Setting Learning Analytics in Context: Overcoming the Barriers to Large-Scale Adoption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Rebecca; Macfadyen, Leah P.; Clow, Doug; Tynan, Belinda; Alexander, Shirley; Dawson, Shane

2014-01-01

A core goal for most learning analytic projects is to move from small-scale research towards broader institutional implementation, but this introduces a new set of challenges because institutions are stable systems, resistant to change. To avoid failure and maximize success, implementation of learning analytics at scale requires explicit and…

Negative "Marking"? University Research Administrators and the Contestation of Moral Exclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen-Collinson, Jacquelyn

2009-01-01

With the exception of academics, occupational groups within universities remain relatively under-researched. Based upon qualitative interviews with 27 research administrators in 19 UK universities, this article reports on a small-scale qualitative project to investigate the workday worlds of these "boundary-crossing" and…

DEVELOPMENT OF A SCALABLE, LOW-COST, ULTRANANOCRYSTALLINE DIAMOND ELECTROCHEMICAL PROCESS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF CONTAMINANTS OF EMERGING CONCERN (CECS) - PHASE II

EPA Science Inventory

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will employ the large scale; highly reliable boron-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond (BD-UNCD®) electrodes developed during Phase I project to build and test Electrochemical Anodic Oxidation process (EAOP)...

Geocapabilities and Curriculum Leadership: Balancing the Priorities of Aim-Based and Knowledge-Led Curriculum Thinking in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uhlenwinkel, Anke; Béneker, Tine; Bladh, Gabriel; Tani, Sirpa; Lambert, David

2017-01-01

The small-scale research presented in this paper was conducted as part of the GeoCapabilities project. Though originating in the Anglophone world, the project attempts to address the purposes and values of geography education internationally. Using the idea of "powerful disciplinary knowledge" the project asks what geography has to offer…

Data management for community research projects: A JGOFS case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowry, Roy K.

1992-01-01

Since the mid 1980s, much of the marine science research effort in the United Kingdom has been focused into large scale collaborative projects involving public sector laboratories and university departments, termed Community Research Projects. Two of these, the Biogeochemical Ocean Flux Study (BOFS) and the North Sea Project incorporated large scale data collection to underpin multidisciplinary modeling efforts. The challenge of providing project data sets to support the science was met by a small team within the British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) operating as a topical data center. The role of the data center was to both work up the data from the ship's sensors and to combine these data with sample measurements into online databases. The working up of the data was achieved by a unique symbiosis between data center staff and project scientists. The project management, programming and data processing skills of the data center were combined with the oceanographic experience of the project communities to develop a system which has produced quality controlled, calibrated data sets from 49 research cruises in 3.5 years of operation. The data center resources required to achieve this were modest and far outweighed by the time liberated in the scientific community by the removal of the data processing burden. Two online project databases have been assembled containing a very high proportion of the data collected. As these are under the control of BODC their long term availability as part of the UK national data archive is assured. The success of the topical data center model for UK Community Research Project data management has been founded upon the strong working relationships forged between the data center and project scientists. These can only be established by frequent personal contact and hence the relatively small size of the UK has been a critical factor. However, projects covering a larger, even international scale could be successfully supported by a network of topical data centers managing online databases which are interconnected by object oriented distributed data management systems over wide area networks.

Environmentally Sound Small-Scale Livestock Projects. Guidelines for Planning Series Number 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Linda

This document was developed in response to the need for simplified technical information for planning environmentally sound small-scale projects in third world countries. It is aimed specifically at those who are planning or managing small-scale livestock projects in less-developed areas of the tropics and sub-tropics. The guidelines included in…

Pupil Participation and Playground Design: Listening and Responding to Children's Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Rebecca; Howe, Julia

2017-01-01

This article outlines a small-scale research project that attempted to involve primary aged pupils actively in the redesign of their school playground. The project stemmed from concerns raised by school staff regarding the frequency of problematic behaviours during unstructured times, particularly lunchtimes, and the decision to redesign the…

An Introduction to the Work (and Play) of Writing Studies Research Methods through Micro Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aiken, Suzan; Beard, Emily J.; McClure, David R. E.; Nickoson, Lee

2013-01-01

This article addresses the benefits and challenges involved with assigning small-scale research projects in one research methods class as means of introducing new(er) researchers to the work and rewards of empirical writing research. The following discussion does not claim to offer examples of cutting-edge methodological work. That is not our goal…

CFIRP: What we learned in the first ten years

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chambers, C.L.; McComb, W.C.; Tappeiner, J. C.; Kellogg, L.D.; Johnson, R.L.; Spycher, G.

1999-01-01

In response to public dissatisfaction with forest management methods, we initiated the College of Forestry Integrated Research Project (CFIRP) to test alternative silvicultural systems in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii stands in western Oregon. We compared costs and biological and human responses among a control and three replicated silvicultural alternatives to clearcutting that retained structural features found in old Douglas-fir forests. Treatments were applied within 8- to 15-ha stands and attempted to mimic crown fires (modified clearcut), windthrow (green tree retention), and small-scale impacts such as root rot diseases (small patch group selection). We also compared costs in three unreplicated treatments (large patch group selection, wedge cut, and strip cut). Each treatment included differences in the pattern of retained dead trees (snags), as either scattered individuals or as clumps. Good communication among researchers and managers, a long-term commitment to the project, and careful documentation of research sites and data are important to the success of long-term silvicultural research projects. To date, over 30 publications have resulted from the project.

2011 NDIA Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy/DoD Workshop

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-12

the Government to rectify industrial base shortfalls • Synergy of technical and business objectives focused on long- term economic viability and...Earth Materials May Switch From a Net Exporter to a Net Importer Shifting Economics Of Rare Earth Materials Advanced Research Projects Agency • Energy...scale for success – Immature technology and business – Lack of knowledge and patience to do business with government, which is a small customer • DoD

Harnessing the Power of Film in the Primary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watts, Rowena

2007-01-01

This paper explores one way that teachers can develop creativity within potentially limiting confines and pressures of curriculum guidelines. The researcher considers the inclusion of film as a creative, engaging and effective strategy for teaching reading using data from a small-scale research project. Hypotheses are based on analysis of…

Preschool Children, Painting and Palimpsest: Collaboration as Pedagogy, Practice and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutcher, Alexandra; Boyd, Wendy

2018-01-01

This article describes a small, collaborative, arts-based research project conducted in two rural early childhood centres in regional Australia, where the children made large-scale collaborative paintings in partnership with teachers and researchers. Observation of young children's artistic practices, in order to inform the development of…

A Review of the Environmental Impacts for Marine and Hydrokinetic Projects to Inform Regulatory Permitting: Summary Findings from the 2015 Workshop on Marine and Hydrokinetic Technologies, Washington, D.C.

