outcomes are aimed at simplifying the deployment and maintenance of a complete IaaS cloud-based infrastructure.

Infrastructure for Training and Partnershipes: California Water and Coastal Ocean Resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, David A.; Dozier, Jeffrey; Gautier, Catherine; Davis, Frank; Dickey, Tommy; Dunne, Thomas; Frew, James; Keller, Arturo; MacIntyre, Sally; Melack, John

2000-01-01

The purpose of this project was to advance the existing ICESS/Bren School computing infrastructure to allow scientists, students, and research trainees the opportunity to interact with environmental data and simulations in near-real time. Improvements made with the funding from this project have helped to strengthen the research efforts within both units, fostered graduate research training, and helped fortify partnerships with government and industry. With this funding, we were able to expand our computational environment in which computer resources, software, and data sets are shared by ICESS/Bren School faculty researchers in all areas of Earth system science. All of the graduate and undergraduate students associated with the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management and the Institute for Computational Earth System Science have benefited from the infrastructure upgrades accomplished by this project. Additionally, the upgrades fostered a significant number of research projects (attached is a list of the projects that benefited from the upgrades). As originally proposed, funding for this project provided the following infrastructure upgrades: 1) a modem file management system capable of interoperating UNIX and NT file systems that can scale to 6.7 TB, 2) a Qualstar 40-slot tape library with two AIT tape drives and Legato Networker backup/archive software, 3) previously unavailable import/export capability for data sets on Zip, Jaz, DAT, 8mm, CD, and DLT media in addition to a 622Mb/s Internet 2 connection, 4) network switches capable of 100 Mbps to 128 desktop workstations, 5) Portable Batch System (PBS) computational task scheduler, and vi) two Compaq/Digital Alpha XP1000 compute servers each with 1.5 GB of RAM along with an SGI Origin 2000 (purchased partially using funds from this project along with funding from various other sources) to be used for very large computations, as required for simulation of mesoscale meteorology or climate.

Lighting the Blue Touchpaper for UK e-Science - Closing Conference of ESLEA Project. ESLEA, March 26-28, 2007, Edinburgh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, Peter; Davenhall, Clive; Greenwood, Colin; Strong, Matthew

ESLEA, an EPSRC-funded project, aims to demonstrate the potential benefits of circuit-switched optical networks (lightpaths) to the UK e-Science community. This is being achieved by running a number of "proof of benefit" pilot applications over UKLight, the UK's first national optical research network. UKLight provides a new way for researchers to obtain dedicated "lightpaths" between remote sites and to deploy and test novel networking methods and technologies. It facilitates collaboration on global projects by providing a point of access to the fast growing international optical R&D infrastructure. A diverse range of data-intensive fields of academic endeavour are participating in the ESLEA project; all these groups require the integration of high-bandwidth switched lightpath circuits into their experimental and analysis infrastructure for international transport of high-volume applications data. In addition, network protocol research and development of circuit reservation mechanisms has been carried out to help the pilot applications to exploit the UKLight infrastructure effectively. Further information about ESLEA can be viewed at www.eslea.uklight.ac.uk. ESLEA activities are now coming to an end and work will finish from February to July 2007, depending upon the terms of funding of each pilot application. The first quarter of 2007 is considered the optimum time to hold a closing conference for the project. The objectives of the conference are to: 1. Provide a forum for the dissemination of research findings and learning experiences from the ESLEA project. 2. Enable colleagues from the UK and international e-Science communities to present, discuss and learn about the latest developments in networking technology. 3. Raise awareness about the deployment of the UKLight infrastructure and its relationship to SuperJANET 5. 4. Identify potential uses of UKLight by existing or future research projects

Hydrogen Infrastructure Testing and Research Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2017-04-10

Learn about the Hydrogen Infrastructure Testing and Research Facility (HITRF), where NREL researchers are working on vehicle and hydrogen infrastructure projects that aim to enable more rapid inclusion of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies in the market to meet consumer and national goals for emissions reduction, performance, and energy security. As part of NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF), the HITRF is designed for collaboration with a wide range of hydrogen, fuel cell, and transportation stakeholders.

Multimodal network models for robust transportation systems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-10-01

Since transportation infrastructure projects have a lifetime of many decades, project developers must consider : not only the current demand for the project but also the future demand. Future demand is of course uncertain and should : be treated as s...

Mass transit : project management oversight benefits and future funding requirements

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-09-01

To meet the nation's transportation needs, many states, cities, and localities are building or planning mass transit projects to replace aging infrastructure or add new capacity. These transit projects are very costly and require large investments of...

Smallholder farmers' attitudes toward the provision of drinking water for dairy cows in Kagera, Tanzania.

PubMed

Forbes, Barbara; Kepe, Thembela

2015-02-01

Agriculture's large share of Tanzanian GDP and the large percentage of rural poor engaged in the sector make it a focus for many development projects that see it as an area of attention for reducing rural poverty. This paper uses a case of the Kamachumu community, where a dairy cow loan project was implemented using the heifer-in-trust (HIT) model. This study finds that productivity is limited by how the cows are being managed, particularly with many animals not having ad lib access to drinking water. The paper explores reasons why farmers do or do not provide their cows with unlimited access to drinking water. The study concludes that there are many barriers farmers face, including water accessibility, education and training, infrastructure, simple negligence, and security. These results suggest an increase in extension services and national and local livestock policies that consider the specific realities of small-scale dairy farmers.

The Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility: Building the Future

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fermilab

The Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) will be the world’s flagship science project to unlock the mysteries of neutrinos, the particles that could be the key to explaining why matter exists in our universe. It will house the infrastructure and particle detectors for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) and will use the world’s most intense neutrino beam. LBNF will be hosted at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois and the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota. About 1,000 scientists from more than 160 laboratories and universities in 30 countries are contributing to this internationalmore » mega-science project. In addition to direct economic benefits to the states of Illinois and South Dakota, LBNF will foster STEM education nationwide and keep the United States at the leading edge of global science and innovation.« less

15 CFR 292.4 - Information infrastructure projects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... authority of the governing or managing organization to conduct the proposed activities; qualifications of... each solicitation for unique projects. (b) Project objective. The purpose of these projects is to... funding in connection with that award. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of...

Enabling cross-disciplinary research by linking data to Open Access publications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rettberg, N.