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

Baring-Gould, E. Ian; Christol, Corrie; LiVecchi, Al

In 2014 and 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy initiated efforts to develop and implement technology- and application-focused marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) workshops to share the global experience and knowledge base on evolving MHK technologies, observed and not-observed impacts, monitoring and measurement methods, and regulatory needs. The resulting MHK Regulator Workshops engaged resource managers and other decision makers at key regulatory organizations, scientists, researchers, facilitators, and technical experts and provided an opportunity to examine the risks of single-device and small-scale deployments, explore what can be learned and observed from single devices and small-scale arrays, and consider requirements for projects atmore » varying scales of deployment. Experts and stakeholders identified key remaining information gaps. Initial discussions focused on differentiating between monitoring required for single or small-scale deployments and MHK impact research that, although important, goes beyond what is feasible or should be needed to meet specific project regulatory requirements but is appropriate for broader research and development. Four areas of identified potential environmental impacts provided the focus for the workshop: acoustic output impacts, electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions, physical interactions, and environmental effects of MHK energy development on the physical environment. Discussions also focused on the regulatory process and experience, adaptive management, industry drivers, and lessons that can be learned from the wind energy industry. The discussion was set in the context of the types of MHK technologies that are currently proposed or planned in the United States. All presentations and the following discussions are summarized in this document.« less

Spreading the Load: Mobile Information and Communications Technologies and Their Effect on Information Overload

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, David K.; Shoard, M.

2005-01-01

Introduction: We report on a small-scale research project which examined the impact of mobile technologies on the users' experience of information overload. The project focused on a group of worker who have had relatively little attention in both the mobile technology and information overload literatures: senior managers. Method: The case study…

"Adam Smith Meets Walt Disney": School Image on the World Wide Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Alison

2007-01-01

This article describes a small-scale research project undertaken as part of the coursework in a Doctor of Education programme. The project investigated the organisational images or identities portrayed by ten secondary schools in Auckland, New Zealand on their school websites. The recent proliferation of school websites has provided schools with a…

A Different Approach to the Scientific Research Methods Course: Effects of a Small-Scale Research Project on Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastürk, Savas

2017-01-01

Selecting and applying appropriate research techniques, analysing data using information and communication technologies, transferring the obtained results of the analysis into tables and interpreting them are the performance indicators evaluated by the Ministry of National Education under teacher competencies. At the beginning of the courses that…

Children as Peer Researchers: Reflections on a Journey of Mutual Discovery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coppock, Vicki

2011-01-01

This article is based on a small-scale study evaluating the work of an emotional literacy project in the North West of England. It focuses on the research process and the challenging experience of involving children as peer researchers. The author draws on theoretical and epistemological insights from feminism and the sociology of childhood to…

Regulated mRNA Decay in Arabidopsis: A global analysis of differential control by hormones and the circadian clock

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

Green, Pamela J.

The long-term goal of this research was to better understand the influence of mRNA stability on gene regulation, particularly in response to hormones and the circadian clock. The primary aim of this project was to examine this using DNA microarrays, small RNA analysis and other approaches. We accomplished these objectives, although we were only able to detect small changes in mRNA stability in response to these stimuli. However, the work also contributed to a major breakthrough allowing the identification of small RNAs on a genomic scale in eukaryotes. Moreover, the project prompted us to develop a new way to analyzemore » mRNA decay genome wide. Thus, the research was hugely successful beyond our objectives.« less

Vocabulary Learning through an Online Computerized Flashcard Site

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Stuart; Hogg, Nicholas; Rush, Thomas W.

2013-01-01

Recent research has shown that paired-associate learning is an effective way to acquire second language vocabulary. However, much research in the field has measured small-scale vocabulary learning. This is due to the methods which learners used to conduct paired-associate learning: paper flash cards. This project sought to measure vocabulary…

Independent Study Workbooks for Proofs in Group Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alcock, Lara; Brown, Gavin; Dunning, Clare

2015-01-01

This paper describes a small-scale research project based on workbooks designed to support independent study of proofs in a first course on abstract algebra. We discuss the lecturers' aims in designing the workbooks, and set these against a background of research on students' learning of group theory and on epistemological beliefs and study habits…

Careers Guidance and Social Mobility in UK Higher Education: Practitioner Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christie, Fiona

2016-01-01

This paper reveals findings from a small-scale research project which explored how university careers advisers experience their role in guiding clients within a labour market where barriers to social mobility prevail. The research discovers that advisers' daily work gives them a depth of insight into social mobility. The professional turbulence in…

What Disability? I Am a Leader! Understanding Leadership in HE from a Disability Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emira, Mahmoud; Brewster, Stephanie; Duncan, Neil; Clifford, Angela

2018-01-01

This article is based on the findings of an externally funded, mixed-methods research project conducted at one English university. This small-scale project aimed to examine leadership, barriers to becoming a leader and the support needed to overcome them, from the perspectives of disabled staff. An online questionnaire was sent to all 66 members…

Educational Drama in the Teaching of Education for Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNaughton, Marie Jeanne

2004-01-01

In this paper, I describe part of my research project that examines the use of Educational Drama in Education for Sustainability in the upper stages of the primary school (10- and 11-year-olds). Central to the research is a small-scale qualitative research study. Here, I describe the educational focus of the study and outline the methodology.…

"It's Small Steps, but That Leads to Bigger Changes": Evaluation of a Nurture Group Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Kerry

2017-01-01

This article presents the results of a small-scale research project that aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a part-time nurture group recently established in one primary school. Qualitative interviews were used to gather staff, pupil and parental perceptions about the nurture group. These focused not only on what difference the nurture group…

Diversity in Primary Teacher Education Gender Differences in Student Factors and Curriculum Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geerdink, Gerda; Bergen, Theo; Dekkers, Hetty

2011-01-01

In the Netherlands only a small number of male students opt for primary school teaching and a relatively large percentage of them leave without graduating. A small-scale research project was set up to explore the question: Can gender-specific student factors be identified in relation to the initial teacher education curriculum that leads to the…

An Overview of the NASA FAP Hypersonics Project Airbreathing Propulsion Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Auslender, A. H.; Suder, Kenneth L.; Thomas, Scott R.