2012-04-01

OpenAIREplus focuses on the linking of research data to associated publications. The interlinking of research objects has implications for optimising the research process, allowing the sharing, enrichment and reuse of data, and ultimately serving to make open data an essential part of first class research. The growing call for more concrete data management and sharing plans, apparent at funder and national level, is complemented by the increasing support for a scientific infrastructure that supports the seamless access to a range of research materials. This paper will describe the recently launched OpenAIREplus and will detail how it plans to achieve its goals of developing an Open Access participatory infrastructure for scientific information. OpenAIREplus extends the current collaborative OpenAIRE project, which provides European researchers with a service network for the deposit of peer-reviewed FP7 grant-funded Open Access publications. This new project will focus on opening up the infrastructure to data sources from subject-specific communities to provide metadata about research data and publications, facilitating the linking between these objects. The ability to link within a publication out to a citable database, or other research data material, is fairly innovative and this project will enable users to search, browse, view, and create relationships between different information objects. In this regard, OpenAIREplus will build on prototypes of so-called "Enhanced Publications", originally conceived in the DRIVER-II project. OpenAIREplus recognizes the importance of representing the context of publications and datasets, thus linking to resources about the authors, their affiliation, location, project data and funding. The project will explore how links between text-based publications and research data are managed in different scientific fields. This complements a previous study in OpenAIRE on current disciplinary practices and future needs for infrastructural Open Access services, taking into account the variety within research approaches. Adopting Linked Data mechanisms on top of citation and content mining, it will approach the interchange of data between generic infrastructures such as OpenAIREplus and subject specific service providers. The paper will also touch on the other challenges envisaged in the project with regard to the culture of sharing data, as well as IPR, licensing and organisational issues.

The BonaRes data infrastructure: Recommendations of standards for the different life stages of soil and agricultural research data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Carsten; Schulz, Sina; Svoboda, Nikolai; Zoarder, Muqit; Eberhardt, Einar; Russell, David; Heinrich, Uwe

2017-04-01

Within the research project BonaRes ("Soil as a sustainable resource for the bioeconomy") an infrastructure is being developed to upload, manage, store, and provide the increasing amount of soil and agricultural research data, raw data, and metadata in Germany. Large joint research projects such as BonaRes require rules for data handling. The application and designation of standards, standard methods and widely disseminated and accepted data formats for all stages of data life (from acquisition to provision) is accompanied by a number of advantages for data providers, -managers and -users. Standards enable e.g. an easy data exchange and provision for data re-use, communication with other disciplines, and improve the visibility and accessibility of research activities and results. To harmonize national with international data infrastructures, standards used in the scope of BonaRes should either meet international requirements or be transformable by derivation tools. In the first project phase an overview of standards was compiled including more than 600 relevant norms, directives, exchange formats and code lists. With the collaboration of an international expert consortium we then developed a "Recommendation list Standards" for all project partners and other soil/agricultural data providers. We present and discuss selected recommendations and possible implementations of standards to be used in the BonaRes data infrastructure for data acquisition (e.g. soil description, agronomy), data management (e.g. exchange languages, derivation tools), and data provision (e.g. licenses, geo-data services).

A Community Publication and Dissemination System for Hydrology Education Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruddell, B. L.

2015-12-01

Hosted by CUAHSI and the Science Education Resource Center (SERC), federated by the National Science Digital Library (NSDL), and allied with the Water Data Center (WDC), Hydrologic Information System (HIS), and HydroShare projects, a simple cyberinfrastructure has been launched for the publication and dissemination of data and model driven university hydrology education materials. This lightweight system's metadata describes learning content as a data-driven module with defined data inputs and outputs. This structure allows a user to mix and match modules to create sequences of content that teach both hydrology and computer learning outcomes. Importantly, this modular infrastructure allows an instructor to substitute a module based on updated computer methods for one based on outdated computer methods, hopefully solving the problem of rapid obsolescence that has hampered previous community efforts. The prototype system is now available from CUAHSI and SERC, with some example content. The system is designed to catalog, link to, make visible, and make accessible the existing and future contributions of the community; this system does not create content. Submissions from hydrology educators are eagerly solicited, especially for existing content.

The Nevada NSF EPSCoR infrastructure for climate change science, education, and outreach project: highlights and progress on investigations of ecological change and water resources along elevational gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, L.; Biondi, F.; Fenstermaker, L. F.; Arnone, J.; Devitt, D.; Riddle, B.; Young, M.

2010-12-01

In 2008, the Nevada System of Higher Education received a 5-year, $15 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The mission of the project is to create a statewide interdisciplinary program to stimulate transformative research, education, and outreach about the effects of regional climate change on ecosystem services (especially water resources), and support use of this knowledge by policy makers and stakeholders. The overarching question that this effort will address is: how will climate change affect water resources, disturbance regimes and linked ecosystem and human services? While the overall project includes cyberinfrastructure, policy, education and climate modeling, this presentation will focus on the ecological change and water resources components. The goals of these two components are: 1) improving understanding of processes controlling local- and basin-wide impacts of climate on species dynamics, disturbance regimes, and water recharge rates; 2) evaluating interactions between landscape-level processes and biophysical indicators; 3) evaluating interactions between surface and groundwater systems; 4) predicting changes in wildfire regime, primary productivity, and biodiversity (including invasive species); and 5) assessing how interactions between water and ecology will differ under climate change and/or climate variability scenarios. To achieve these goals, the two components will quantify present-day climate variability at multiple temporal and spatial scales, including at multiple elevations within Nevada’s Basin and Range ecosystem continuum. This presentation will discuss key elements for achieving these goals, including the establishment of instrumented transects spanning a range of elevations and vegetation zones in eastern and southern Nevada.