2009-01-01

The propulsion research portfolio of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Fundamental Aeronautics Program Hypersonics Project encompasses a significant number of technical tasks that are aligned to achieve mastery and intellectual stewardship of the core competencies in the hypersonic-flight regime. An overall coordinated programmatic and technical effort has been structured to advance the state-of-the-art, via both experimental and analytical efforts. A subset of the entire hypersonics propulsion research portfolio is presented in this overview paper. To this end, two programmatic research disciplines are discussed; namely, (1) the Propulsion Discipline, including three associated research elements: the X-51A partnership, the HIFiRE-2 partnership, and the Durable Combustor Rig, and (2) the Turbine-Based Combine Cycle Discipline, including three associated research elements: the Combined Cycle Engine Large Scale Inlet Mode Transition Experiment, the small-scale Inlet Mode Transition Experiment, and the High-Mach Fan Rig.

In Defense of the National Labs and Big-Budget Science

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

Goodwin, J R

2008-07-29

The purpose of this paper is to present the unofficial and unsanctioned opinions of a Visiting Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on the values of LLNL and the other National Labs. The basic founding value and goal of the National Labs is big-budget scientific research, along with smaller-budget scientific research that cannot easily be done elsewhere. The most important example in the latter category is classified defense-related research. The historical guiding light here is the Manhattan Project. This endeavor was unique in human history, and might remain so. The scientific expertise and wealth of an entire nation was tappedmore » in a project that was huge beyond reckoning, with no advance guarantee of success. It was in many respects a clash of scientific titans, with a large supporting cast, collaborating toward a single well-defined goal. Never had scientists received so much respect, so much money, and so much intellectual freedom to pursue scientific progress. And never was the gap between theory and implementation so rapidly narrowed, with results that changed the world, completely. Enormous resources are spent at the national or international level on large-scale scientific projects. LLNL has the most powerful computer in the world, Blue Gene/L. (Oops, Los Alamos just seized the title with Roadrunner; such titles regularly change hands.) LLNL also has the largest laser in the world, the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) has the most powerful microscope in the world. Not only is it beyond the resources of most large corporations to make such expenditures, but the risk exceeds the possible rewards for those corporations that could. Nor can most small countries afford to finance large scientific projects, and not even the richest can afford largess, especially if Congress is under major budget pressure. Some big-budget research efforts are funded by international consortiums, such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, and the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Cadarache, France, a magnetic-confinement fusion research project. The postWWII histories of particle and fusion physics contain remarkable examples of both international competition, with an emphasis on secrecy, and international cooperation, with an emphasis on shared knowledge and resources. Initiatives to share sometimes came from surprising directions. Most large-scale scientific projects have potential defense applications. NIF certainly does; it is primarily designed to create small-scale fusion explosions. Blue Gene/L operates in part in service to NIF, and in part to various defense projects. The most important defense projects include stewardship of the national nuclear weapons stockpile, and the proposed redesign and replacement of those weapons with fewer, safer, more reliable, longer-lived, and less apocalyptic warheads. Many well-meaning people will consider the optimal lifetime of a nuclear weapon to be zero, but most thoughtful people, when asked how much longer they think this nation will require them, will ask for some time to think. NIF is also designed to create exothermic small-scale fusion explosions. The malapropos 'exothermic' here is a convenience to cover a profusion of complexities, but the basic idea is that the explosions will create more recoverable energy than was used to create them. One can hope that the primary future benefits of success for NIF will be in cost-effective generation of electrical power through controlled small-scale fusion reactions, rather than in improved large-scale fusion explosions. Blue Gene/L also services climate research, genomic research, materials research, and a myriad of other computational problems that become more feasible, reliable, and precise the larger the number of computational nodes employed. Blue Gene/L has to be sited within a security complex for obvious reasons, but its value extends to the nation and the world. There is a duality here between large-scale scientific research machines and the supercomputers used to model them. An astounding example is illustrated in a graph released by EFDAJET, at Oxfordshire, UK, presently the largest operating magnetic-confinement fusion experiment. The graph shows plasma confinement times (an essential performance parameter) for all the major tokamaks in the international fusion program, over their existing lifetimes. The remarkable thing about the data is not so much confinement-time versus date or scale, but the fact that the data are given for both the computer model predictions and the actual experimental measurements, and the two are in phenomenal agreement over the extended range of scales. Supercomputer models, sometimes operating with the intricacy of Schroedinger's equation at quantum physical scales, have become a costly but enormously cost-saving tool.« less

Case studies of the legal and institutional obstacles and incentives to the development of small-scale hydroelectric power: Bull Run, Portland, Oregon

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

None

1980-05-01

The National Conference of State Legislatures' Small-Scale Hydroelectric Policy Project is designed to assist selected state legislatures in looking at the benefits that a state can derive from the development of small-scale hydro, and in carrying out a review of state laws and regulations that affect the development of the state's small-scale hydro resources. The successful completion of the project should help establish state statutes and regulations that are consistent with the efficient development of small-scale hydro. As part of the project's work with state legislatures, seven case studies of small-scale hydro sites were conducted to provide a general analysismore » and overview of the significant problems and opportunities for the development of this energy resource. The case study approach was selected to expose the actual difficulties and advantages involved in developing a specific site. Such an examination of real development efforts will clearly reveal the important aspects about small-scale hydro development which could be improved by statutory or regulatory revision. Moreover, the case study format enables the formulation of generalized opportunities for promoting small-scale hydro based on specific development experiences. The case study for small-scale hydro power development at the City of Portland's water reserve in the Bull Run Forest is presented with information included on the Bull Run hydro power potential, current water usage, hydro power regulations and plant licensing, technical and economic aspects of Bull Run project, and the environmental impact. (LCL)« less

The Role of Small-Scale Processes in Solar Active Region Decay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Karen; Mackay, Duncan

2017-08-01

Active regions are locations of intense magnetic activity on the Sun, whose evolution can result in highly energetic eruptive phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Therefore, fast and accurate simulation of their evolution and decay is essential in the prediction of Space Weather events. In this talk we present initial results from our new model for the photospheric evolution of active region magnetic fields. Observations show that small-scale processes appear to play a role in the dispersal and decay of solar active regions, for example through cancellation at the boundary of sunspot outflows and erosion of flux by surrounding convective cells. Our active region model is coupled to our existing model for the evolution of small-scale photospheric magnetic features. Focusing first on the active region decay phase, we consider the evolution of its magnetic field due to both large-scale (e.g. differential rotation) and small-scale processes, such as its interaction with surrounding small-scale magnetic features and convective flows.This project is funded by The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, through their Research Incentives Grant scheme.