Comparing approaches for using climate projections in assessing water resources investments for systems with multiple stakeholder groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurford, Anthony; Harou, Julien

2015-04-01

Climate change has challenged conventional methods of planning water resources infrastructure investment, relying on stationarity of time-series data. It is not clear how to best use projections of future climatic conditions. Many-objective simulation-optimisation and trade-off analysis using evolutionary algorithms has been proposed as an approach to addressing complex planning problems with multiple conflicting objectives. The search for promising assets and policies can be carried out across a range of climate projections, to identify the configurations of infrastructure investment shown by model simulation to be robust under diverse future conditions. Climate projections can be used in different ways within a simulation model to represent the range of possible future conditions and understand how optimal investments vary according to the different hydrological conditions. We compare two approaches, optimising over an ensemble of different 20-year flow and PET timeseries projections, and separately for individual future scenarios built synthetically from the original ensemble. Comparing trade-off curves and surfaces generated by the two approaches helps understand the limits and benefits of optimising under different sets of conditions. The comparison is made for the Tana Basin in Kenya, where climate change combined with multiple conflicting objectives of water management and infrastructure investment mean decision-making is particularly challenging.

EUFAR the key portal and network for airborne research in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gérard, Elisabeth; Brown, Philip

2017-04-01

Created in 2000 and supported by the EU Framework Programmes since then as an Integrating Activities' project, EUFAR (European Facility of Airborne Research in environmental and Geo-sciences) was born out of the necessity to create a central network and access point for the airborne research community in Europe. With the aim to support researchers by granting them access to aircraft and instrumentation most suited to the needs of researchers across Europe, not accessible in their home countries, EUFAR also provides technical support and training in the field of airborne research for the environmental and geosciences, and enables the sharing of expertise and harmonisation of research practices. Today, EUFAR2 (2014-2018) coordinates and facilitates transnational access to 19 instrumented aircraft and 5 remote-sensing instruments through the 14 operators who are part of EUFAR's current 24-partner European consortium. In addition, the current project supports networking and joint research activities focused on providing an enabling environment for and to promote airborne research. Examples of some of these recent activities will be shown EUFAR is currently seeking to establish itself as an AISBL (international non-profit association) to ensure its existence and operations beyond January 2018 when our present EC funding comes to an end. The objectives of the EUFAR AISBL will include continuing to develop the integration of the research aircraft community in Europe and also its links with other environmental research infrastructures, such as the community of research infrastructures under the umbrella of ENVRIplus. Another objective will be to continue to broaden access to research facilities beyond that supported solely by national funding streams so that EUFAR better approaches the status of a European open research infrastructure. Together with the implementation of an Open Access scheme by means of resource-sharing envisaged in late 2017, such a sustainable structure will contribute substantially toward broadening the user base of existing airborne research facilities in Europe and mobilising additional resources to this end. EUFAR AISBL will be the most appropriate organisation for the (i) coordination of joint activities among the European institutions involved in airborne research, and also (ii) coordination of projects funded by the European Commission or other bodies for supporting activities beyond the self-financing perimeter of the AISBL (transnational access projects, education and training events, joint research activities, etc.). This will confirm EUFAR's position as the key portal for airborne research in Europe. This central position opens the way for further collaboration with other communities (UAS, etc.) and environmental research infrastructures (IAGOS, ACTRIS, ENVRIplus, EUROFLEETS, etc.) to ensure the mutual benefit of joint efforts in addressing future science challenges in a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of the Earth system.

The computing and data infrastructure to interconnect EEE stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noferini, F.; EEE Collaboration

2016-07-01

The Extreme Energy Event (EEE) experiment is devoted to the search of high energy cosmic rays through a network of telescopes installed in about 50 high schools distributed throughout the Italian territory. This project requires a peculiar data management infrastructure to collect data registered in stations very far from each other and to allow a coordinated analysis. Such an infrastructure is realized at INFN-CNAF, which operates a Cloud facility based on the OpenStack opensource Cloud framework and provides Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) for its users. In 2014 EEE started to use it for collecting, monitoring and reconstructing the data acquired in all the EEE stations. For the synchronization between the stations and the INFN-CNAF infrastructure we used BitTorrent Sync, a free peer-to-peer software designed to optimize data syncronization between distributed nodes. All data folders are syncronized with the central repository in real time to allow an immediate reconstruction of the data and their publication in a monitoring webpage. We present the architecture and the functionalities of this data management system that provides a flexible environment for the specific needs of the EEE project.

Project evaluation process manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-07-01

Describes the process for evaluating airport environments, safety standards, airport infrastructure, licensing standards and multitransportational systems. The project rating system is intended to be used for determining state and federal funding.

WATER SUPPLY PIPE REPLACEMENT CONSIDERING SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION TO POPULATION DECREASED SOCIETY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosoi, Yoshihiko; Iwasaki, Yoji; Aklog, Dagnachew; Masuda, Takanori

Social infrastructures are aging and population is decreasing in Japan. The aged social infrastructures should be renewed. At the same time, they are required to be moved into new framework suitable for population decreased societies. Furthermore, they have to continue to supply sufficient services even during transition term that renewal projects are carried out. Authors propose sustainable soft landing management of infrastructures and it is tried to apply to water supply pipe replacement in this study. Methodology to replace aged pipes not only aiming for the new water supply network which suits for population decreased condition but also ensuring supply service and feasibility while the project is carried out was developed. It is applied for a model water supply network and discussions were carried out.

CREST biorepository for translational studies on malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and other respiratory tract diseases: Informatics infrastructure and standardized annotation.

PubMed

Ugolini, Donatella; Neri, Monica; Bennati, Luca; Canessa, Pier Aldo; Casanova, Georgia; Lando, Cecilia; Leoncini, Giacomo; Marroni, Paola; Parodi, Barbara; Simonassi, Claudio; Bonassi, Stefano

2012-03-01

Advances in molecular epidemiology and translational research have led to the need for biospecimen collection. The Cancer of the Respiratory Tract (CREST) biorepository is concerned with pleural malignant mesothelioma (MM) and lung cancer (LC). The biorepository staff has collected demographic and epidemiological data directly from consenting subjects using a structured questionnaire, in agreement with The Public Population Project in Genomics (P(3)G). Clinical and follow-up data were collected. Sample data were also recorded. The architecture is based on a database designed with Microsoft Access. Data standardization was carried out to conform with established conventions or procedures. As from January 31, 2011, the overall number of recruited subjects was 1,857 (454 LC, 245 MM, 130 other cancers and 1,028 controls). Due to its infrastructure, CREST was able to join international projects, sharing samples and/or data with other research groups in the field. The data management system allows CREST to be involved, through a minimum data set, in the national project for the construction of the Italian network of Oncologic BioBanks (RIBBO), and in the infrastructure of a pan-European biobank network (BBMRI). The CREST biorepository is a valuable tool for translational studies on respiratory tract diseases, because of its simple and efficient infrastructure.