NASA AETC Test Technology Subproject

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, James

2017-01-01

Funds directed to improve measurement capabilities (pressure, force, flow, and temperature), test techniques and processes, and develop technologies critical to meeting NASA research needs and applicable to a multitude of facilities. Primarily works by funding small ($40K - $400K) tasks which result in a demonstration or initial capability of a new technology in an AETC facility.TT research and development tasks are generally TRL 3-6; they should be things which work in small scale or lab environments but need further development for use in production facilities.TT differs from CA in its focus on smaller-scale tasks and on instrumentation. Technologies developed by TT may become CA projects in order be fully realized within a facility.

Exploring Transitions in Notions of Identity as Perceived by Beginning Post-Compulsory Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Victoria; Loughlin, Theresa; Hall, Val

2018-01-01

This paper reports on Phase Two of a small-scale qualitative research project. Phase One (2015-2016) focused on pre-service student teachers' perceptions of observation and feedback in relation to their developing identity as teachers. In Phase Two, two previous participants reflected on the research findings as qualified and beginning teachers.…

Screensaver: an open source lab information management system (LIMS) for high throughput screening facilities

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Shared-usage high throughput screening (HTS) facilities are becoming more common in academe as large-scale small molecule and genome-scale RNAi screening strategies are adopted for basic research purposes. These shared facilities require a unique informatics infrastructure that must not only provide access to and analysis of screening data, but must also manage the administrative and technical challenges associated with conducting numerous, interleaved screening efforts run by multiple independent research groups. Results We have developed Screensaver, a free, open source, web-based lab information management system (LIMS), to address the informatics needs of our small molecule and RNAi screening facility. Screensaver supports the storage and comparison of screening data sets, as well as the management of information about screens, screeners, libraries, and laboratory work requests. To our knowledge, Screensaver is one of the first applications to support the storage and analysis of data from both genome-scale RNAi screening projects and small molecule screening projects. Conclusions The informatics and administrative needs of an HTS facility may be best managed by a single, integrated, web-accessible application such as Screensaver. Screensaver has proven useful in meeting the requirements of the ICCB-Longwood/NSRB Screening Facility at Harvard Medical School, and has provided similar benefits to other HTS facilities. PMID:20482787

Screensaver: an open source lab information management system (LIMS) for high throughput screening facilities.

PubMed

Tolopko, Andrew N; Sullivan, John P; Erickson, Sean D; Wrobel, David; Chiang, Su L; Rudnicki, Katrina; Rudnicki, Stewart; Nale, Jennifer; Selfors, Laura M; Greenhouse, Dara; Muhlich, Jeremy L; Shamu, Caroline E

2010-05-18

Shared-usage high throughput screening (HTS) facilities are becoming more common in academe as large-scale small molecule and genome-scale RNAi screening strategies are adopted for basic research purposes. These shared facilities require a unique informatics infrastructure that must not only provide access to and analysis of screening data, but must also manage the administrative and technical challenges associated with conducting numerous, interleaved screening efforts run by multiple independent research groups. We have developed Screensaver, a free, open source, web-based lab information management system (LIMS), to address the informatics needs of our small molecule and RNAi screening facility. Screensaver supports the storage and comparison of screening data sets, as well as the management of information about screens, screeners, libraries, and laboratory work requests. To our knowledge, Screensaver is one of the first applications to support the storage and analysis of data from both genome-scale RNAi screening projects and small molecule screening projects. The informatics and administrative needs of an HTS facility may be best managed by a single, integrated, web-accessible application such as Screensaver. Screensaver has proven useful in meeting the requirements of the ICCB-Longwood/NSRB Screening Facility at Harvard Medical School, and has provided similar benefits to other HTS facilities.

I Thought This Was Going to Be a Waste of Time: How Portfolio Construction Can Support Student Learning from Project-Based Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turns, Jennifer; Cuddihy, Elisabeth; Guan, Zhiwei

2010-01-01

In this work, we sought to understand ways that students experienced a small-scale portfolio assignment provided to them as an opportunity reflect on their experiences in a project-based class. This work was motivated by research in various instructional contexts showing that portfolio construction results in important learning outcomes. We wanted…

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.

Design of small-scale gradient coils in magnetic resonance imaging by using the topology optimization method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Hui; Jia, Feng; Liu, Zhen-Yu; Zaitsev, Maxim; Hennig, Juergen; Korvink, Jan G.

2018-05-01

Not Available Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51675506 and 51275504) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) (Grant Nos. #ZA 422/5-1 and #ZA 422/6-1).

Environmentally Sound Small-Scale Water Projects. Guidelines for Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillman, Gus

This manual is the second volume in a series of publications on community development programs. Guidelines are suggested for small-scale water projects that would benefit segments of the world's urban or rural poor. Strategies in project planning, implementation and evaluation are presented that emphasize environmental conservation and promote…

Acquision of Geometrical Data of Small Rivers with AN Unmanned Water Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sardemann, H.; Eltner, A.; Maas, H.-G.

2018-05-01

Rivers with small- and medium-scaled catchments have been increasingly affected by extreme events, i.e. flash floods, in the last years. New methods to describe and predict these events are developed in the interdisciplinary research project EXTRUSO. Flash flood events happen on small temporal and spatial scales, stressing the necessity of high-resolution input data for hydrological and hydrodynamic modelling. Among others, the benefit of high-resolution digital terrain models (DTMs) will be evaluated in the project. This article introduces a boat-based approach for the acquisition of geometrical and morphological data of small rivers and their banks. An unmanned water vehicle (UWV) is used as a multi-sensor platform to collect 3D-point clouds of the riverbanks, as well as bathymetric measurements of water depth and river morphology. The UWV is equipped with a mobile Lidar, a panorama camera, an echo sounder and a positioning unit. Whole (sub-) catchments of small rivers can be digitalized and provided for hydrological modelling when UWV-based and UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) based point clouds are fused.