The centrality of meta-programming in the ES-DOC eco-system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenslade, Mark

2017-04-01

The Earth System Documentation (ES-DOC) project is an international effort aiming to deliver a robust earth system model inter-comparison project documentation infrastructure. Such infrastructure both simplifies & standardizes the process of documenting (in detail) projects, experiments, models, forcings & simulations. In support of CMIP6, ES-DOC has upgraded its eco-system of tools, web-services & web-sites. The upgrade consolidates the existing infrastructure (built for CMIP5) and extends it with the introduction of new capabilities. The strategic focus of the upgrade is improvements in the documentation experience and broadening the range of scientific use-cases that the archived documentation may help deliver. Whether it is highlighting dataset errors, exploring experimental protocols, comparing forcings across ensemble runs, understanding MIP objectives, reviewing citations, exploring component properties of configured models, visualising inter-model relationships, scientists involved in CMIP6 will find the ES-DOC infrastructure helpful. This presentation underlines the centrality of meta-programming within the ES-DOC eco-system. We will demonstrate how agility is greatly enhanced by taking a meta-programming approach to representing data models and controlled vocabularies. Such an approach nicely decouples representations from encodings. Meta-models will be presented along with the associated tooling chain that forward engineers artefacts as diverse as: class hierarchies, IPython notebooks, mindmaps, configuration files, OWL & SKOS documents, spreadsheets …etc.

EuCARD 2010: European coordination of accelerator research and development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

2010-09-01

Accelerators are basic tools of the experimental physics of elementary particles, nuclear physics, light sources of the fourth generation. They are also used in myriad other applications in research, industry and medicine. For example, there are intensely developed transmutation techniques for nuclear waste from nuclear power and atomic industries. The European Union invests in the development of accelerator infrastructures inside the framework programs to build the European Research Area. The aim is to build new accelerator research infrastructures, develop the existing ones, and generally make the infrastructures more available to competent users. The paper summarizes the first year of activities of the EU FP7 Project Capacities EuCARD -European Coordination of Accelerator R&D. EuCARD is a common venture of 37 European Accelerator Laboratories, Institutes, Universities and Industrial Partners involved in accelerator sciences and technologies. The project, initiated by ESGARD, is an Integrating Activity co-funded by the European Commission under Framework Program 7 - Capacities for a duration of four years, starting April 1st, 2009. Several teams from this country participate actively in this project. The contribution from Polish research teams concerns: photonic and electronic measurement - control systems, RF-gun co-design, thin-film superconducting technology, superconducting transport infrastructures, photon and particle beam measurements and control.

Modeling the Hydrologic Effects of Large-Scale Green Infrastructure Projects with GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bado, R. A.; Fekete, B. M.; Khanbilvardi, R.

2015-12-01

Impervious surfaces in urban areas generate excess runoff, which in turn causes flooding, combined sewer overflows, and degradation of adjacent surface waters. Municipal environmental protection agencies have shown a growing interest in mitigating these effects with 'green' infrastructure practices that partially restore the perviousness and water holding capacity of urban centers. Assessment of the performance of current and future green infrastructure projects is hindered by the lack of adequate hydrological modeling tools; conventional techniques fail to account for the complex flow pathways of urban environments, and detailed analyses are difficult to prepare for the very large domains in which green infrastructure projects are implemented. Currently, no standard toolset exists that can rapidly and conveniently predict runoff, consequent inundations, and sewer overflows at a city-wide scale. We demonstrate how streamlined modeling techniques can be used with open-source GIS software to efficiently model runoff in large urban catchments. Hydraulic parameters and flow paths through city blocks, roadways, and sewer drains are automatically generated from GIS layers, and ultimately urban flow simulations can be executed for a variety of rainfall conditions. With this methodology, users can understand the implications of large-scale land use changes and green/gray storm water retention systems on hydraulic loading, peak flow rates, and runoff volumes.

Past, present and future of Integrated Child Development Services (I.C.D.S.).

PubMed

Lal, S; Sachar, R K

1993-01-01

India's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) was established in 33 projects in 1975 and is spread over 22 states; 67 additional projects were begun in 1977, and over the next 2 years; 100 additional projects were added. By 1991=92, coverage was almost 50% of the country with 2696 projects; the expectation is for 100% coverage by the year 2000. An infrastructure chart identifies the organization and integration between level and social welfare and health departments. Objectives are clearly identified and the departments functionally linked. Linkages are achieved by shared space and activities at various levels. Over the past 17 years, services have included minimum needs programs, integrated rural development and poverty alleviation, national health policy and education policy, universal immunization, and the development of women and children in rural areas. ICDS is sponsored 100% by the status and uniquely relies on the honorary anganwadi worker (AWW), who is a woman, recruited and chosen by the community, aged 21-45 years and middle-school educated. The AWW was responsibility for 2000 households or 1000 persons in rural areas and 700 persons in tribal areas. The AWW is crucial to the functioning of the program and receives an honorarium of Rs. 225-275/month for implementing the ICDs program; AWWs have helpers who are paid Rs. 110/month. Training over a 3-year period is conducted at the Bal Sevika Training Institute by the Indian Council of Child Welfare. Additional health personnel and their role and the number of persons/per area AWWS are responsible for, equipment, and functions are also described. The AWW is responsible for nonformal preschool education, organization of supplementary nutrition feeding, health and nutrition education of women and families, immunization of women and children, treatment and referral of common illnesses, growing monitoring, and community participation. Presently, there are 2506 central sector projects and 190 state sector projects and 250,000 AWWs. The preschool education, health, and nutrition programs are summarized. Future directions will encompass future child and mother development and expansion to cover all 90 districts having a birth rate higher than 39/1000. Lessons learned from the past will be integrated and may involve cost containment, acceleration of development of services, alternative services, and giving mothers more responsibility for improving health and nutrition.