To What Extent Does A-Level Physics Prepare Students for Undergraduate Laboratory Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Alaric

2012-01-01

This paper is a summary of a small-scale research project carried out to investigate the transition from A-level to university physics, with a specific focus on practical or laboratory skills. A brief description of the methods used precedes the headline findings of the research. A non-evidential discussion of the possible reasons behind any…

Promoting the Development of a Supportive Learning Environment through Action Research from the "Middle Out"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgson, David; May, Steve; Marks-Maran, Diane

2008-01-01

This paper reports on a case study of a supportive learning environment initiative (SLEI) for students on health and social care undergraduate programmes in one English university. It involved the development of small scale support projects that are firmly grounded in the outcomes of prior research as well as the ongoing experience of students and…

GEWEX Continental-scale International Project (GCIP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Try, Paul

1993-01-01

The Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) represents the World Climate Research Program activities on clouds, radiation, and land-surface processes. The goal of the program is to reproduce and predict, by means of suitable models, the variations of the global hydrological regime and its impact on atmospheric and oceanic dynamics. However, GEWEX is also concerned with variations in regional hydrological processes and water resources and their response to changes in the environment such as increasing greenhouse gases. In fact, GEWEX contains a major new international project called the GEWEX Continental-scale International Project (GCIP), which is designed to bridge the gap between the small scales represented by hydrological models and those scales that are practical for predicting the regional impacts of climate change. The development and use of coupled mesoscale-hydrological models for this purpose is a high priority in GCIP. The objectives of GCIP are presented.

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

BARTONE, ERIK

DBS Energy Inc. (“DBS”) intends on using the Connecticut Biofuels Technology Project for the purpose of developing a small-scale electric generating systems that are located on a distributed basis and utilize biodiesel as its principle fuel source. This project will include research and analysis on the quality and applied use of biodiesel for use in electricity production, 2) develop dispatch center for testing and analysis of the reliability of dispatching remote generators operating on a blend of biodiesel and traditional fossil fuels, and 3) analysis and engineering research on fuel storage options for biodiesel of fuels for electric generation.

Implementing Small Scale ICT Projects in Developing Countries--How Challenging Is It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karunaratne, Thashmee; Peiris, Colombage; Hansson, Henrik

2018-01-01

This paper summarises experiences of efforts made by twenty individuals when implementing small-scale ICT development projects in their organizations located in seven developing countries. The main focus of these projects was the use of ICT in educational settings. Challenges encountered and the contributing factors for implementation success of…

A Primer for Developing Measures of Science Content Knowledge for Small-Scale Research and Instructional Use

PubMed Central

Bass, Kristin M.; Drits-Esser, Dina; Stark, Louisa A.

2016-01-01

The credibility of conclusions made about the effectiveness of educational interventions depends greatly on the quality of the assessments used to measure learning gains. This essay, intended for faculty involved in small-scale projects, courses, or educational research, provides a step-by-step guide to the process of developing, scoring, and validating high-quality content knowledge assessments. We illustrate our discussion with examples from our assessments of high school students’ understanding of concepts in cell biology and epigenetics. Throughout, we emphasize the iterative nature of the development process, the importance of creating instruments aligned to the learning goals of an intervention or curricula, and the importance of collaborating with other content and measurement specialists along the way. PMID:27055776

Education and Training for Sustainable Tourism: Problems, Possibilities and Cautious First Steps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gough, Stephen; Scott, William

1999-01-01

Advances a possible theoretical approach to education for sustainable tourism and describes a small-scale research project based on this approach. Seeks to integrate education for sustainable tourism into an established management curriculum using an innovative technique based on the idea of an adaptive concept. (Author/CCM)

Working Memory and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossland, John

2010-01-01

Feedback from teachers during in-service courses shows that they are fascinated by neuroscience, as they feel that it has the potential to improve their teaching practice. A previous article of mine in "School Science Review" reported the first eight messages of the outcomes from a small-scale action research project with primary and secondary…

Brain Biology and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossland, John

2010-01-01

Feedback from teachers during in-service courses shows that they are fascinated by neuroscience, as they feel that it has the potential to improve their teaching practice. There were two main outcomes from a small-scale action research project with primary and secondary science advanced skills teachers (AST) in North Yorkshire. The first is that…

AG Channel Measurement and Modeling Results for Over-Water and Hilly Terrain Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matolak, David W.; Sun, Ruoyu

2015-01-01

This report describes work completed over the past year on our project, entitled "Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research: The AG Channel, Robust Waveforms, and Aeronautical Network Simulations." This project is funded under the NASA project "Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS)." In this report we provide the following: an update on project progress; a description of the over-freshwater and hilly terrain initial results on path loss, delay spread, small-scale fading, and correlations; complete path loss models for the over-water AG channels; analysis for obtaining parameter statistics required for development of accurate wideband AG channel models; and analysis of an atypical AG channel in which the aircraft flies out of the ground site antenna main beam. We have modeled the small-scale fading of these channels with Ricean statistics, and have quantified the behavior of the Ricean K-factor. We also provide some results for correlations of signal components, both intra-band and inter-band. An updated literature review, and a summary that also describes future work, are also included.

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Programs and Projects for 2015

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2016-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR)/(STTR) technologies into NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) projects. Other Government and commercial projects managers can also find this useful.

The Iterative Design Process in Research and Development: A Work Experience Paper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, George F. III

2013-01-01

The iterative design process is one of many strategies used in new product development. Top-down development strategies, like waterfall development, place a heavy emphasis on planning and simulation. The iterative process, on the other hand, is better suited to the management of small to medium scale projects. Over the past four months, I have worked with engineers at Johnson Space Center on a multitude of electronics projects. By describing the work I have done these last few months, analyzing the factors that have driven design decisions, and examining the testing and verification process, I will demonstrate that iterative design is the obvious choice for research and development projects.

Throttleable GOX/ABS launch assist hybrid rocket motor for small scale air launch platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spurrier, Zachary S.

Aircraft-based space-launch platforms allow operational flexibility and offer the potential for significant propellant savings for small-to-medium orbital payloads. The NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center's Towed Glider Air-Launch System (TGALS) is a small-scale flight research project investigating the feasibility for a remotely-piloted, towed, glider system to act as a versatile air launch platform for nano-scale satellites. Removing the crew from the launch vehicle means that the system does not have to be human rated, and offers a potential for considerable cost savings. Utah State University is developing a small throttled launch-assist system for the TGALS platform. This "stage zero" design allows the TGALS platform to achieve the required flight path angle for the launch point, a condition that the TGALS cannot achieve without external propulsion. Throttling is required in order to achieve and sustain the proper launch attitude without structurally overloading the airframe. The hybrid rocket system employs gaseous-oxygen and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as propellants. This thesis summarizes the development and testing campaign, and presents results from the clean-sheet design through ground-based static fire testing. Development of the closed-loop throttle control system is presented.

Bone Marrow Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunne, Mark; Maklad, Rania; Heaney, Emma

2014-01-01

As a final-year student teacher specialising in primary science, Emma Heaney faced the challenge of having to plan, organise, and conduct a small-scale, classroom-based research project. She had to teach about bones in the final block practice session and thought it would be a good idea to bring in some biological specimens obtained from the local…

Working Together. Policy and Practice in Scottish Early Childhood Centres

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paton, Grace

2007-01-01

A key policy response to continuing concerns about levels of poverty and social exclusion in the United Kingdom has been the promotion of integrated children's services, involving professionals from education, social work, health and other fields working together on an inter-agency basis. This small-scale qualitative research project, using an…

The Co-Operative: Good with Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coates, Max

2015-01-01

The article is a summary of a small-scale research project which considers the formation of Co-operative Trust Schools. This was carried out in 2013 at a time when the number of schools becoming Academies and Trust Schools through the Co-operative College was burgeoning. Through questionnaire, interview, documentary analysis and exploration of…

Costs of Arsenic Removal Technologies for Small Water Systems: U.S. EPA Arsenic Removal Technology Demonstration Program

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the Arsenic Rule Implementation Research Program, between July 2003 and July 2011, the U.S. environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted 50 full-scale demonstration projects on treatment systems removing arsenic from drinking water in 26 states throughout the U.S. ...

To What Extent Does Participation in Extracurricular Music Affect the Future Aspirations of 11-12-Year-Olds? A Small-Scale Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denny, Eleanor

2007-01-01

I undertook this project as a 12-year-old student while studying research methods at the Children's Research Centre at the Open University. It has already been shown that doing music improves children's Mathematics and English scores. The aim of this study was to find out if it also raises the aspirations of the children taking part. A…

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into Science Mission Directorate Projects at Glenn Research Center for 2015

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2016-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Glenn ResearchCenter Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR)/(STTR)technologies into NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) programs/projects. Other Government and commercial project managers can also find this useful.

The complexity of classical music networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolla, Vitor; Kestenberg, Juliano; Velho, Luiz

2018-02-01

Previous works suggest that musical networks often present the scale-free and the small-world properties. From a musician's perspective, the most important aspect missing in those studies was harmony. In addition to that, the previous works made use of outdated statistical methods. Traditionally, least-squares linear regression is utilised to fit a power law to a given data set. However, according to Clauset et al. such a traditional method can produce inaccurate estimates for the power law exponent. In this paper, we present an analysis of musical networks which considers the existence of chords (an essential element of harmony). Here we show that only 52.5% of music in our database presents the scale-free property, while 62.5% of those pieces present the small-world property. Previous works argue that music is highly scale-free; consequently, it sounds appealing and coherent. In contrast, our results show that not all pieces of music present the scale-free and the small-world properties. In summary, this research is focused on the relationship between musical notes (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si, and their sharps) and accompaniment in classical music compositions. More information about this research project is available at https://eden.dei.uc.pt/~vitorgr/MS.html.

Environmentally Sound Small-Scale Forestry Projects. Guidelines for Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ffolliott, Peter F.; Thames, John L.

This manual, the third in a series of publications that address community development possibilities in developing nations, provides guidelines for small-scale forestry projects that are integrative and conservation-oriented. Chapters focus on: (1) users and uses (specifying targeted audience and general objectives); (2) planning process (including…

[Structural Study in the Platform for Drug Discovery, Informatics, and Structural Life Science].

PubMed

Senda, Toshiya

2016-01-01

The Platform for Drug Discovery, Informatics, and Structural Life Science (PDIS), which has been launched since FY2012, is a national project in the field of structural biology. The PDIS consists of three cores - structural analysis, control, and informatics - and aims to support life science researchers who are not familiar with structural biology. The PDIS project is able to provide full-scale support for structural biology research. The support provided by the PDIS project includes protein purification with various expression systems, large scale protein crystallization, crystal structure determination, small angle scattering (SAXS), NMR, electron microscopy, bioinformatics, etc. In order to utilize these methods of support, PDIS users need to submit an application form to the one-stop service office. Submitted applications will be reviewed by three referees. It is strongly encouraged that PDIS users have sufficient discussion with researchers in the PDIS project before submitting the application. This discussion is very useful in the process of project design, particularly for beginners in structural biology. In addition to this user support, the PDIS project has conducted R&D, which includes the development of synchrotron beamlines. In the PDIS project, PF and SPring-8 have developed beamlines for micro-crystallography, high-throughput data collection, supramolecular assembly, and native single anomalous dispersion (SAD) phasing. The newly developed beamlines have been open to all users, and have accelerated structural biology research. Beamlines for SAXS have also been developed, which has dramatically increased bio-SAXS users.

Core Cutting Test with Vertical Rock Cutting Rig (VRCR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasar, Serdar; Osman Yilmaz, Ali

2017-12-01

Roadheaders are frequently used machines in mining and tunnelling, and performance prediction of roadheaders is important for project economics and stability. Several methods were proposed so far for this purpose and, rock cutting tests are the best choice. Rock cutting tests are generally divided into two groups which are namely, full scale rock cutting tests and small scale rock cutting tests. These two tests have some superiorities and deficiencies over themselves. However, in many cases, where rock sampling becomes problematic, small scale rock cutting test (core cutting test) is preferred for performance prediction, since small block samples and core samples can be conducted to rock cutting testing. Common problem for rock cutting tests are that they can be found in very limited research centres. In this study, a new mobile rock cutting testing equipment, vertical rock cutting rig (VRCR) was introduced. Standard testing procedure was conducted on seven rock samples which were the part of a former study on cutting rocks with another small scale rock cutting test. Results showed that core cutting test can be realized successfully with VRCR with the validation of paired samples t-test.

Environmentally Sound Small-Scale Energy Projects. Guidelines for Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassan, Elizabeth Ann; Wood, Timothy S., Ed.

This manual is the fourth volume in a series of publications that provide information for the planning of environmentally sound small-scale projects. Programs that aim to protect the renewable natural resources that supply most of the energy used in developing nations are suggested. Considerations are made for physical environmental factors as…

CyberSecurity Monitoring Tools and Projects: A Compendium of Commercial and Government Tools and Government Research Projects

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-08-01

identify changes to the risk levels of business network functions based on proposed modifications. Expert can model networks as well (see special...network from departmental systems to enterprise-wide environments. ACX is scaled with the use of a Policy Model Database(PMDB). The PMDB is a management...This Entry February 8, 2000 Description BlackICE Defender is a host-based intrusion detector designed for use on home or small business systems. It

Communication challenges in system development: involvement of system developers in small-scale IT projects.