New EVSE Analytical Tools/Models: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Projection Tool (EVI-Pro)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wood, Eric W; Rames, Clement L; Muratori, Matteo

This presentation addresses the fundamental question of how much charging infrastructure is needed in the United States to support PEVs. It complements ongoing EVSE initiatives by providing a comprehensive analysis of national PEV charging infrastructure requirements. The result is a quantitative estimate for a U.S. network of non-residential (public and workplace) EVSE that would be needed to support broader PEV adoption. The analysis provides guidance to public and private stakeholders who are seeking to provide nationwide charging coverage, improve the EVSE business case by maximizing station utilization, and promote effective use of private/public infrastructure investments.

Information and communication technologies and gender in climate change and green economy: Situating women’s opportunities and challenges in Zambian policies and strategies

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Zambia’s 2012 report on the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO +20) identifies existing opportunities on the country’s transitioning to green economy. The RIO +20 conference of 2012 has resulted in new momentum in addressing problems of sustainable development. However, this article argues that there are practical challenges that require paying attention to, especially those involving women. The article addressed one key question: To what extent can women participate in the transitioning process to green economy in Zambia and what opportunities and challenges exists? The study used document analysis to answer the above question. National policy documents were reviewed to understand interventions on environmental management. Whilst going through the documents, the study used gender analysis frameworks (education, skills, roles in family and society, access to infrastructure) to bring out qualitative and quantitative information on women. Using suggested green economy interventions in the literature as benchmark, qualitative analysis was used to project possible participation of women in green economy activities and possible challenges to be faced. The study found that participation of women will be limited despite existing opportunities because of challenges of access to information and communication technology infrastructures, low educational levels and skills and financial constraints. As Zambia undergoes a transitioning process, these limitations should be addressed in planned green economy policies and interventions to maximise benefits.

On the Storm Surge and Sea Level Rise Projections for Infrastructure Risk Analysis and Adaptation

EPA Science Inventory

Storm surge can cause coastal hydrology changes, flooding, water quality changes, and even inundation of low-lying terrain. Strong wave actions and disruptive winds can damage water infrastructure and other environmental assets (hazardous and solid waste management facilities, w...

Next-generation wireless bridge weigh-in-motion (WIM) system integrated with nondestructive evaluation (NDE) capability for transportation infrastructure safety.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

This project seeks to develop a rapidly deployable, low-cost, and wireless system for bridge : weigh-in-motion (BWIM) and nondestructive evaluation (NDE). The system is proposed to : assist in monitoring transportation infrastructure safety, for the ...

75 FR 26206 - Implementing the National Broadband Plan by Studying the Communications Requirements of Electric...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-11

... information about electricity infrastructure's current and projected communications requirements, as well as...'s electricity infrastructure need to employ adequate communications technologies that serve their... Smart Grid and the other technologies that will evolve and change how electricity is produced, consumed...

Information Infrastructure Sourcebook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahin, Brian, Ed.

This volume is designed to provide planners and policymakers with a single volume reference book on efforts to define and develop policy for the National Information Infrastructure. The sourcebook is divided into five sections: (1) official documents; (2) vision statements and position papers; (3) program and project descriptions (all sectors);…

Development of a remote sensing network for time-sensitive detection of fine scale damage to transportation infrastructure : [final report].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-23

This research project aimed to develop a remote sensing system capable of rapidly identifying fine-scale damage to critical transportation infrastructure following hazard events. Such a system must be pre-planned for rapid deployment, automate proces...

Investigation of the extended use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for measuring in-situ material quality characteristics : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-09-01

This report tests the application of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) as a non-destructive tool for highway infrastructure assessment. Multiple antennas with different frequency ranges were used on a variety infrastructure projects. This report highlig...

Natural Gas in the Rocky Mountains: Developing Infrastructure

EIA Publications

2007-01-01

This Supplement to the Energy Information Administration's Short-Term Energy Outlook analyzes current natural gas production, pipeline and storage infrastructure in the Rocky Mountains, as well as prospective pipeline projects in these states. The influence of these factors on regional prices and price volatility is examined.

Tracking housing recovery in Sea Bright, NJ and the relationship to infrastructure renewal.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-03-01

Understanding how a community is recovering from a disaster is critical to being able to make investments in transportation infrastructure. This project is a follow up study to a 2014 study that looked at the recovery process in Sea Bright, New Jerse...

A Virtual Environment for Resilient Infrastructure Modeling and Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

Security CI Critical Infrastructure CID Center for Infrastructure Defense CSV Comma Separated Value DAD Defender-Attacker-Defender DHS Department...responses to disruptive events (e.g., cascading failure behavior) in a context- rich , controlled environment for exercises, education, and training...The general attacker-defender (AD) and defender-attacker-defender ( DAD ) models for CI are defined in Brown et al. (2006). These models help

Cyber Compendium, Professional Continuing Education Course Papers. Volume 2, Issue 1, Spring 2015

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

250,000 mobile devices.23 Cutting just 20% of this infrastructure would translate to a potential savings of over $7 Billion per year. Air...BYOD device extends beyond the device itself. There is the supporting infrastructure such as the Mobile Application Store (MAS), which provides access...96 Prioritizing Cyber Capabilities: to Protect U.S. Critical Infrastructure

Report of the 2002 Texas Public School Technology Survey Prepared for the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board and Texas Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denton, Jon; Davis, Trina; Strader, Arlen; Durbin, Brooke

Over the past four legislative sessions, the Texas State Legislature enacted laws that have accelerated the integration of technology into public education. The significant effort to build technology infrastructure in Texas is evident through the thousands of public school awards provided by the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF) Board,…

Report of the 2000 Texas Public School Technology Survey Prepared for the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board and Texas Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denton, Jon; Davis, Trina; Strader, Arlen

Over the past three legislative sessions, the Texas State Legislature enacted laws that have accelerated the integration of technology into public education. Significant efforts to build technology infrastructure in Texas are evident through the thousands of public school awards provided by the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board (TIF),…

Management of School Infrastructure in the Context of a No-Fee Schools Policy in Rural South African Schools: Lessons from the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marishane, Ramodikoe Nylon

2013-01-01

This study examines the management of school infrastructure in the context of the "no-fee schools" policy introduced in the South African education delivery system. Focusing on four rural schools, the study applied a qualitative method, which involved observation of infrastructure conditions prevailing at four selected schools and…

Structural changes of green roof growing substrate layer studied by X-ray CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jelinkova, Vladimira; Sacha, Jan; Dohnal, Michal; Snehota, Michal