PubMed

Petersen, Lone Stub; Bjoernes, Charlotte D; Bertelsen, Pernille

2010-01-01

A well-known challenge in system development is the aspect of user participation. In this paper we shift perspective from how to involve users in system development to how project managers with a clinical background, but without technical system knowledge, can involve system developers in IT projects. Using data from the development of an online patient book (an ICT application for clinical practice), we analyze challenges using the concept of language-games. We conclude that further research and development of participatory and communicative methods to involve system developers in IT projects, based in a clinical context, is needed.

Overview of ENEA's Projects on lithium batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alessandrini, F.; Conte, M.; Passerini, S.; Prosini, P. P.

The increasing need of high performance batteries in various small-scale and large-scale applications (portable electronics, notebooks, palmtops, cellular phones, electric vehicles, UPS, load levelling) in Italy is motivating the R&D efforts of various public and private organizations. Research of lithium batteries in Italy goes back to the beginning of the technological development of primary and secondary lithium systems with national know-how spread in various academic and public institutions with a few private stakeholders. In the field of lithium polymer batteries, ENEA has been dedicating significant efforts in almost two decades to promote and carry out basic R&D and pre-industrial development projects. In recent years, three major national projects have been performed and coordinated by ENEA in co-operation with some universities, governmental research organizations and industry. In these projects novel polymer electrolytes with ceramic additives, low cost manganese oxide-based composite cathodes, environmentally friendly process for polymer electrolyte, fabrication processes of components and cells have been investigated and developed in order to fulfill long-term needs of cost-effective and highly performant lithium polymer batteries.

Profiling Adult Literacy Facilitators in Development Contexts: An Ethnographic Study in Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warkineh, Turuwark Zalalam; Rogers, Alan; Danki, Tolera Negassa

2018-01-01

Teachers/facilitators in adult literacy learning programmes are recognised as being vital to successful learning outcomes. But little is known about them as a group. This small-scale research project comprising ethnographic-style case studies of five adult literacy facilitators (ALFs) in Ethiopia seeks to throw some light on these teachers, their…

Why Wait until Qualified?: The Benefits and Experiences of Undergoing Mental Health Awareness Training for PGCE Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bostock, Julie Ann; Kitt, Richard; Kitt, Candi

2011-01-01

This small-scale research project in England investigates the reasons why mental health training should be incorporated into the curriculum for initial teacher education (ITE). Most mental health problems begin in adolescence, but often remain undetected until adulthood. Early intervention is vital to recovery in the case of serious psychotic…

Learning From Small-Scale Experimental Evaluations of After School Programs. Snapshot Number 8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Family Research Project, Harvard University, 2006

2006-01-01

The Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) Out-of-School Time Program Evaluation Database contains profiles of out-of-school time (OST) program evaluations. Its purpose is to provide accessible information about previous and current evaluations to support the development of high quality evaluations and programs in the OST field. Types of Programs…

Teaching Technical Competencies for Fluid Mechanics Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tagg, Randall

2014-11-01

We are developing an ``on demand'' framework for students to learn techniques used in fluid mechanics research. The site for this work is a university-grade laboratory situated next to Gateway High School in Aurora, Colorado. Undergraduate university students work with K-12 students on research and technical innovation projects. Both groups need customized training as their projects proceed. A modular approach allows particular competencies such as pump selection, construction of flow piping and channels, flow visualization, and specific flow measurement methods to be acquired through focused lessons. These lessons can be learned in either a stand-alone fashion or assembled into units for formal courses. A research example was a student project on diffusion of infectious material in micro-gravity in the event of an intestinal puncture wound. A curriculum example is a 9-week quarter of high-school instruction on instrumentation that uses small-scale water treatment systems as a case study.

Design and Test of an Improved Crashworthiness Small Composite Airframe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Terry, James E.; Hooper, Steven J.; Nicholson, Mark

2002-01-01

The purpose of this small business innovative research (SBIR) program was to evaluate the feasibility of developing small composite airplanes with improved crashworthiness. A combination of analysis and half scale component tests were used to develop an energy absorbing airframe. Four full scale crash tests were conducted at the NASA Impact Dynamics Research Facility, two on a hard surface and two onto soft soil, replicating earlier NASA tests of production general aviation airplanes. Several seat designs and restraint systems including both an air bag and load limiting shoulder harnesses were tested. Tests showed that occupant loads were within survivable limits with the improved structural design and the proper combination of seats and restraint systems. There was no loss of cabin volume during the events. The analysis method developed provided design guidance but time did not allow extending the analysis to soft soil impact. This project demonstrated that survivability improvements are possible with modest weight penalties. The design methods can be readily applied by airplane designers using the examples in this report.

CSC Tip Sheets: Conducting and Evaluating Pilot Projects

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn how to conduct and evaluate pilot projects, which are opportunities to “test the waters” for your project on a small scale, provide insight and data on what works, and adjust your strategy for full-scale implementation.

Simple Assessment Techniques for Soil and Water. Environmental Factors in Small Scale Development Projects. Workshops.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coordination in Development, New York, NY.

This booklet was produced in response to the growing need for reliable environmental assessment techniques that can be applied to small-scale development projects. The suggested techniques emphasize low-technology environmental analysis. Although these techniques may lack precision, they can be extremely valuable in helping to assure the success…

Ranking of small scale proposals for water system repair using the Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM)

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

Shakib-Manesh, T.E.; Hirvonen, K.O.; Jalava, K.J.

2014-11-15

Environmental impacts of small scale projects are often assessed poorly, or not assessed at all. This paper examines the usability of the Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) as a tool to prioritize project proposals for small scale water restoration projects in relation to proposals' potential to improve the environment. The RIAM scoring system was used to assess and rank the proposals based on their environmental impacts, the costs of the projects to repair the harmful impacts, and the size of human population living around the sites. A four-member assessment group (The expert panel) gave the RIAM-scores to the proposals. Themore » assumed impacts of the studied projects at the Eastern Finland water systems were divided into the ecological and social impacts. The more detailed assessment categories of the ecological impacts in this study were impacts on landscape, natural state, and limnology. The social impact categories were impacts to recreational use of the area, fishing, industry, population, and economy. These impacts were scored according to their geographical and social significance, their magnitude of change, their character, permanence, reversibility, and cumulativeness. The RIAM method proved to be an appropriate and recommendable method for the small-scale assessment and prioritizing of project proposals. If the assessments are well documented, the RIAM can be a method for easy assessing and comparison of the various kinds of projects. In the studied project proposals there were no big surprises in the results: the best ranks were received by the projects, which were assumed to return watersheds toward their original state.« less

Strengthening government health and family planning programs: findings from an action research project in rural Bangladesh.