2017-04-01

Increasing interest in green infrastructure linked with newly implemented legislation/rules/laws worldwide opens up research potential for field of soil hydrology. A better understanding of function of engineered soils involved in green infrastructure solutions such as green roofs or rain garden is needed. A soil layer is considered as a highly significant component of the aforesaid systems. In comparison with a natural soil, the engineered soil is assumed to be the more challenging case due to rapid structure changes early stages after its build-up. The green infrastructure efficiency depends on the physical and chemical properties of the soil, which are, in the case of engineered soils, a function of its initial composition and subsequent soil formation processes. The project presented in this paper is focused on fundamental processes in the relatively thick layer of engineered soil. The initial structure development, during which the pore geometry is altered by the growth of plant roots, water influx, solid particles translocation and other soil formation processes, is investigated with the help of noninvasive imaging technique  X-ray computed tomography. The soil development has been studied on undisturbed soil samples taken periodically from green roof test system during early stages of its life cycle. Two approaches and sample sizes were employed. In the first approach, undisturbed samples (volume of about 63 cm3) were taken each time from the test site and scanned by X-ray CT. In the second approach, samples (volume of about 630 cm3) were permanently installed at the test site and has been repeatedly removed to perform X-ray CT imaging. CT-derived macroporosity profiles reveal significant temporal changes of soil structure. Clogging of pores by fine particles and fissures development are two most significant changes that would affect the green roof system efficiency. This work has been supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports within National Sustainability Programme I, project number LO1605 and with financial support from the Czech Science Foundation under project number GAČR 17-21011S.

Scientific Grid activities and PKI deployment in the Cybermedia Center, Osaka University.

PubMed

Akiyama, Toyokazu; Teranishi, Yuuichi; Nozaki, Kazunori; Kato, Seiichi; Shimojo, Shinji; Peltier, Steven T; Lin, Abel; Molina, Tomas; Yang, George; Lee, David; Ellisman, Mark; Naito, Sei; Koike, Atsushi; Matsumoto, Shuichi; Yoshida, Kiyokazu; Mori, Hirotaro

2005-10-01

The Cybermedia Center (CMC), Osaka University, is a research institution that offers knowledge and technology resources obtained from advanced researches in the areas of large-scale computation, information and communication, multimedia content and education. Currently, CMC is involved in Japanese national Grid projects such as JGN II (Japan Gigabit Network), NAREGI and BioGrid. Not limited to Japan, CMC also actively takes part in international activities such as PRAGMA. In these projects and international collaborations, CMC has developed a Grid system that allows scientists to perform their analysis by remote-controlling the world's largest ultra-high voltage electron microscope located in Osaka University. In another undertaking, CMC has assumed a leadership role in BioGrid by sharing its experiences and knowledge on the system development for the area of biology. In this paper, we will give an overview of the BioGrid project and introduce the progress of the Telescience unit, which collaborates with the Telescience Project led by the National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR). Furthermore, CMC collaborates with seven Computing Centers in Japan, NAREGI and National Institute of Informatics to deploy PKI base authentication infrastructure. The current status of this project and future collaboration with Grid Projects will be delineated in this paper.

EMSODEV and EPOS-IP: key findings for effective management of EU research infrastructure projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Materia, Paola; Bozzoli, Sabrina; Beranzoli, Laura; Cocco, Massimo; Favali, Paolo; Freda, Carmela; Sangianantoni, Agata

2017-04-01

EMSO (European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water-column Observatory, http://www.emso-eu.org) and EPOS (European Plate Observing System, https://www.epos-ip.org) are pan-European Research Infrastructures (RIs) in the ESFRI 2016 Roadmap. EMSO has recently become an ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium), whilst EPOS application is in progress. Both ERICs will be hosted in Italy and the "Representing Entity" is INGV. EMSO consists of oceanic environment observation systems spanning from the Arctic through the Atlantic and Mediterranean, to the Black Sea for long-term, high-resolution, real-time monitoring of natural and man-induced processes such as hazards, climate, and marine ecosystems changes to study their evolution and interconnections. EPOS aims at creating a pan-European infrastructure for solid Earth science to support a safe and sustainable society. EPOS will enable innovative multidisciplinary research for a better understanding of Earth's physical and chemical processes controlling earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, ground instability, tsunami, and all those processes driving tectonics and Earth's surface dynamics. Following the conclusion of their Preparatory Phases the two RIs are now in their Implementation Phase still supported by the EC through the EMSODEV and EPOS-IP projects, both run by dedicated Project Management Offices at INGV with sound experience in EU projects. EMSODEV (H2020 project, 2015-2018) involves 11 partners and 9 associate partners and aims at improving the harmonization among the EMSO ERIC observation systems through the realization of EMSO Generic Instrument Modules (EGIMs), and a Data Management Platform (DMP) to implement interoperability and standardization. The DMP will provide access to data from all EMSO nodes, providing a unified, homogeneous, infrastructure-scale and user-oriented platform integrated with the increased measurement capabilities and functions provided by the EGIMs. EPOS IP (H2020 project, 2015-2019) is a project of 47 partners, 6 associate partners and several international organizations for a total of 25 countries involved. EPOS IP is a key step in EPOS' mission of a pan-European Earth science integrated platform. It will deliver not only a suite of domain-specific and multidisciplinary data and services in one platform, but also the legal, governance and financial frameworks to ensure the infrastructure future operation and sustainability (EPOS ERIC). INGV experience over the years indicates that effective management of EU RIs projects should contain 5 basic elements: 1.Defined life cycle and milestones: Map of phases, deliverables, key milestones and sufficiency criteria for each group involved in the project using project management tools and software. 2.Shared organization, systems, roles: Defined roles for team members and responsibilities for functional managers are crucial. Similarly, a system of communication and team involvement is essential to success. Leadership and interpersonal/organizational skills are also important. 3.Quality assurance: Quality dimension should be aligned to the project objectives and specific criteria should be identified for each phase of the project. 4.Tracking and variance analysis: Regular reports and periodic meetings of the teams are crucial to identify when things are off target. Schedule slips, cost overruns, open issues, new risks and problems must be dealt with as early as possible. 5.Impact assessment by monitoring the achievement of results and socio-economic impact.

75 FR 65615 - Conditional Commitment for a Federal Loan Guarantee for Project Financing for Southwest Intertie...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-26

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Conditional Commitment for a Federal Loan Guarantee for Project Financing for... based on the analysis in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Project Financing for Southwest... support of debt financing for transmission infrastructure investment projects located in the United States...

23 CFR 505.13 - Federal Government's share of project cost.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS OF NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE EVALUATION AND RATING § 505.13 Federal Government's share of project cost. (a) Based on engineering studies, studies of economic feasibility, and... 23 Highways 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Federal Government's share of project cost. 505.13...

What is the part of ``This is not working'' that education authorities didn't get yet?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doran, Rosa

Science teaching is becoming more and more challenging and learners growing not attracted and uninterested for science topics a teacher’s everyday nightmare. Teachers complain that students are not interested in anything, that they are harder and harder to control, that their attitude towards learning has changes a lot. Where have you heard this before? I know, when you were a student I bet. Well, the problem remains the same but the shifting waves are coming with a higher frequency and their impact more and more disastrous. Now try this, follow the waves of change and try to match them with changes in education systems. You can’t? Well, there you go. Now you understand the title of this talk. Now the question at hand is: Imagine that authorities decide to make education their number 1 priority (would be a dream land wouldn’t it?). Still the problem would persist; teachers are not prepared to face the winds of change so quickly. A strong support network of scientists and educators must be at place to provide the necessary training and follow-up support. This is what the Galileo Teacher Training Program network is encompassing globally and with steady and growing strength. The existence of e-infrastructure and good tools and resources is fundamental. This is where EC funded projects such as Go-lab and Inspire Science Education can make a difference. Testing and piloting cutting edge solutions for introducing a meaningful science experience in schools is the goal of these projects. Educators must also have the freedom to find proper and high quality material, already tested experiences in their native language and adapted to the local curricula. This effort is being implemented in the scope of other EC funded projects: Open Discovery Space and Inspiring Science Education, projects devoted to help educators in Europe to use powerful digital tools and resources in their lessons and help them assess the effectiveness of it. So the cards are on the table, results revealed. Now what we have to do is take our responsibilities at hand and ensure that this generation in the making gets the best instruction. For the sake of our future we must see this wish come true.

Developing a European grid infrastructure for cancer research: vision, architecture and services

PubMed Central

Tsiknakis, M; Rueping, S; Martin, L; Sfakianakis, S; Bucur, A; Sengstag, T; Brochhausen, M; Pucaski, J; Graf, N

2007-01-01

Life sciences are currently at the centre of an information revolution. The nature and amount of information now available opens up areas of research that were once in the realm of science fiction. During this information revolution, the data-gathering capabilities have greatly surpassed the data-analysis techniques. Data integration across heterogeneous data sources and data aggregation across different aspects of the biomedical spectrum, therefore, is at the centre of current biomedical and pharmaceutical R&D. This paper reports on original results from the ACGT integrated project, focusing on the design and development of a European Biomedical Grid infrastructure in support of multi-centric, post-genomic clinical trials (CTs) on cancer. Post-genomic CTs use multi-level clinical and genomic data and advanced computational analysis and visualization tools to test hypotheses in trying to identify the molecular reasons for a disease and the stratification of patients in terms of treatment. The paper provides a presentation of the needs of users involved in post-genomic CTs and presents indicative scenarios, which drive the requirements of the engineering phase of the project. Subsequently, the initial architecture specified by the project is presented, and its services are classified and discussed. A range of such key services, including the Master Ontology on sCancer, which lie at the heart of the integration architecture of the project, is presented. Special efforts have been taken to describe the methodological and technological framework of the project, enabling the creation of a legally compliant and trustworthy infrastructure. Finally, a short discussion of the forthcoming work is included, and the potential involvement of the cancer research community in further development or utilization of the infrastructure is described. PMID:22275955

Visualizing and Understanding Socio-Environmental Dynamics in Baltimore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaitchik, B. F.; Omeara, K.; Guikema, S.; Scott, A.; Bessho, A.; Logan, T. M.

2015-12-01

The City of Baltimore, like any city, is the sum of its component neighborhoods, institutions, businesses, cultures, and, ultimately, its people. It is also an organism in its own right, with distinct geography, history, infrastructure, and environments that shape its residents even as it is shaped by them. Sometimes these interactions are obvious but often they are not; while basic economic patterns are widely documented, the distribution of socio-spatial and environmental connections often hides below the surface, as does the potential that those connections hold. Here we present results of a collaborative initiative on the geography, design, and policy of socio-environmental dynamics of Baltimore. Geospatial data derived from satellite imagery, demographic databases, social media feeds, infrastructure plans, and in situ environmental networks, among other sources, are applied to generate an interactive portrait of Baltimore City's social, health, and well-being dynamics. The layering of data serves as a platform for visualizing the interconnectedness of the City and as a database for modeling risk interactions, vulnerabilities, and strengths within and between communities. This presentation will provide an overview of project findings and highlight linkages to education and policy.

A Consensus Action Agenda for Achieving the National Health Information Infrastructure

PubMed Central

Yasnoff, William A.; Humphreys, Betsy L.; Overhage, J. Marc; Detmer, Don E.; Brennan, Patricia Flatley; Morris, Richard W.; Middleton, Blackford; Bates, David W.; Fanning, John P.

2004-01-01

Background: Improving the safety, quality, and efficiency of health care will require immediate and ubiquitous access to complete patient information and decision support provided through a National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII). Methods: To help define the action steps needed to achieve an NHII, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sponsored a national consensus conference in July 2003. Results: Attendees favored a public–private coordination group to guide NHII activities, provide education, share resources, and monitor relevant metrics to mark progress. They identified financial incentives, health information standards, and overcoming a few important legal obstacles as key NHII enablers. Community and regional implementation projects, including consumer access to a personal health record, were seen as necessary to demonstrate comprehensive functional systems that can serve as models for the entire nation. Finally, the participants identified the need for increased funding for research on the impact of health information technology on patient safety and quality of care. Individuals, organizations, and federal agencies are using these consensus recommendations to guide NHII efforts. PMID:15187075

How Data Mining Threatens Student Privacy. Joint Hearing before the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies of the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives Serial No. 113-76 and the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives Serial No. 113-61, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session (June 25, 2014)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US House of Representatives, 2015

2015-01-01

This paper presents the first joint hearing of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies of the Committee on Homeland Security and the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. The subcommittees met to examine data collection…

Structural Equation Modelling with Three Schemes Estimation of Score Factors on Partial Least Square (Case Study: The Quality Of Education Level SMA/MA in Sumenep Regency)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anekawati, Anik; Widjanarko Otok, Bambang; Purhadi; Sutikno

2017-06-01

Research in education often involves a latent variable. Statistical analysis technique that has the ability to analyze the pattern of relationship among latent variables as well as between latent variables and their indicators is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). SEM partial least square (PLS) was developed as an alternative if these conditions are met: the theory that underlying the design of the model is weak, does not assume a certain scale measurement, the sample size should not be large and the data does not have the multivariate normal distribution. The purpose of this paper is to compare the results of modeling of the educational quality in high school level (SMA/MA) in Sumenep Regency with structural equation modeling approach partial least square with three schemes estimation of score factors. This paper is a result of explanatory research using secondary data from Sumenep Education Department and Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) Sumenep which was data of Sumenep in the Figures and the District of Sumenep in the Figures for the year 2015. The unit of observation in this study were districts in Sumenep that consists of 18 districts on the mainland and 9 districts in the islands. There were two endogenous variables and one exogenous variable. Endogenous variables are the quality of education level of SMA/MA (Y1) and school infrastructure (Y2), whereas exogenous variable is socio-economic condition (X1). In this study, There is one improved model which represented by model from path scheme because this model is a consistent, all of its indicators are valid and its the value of R-square increased which is: Y1=0.651Y2. In this model, the quality of education influenced only by the school infrastructure (0.651). The socio-economic condition did not affect neither the school infrastructure nor the quality of education. If the school infrastructure increased 1 point, then the quality of education increased 0.651 point. The quality of education had an R2 of 0.418, which indicates that 41.8 percent of variance in the quality of education is explained by the school infrastructure, the remaining 58.2% is explained by the other factors which were not investigated in this work.

Culturally appropriate organization of water and sewerage projects built through public private partnerships

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

This paper contributes to the pursuit of socially sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure for all people by discovering statistically robust relationships between Hofstede’s dimensions of cross-cultural comparison and the choice of contract award types, project type, and primary revenue sources. This analysis, which represents 973 projects distributed across 24 low- and middle-income nations, uses a World Bank dataset describing high capital cost water and sewerage projects funded through private investment. The results show that cultural dimensions explain variation in the choice of contract award types, project type, and primary revenue sources. These results provide empirical evidence that strategies for water and sewerage project organization are not culturally neutral. The data show, for example, that highly individualistic contexts are more likely to select competitive contract award types and to depend on user fees to provide the primary project revenue stream post-construction. By selecting more locally appropriate ways to organize projects, project stakeholders will be better able to pursue the construction of socially sustainable water and sewerage infrastructure. PMID:29200432

Health needs, budget cuts & military spending.

PubMed

1991-01-01

A healthy, well-fed, educated populace is synonymous with a prospering economy. Yet, when planning their budgets, governments tend to emphasize infrastructural/industrial projects and defence rather than investing in health, education and other social programmes to eliminate the widespread poverty and high mortality of its population, which would assure a more promising future in the long-term. As citizens, nurses are responsible for initiating and supporting action to meet the health and social needs of the public. And in keeping with ICN's 1989 resolution on nuclear war, INR presents some facts on social and defence spending to show how health needs are often being deprived by emphasis on others sectors, particularly defence. The aim is "to encourage nurses to critically appraise expenditure on health and welfare at a national and global level in relation to that spent on conventional and nuclear arms and to assist nurses to develop strategies of action to contribute to international peace."

Implementing the patient-centered medical home in residency education.

PubMed

Doolittle, Benjamin R; Tobin, Daniel; Genao, Inginia; Ellman, Matthew; Ruser, Christopher; Brienza, Rebecca

2015-01-01

In recent years, physician groups, government agencies and third party payers in the United States of America have promoted a Patient-centered Medical Home (PCMH) model that fosters a team-based approach to primary care. Advocates highlight the model's collaborative approach where physicians, mid-level providers, nurses and other health care personnel coordinate their efforts with an aim for high-quality, efficient care. Early studies show improvement in quality measures, reduction in emergency room visits and cost savings. However, implementing the PCMH presents particular challenges to physician training programs, including institutional commitment, infrastructure expenditures and faculty training. Teaching programs must consider how the objectives of the PCMH model align with recent innovations in resident evaluation now required by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in the US. This article addresses these challenges, assesses the preliminary success of a pilot project, and proposes a viable, realistic model for implementation at other institutions.

Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

How WIFIA works, program implementation, program guidance, how potential recipients can obtain funding, and project eligibility. WIFIA works with State Revolving Funds to provide subsidized financing for large dollar-value projects.

Reports From Greening America's Capitals Projects

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Reports from projects conducted under the Greening America's Capitals Program, which helped capital cities explore green infrastructure and sustainable design strategies to revitalize neighborhoods, improve public health, and protect the environment.

Innovative finance : strategic research project.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

Its time to rethink how we fund transportation infrastructure because most transportation : experts agree: theres a transportation funding and financing crisis looming. : Projected revenues from current sources of transportation funding will am...

Low-Cost, Robust, Threat-aware Wireless Sensor Network for Assuring the Nation's Energy Infrastructure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlos H. Rentel

2007-03-31

The objective of this project was to create a low-cost, robust anticipatory wireless sensor network (A-WSN) to ensure the security and reliability of the United States energy infrastructure. This document highlights Eaton Corporation's plan to bring these technologies to market.

A tale of two rain gardens: Barriers and bridges to adaptive management of urban stormwater in Cleveland, Ohio

EPA Science Inventory

Green infrastructure installations such as rain gardens and bioswales are increasingly regarded as viable tools to mitigate stormwater runoff at the parcel level. The use of adaptive management to implement and monitor green infrastructure projects as experimental attempts to man...

Comparison of WinSLAMM Modeled Results with Monitored Bioinfiltration Data during Kansas City Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project

EPA Science Inventory

The Water Services Department (WSD) in Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO) has conducted extensive modeling and economic studies of its combined sewer system (CSS) over the last several years. A number of green infrastructure (GI) solutions were identified and constructed to reduce dis...