PubMed

Simmons, R; Phillips, J F; Rahman, M

1984-01-01

An ongoing study at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) is based on the premise that public sector health and family planning programs can be improved through an assessment of the dysfunctional aspects of their operations, the development of problem-solving capabilities, and the transfer of strategies successfully tested in a small-scale pilot project. This paper reports findings from a field trial implemented in a subunit of the project area at an early stage of the project. Operational barriers to public sector program implementation are discussed with regard to the quantity of work, the quality of work, supplies and facilities, integration of health and family planning, and leadership, supervision, and decision making. Initial results of the ICDDR,B intervention on these managerial processes are also indicated.

Thirteenth Annual Acquisition Research Symposium. Acquisition Research: Creating Synergy for Informed Change. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-30

renewable energy projects with a focus on novel onshore/offshore and small/large scale wind turbine designs for expanding their operational range and...ROA to estimate the values of maintenance options created by the implementation of PHM in wind turbines . When an RUL is predicted for a subsystem...predicted for the system. The section titled Example— Wind Turbine With an Outcome-Based Contract presents a case study for a PHM enabled wind

Children and Young People's Views on Web 2.0 Technologies. LGA Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudd, Peter; Walker, Matthew

2010-01-01

Web 2.0 technologies are online tools that allow users to share, collaborate and interact with one another. This small-scale project focused on young people's personal use of social media, and on the potential to use these tools to collect the views of young people and involve them in democracy in communities and local authorities. The main…

In Living Memory: The Dying Art of Learning Poetry and a Case for Revival

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pullinger, Debbie

2012-01-01

This article considers the practice of learning poems and the value of poetry in the memory, and emerges from the Cambridge Poetry Teaching Project, a small-scale research study co-ordinated through the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. Drawing on the subset of findings in relation to learning and memory, the essay locates the…

An Evaluation of the "New Deal" in Further Education Colleges in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loo, Sai; Lucas, Norman

2004-01-01

The article starts by providing a brief historical context for the introduction of the New Deal and then describes the aims and structure of the New Deal in FE (Further Education) colleges. Based on a small-scale research project on FE colleges in London and south-east England, the article analyses issues and challenges arising from the experience…

Supporting Students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at Secondary School: A Parent and Student Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Adele

2009-01-01

This paper describes a small-scale research project undertaken in July 2007, which focused on a group of students with a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) currently attending a mainstream secondary school. Three focus groups were held with students in Years 9 and 11 and with their parents in order to explore current practice on…

Exploring Inclusive Practices in Primary Schools: Focusing on Children's Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adderley, Rebecca J.; Hope, Max A.; Hughes, Gill C.; Jones, Lisa; Messiou, Kyriaki; Shaw, Patricia A.

2015-01-01

This paper reports a small-scale research project which took place in one primary school in the north-east of England. The study aimed to listen to children's views about how the practices of teachers helped and/or hindered their sense of inclusion in classrooms. Inclusion was understood here in a broad sense rather than specifically relating to…

Re-Examining the Effects and Affects of Electronic Peer Reviews in a First-Year Composition Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Yi

2007-01-01

While many researchers have studied the application of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in peer review activities in L2 composition classes, few have directly compared the effect of asynchronous CMC (ACMC) versus written comments. This paper describes a small-scale project carried out in an ESL composition class to reexamine the effects and…

MicroResearch--Finding sustainable solutions to local health challenges in East Africa.

PubMed

Kollmann, Tobias R; Bortolussi, Robert; MacDonald, Noni E

2015-06-01

The urgent need in Africa for research capacity building has been recognized by African leaders and governments for many years. However, lack of large research funding opportunities has been seen as a major obstacle to improving research capacity in precisely those countries that need it the most. Microfinance has shown that a small infusion of capital can "prime the pump" to creative local economic productivity. In a similar way, MicroResearch has proven effective in promoting a similar bottom-up strategy to find sustainable solutions to local health challenges through local community focused research. Specifically, MicroResearch through hands-on didactic courses, mentoring and small-scale research funding promotes small research projects that improve research skills across the entire health-care provider spectrum to unleash a culture of inquiry. This in turn stimulates health care providers to identify the locally most relevant obstacles that need to be overcome and implement locally feasible and sustainable solutions. MicroResearch is a bottom-up strategy proven effective at finding sustainable solutions to local health challenges. Copyright © 2015 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of a Novel Energetic Heterocyclic Oxidizer with Higher Energy and Lower Sensitivity (Phase 2) Final Report CRADA No. TC02125.0

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

Pagoria, P. F.; Racoveanu, A.

2017-09-08

This project was a continuation of work originally performed under a Phase 1 of the Small Business Technology Transfer (STIR). The success of the Phase 1 led to the award of a Phase 2 of the STIR. In Phase 1 of the STIR, the target energetic compound, 3,4-bis(4-nitro-l,2,5- oxadiazol-3yl)-1,2,5-oxadiazole-l-oxide (DNTF), was synthesized at the 5g scale and small-scale safety tests were performed. DNTF showed promising performance· and safety properties. DNTF was shown to be relatively insensitive while performing better than the current industry standard, H1vIX, in solid propellant formulations. Because of the successful research and development project involving PSI, LLNLmore » and Aerojet in Phase I of the STIR, the sponsors wanted to obtain larger quantities of DNTF for further testing.« less

Managing Risk and Uncertainty in Large-Scale University Research Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Sharlissa; Shangraw, R. F., Jr.

2011-01-01

Both publicly and privately funded research projects managed by universities are growing in size and scope. Complex, large-scale projects (over $50 million) pose new management challenges and risks for universities. This paper explores the relationship between project success and a variety of factors in large-scale university projects. First, we…

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology into Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Projects for 2016

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2017-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) technologies into NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) projects. Other Government and commercial project managers interested in ARMD funding opportunities through NASA's SBIR program will find this report useful as well.

The research agenda for improving health policy, systems performance, and service delivery for tuberculosis control: a WHO perspective.

PubMed Central

Nunn, Paul; Harries, Anthony; Godfrey-Faussett, Peter; Gupta, Raj; Maher, Dermot; Raviglione, Mario

2002-01-01

The development of WHO's DOTS strategy for the control of tuberculosis (TB) in 1995 led to the expansion, adaptation and improvement of operational research in this area. From being a patchwork of small-scale studies concerned with aspects of service delivery, TB operational research shifted to larger-scale, often multicountry projects that were also concerned with health policy and the needs of health systems. The results are now being put into practice by national TB control programmes. In 1998 an ad hoc committee identified the chief factors inhibiting the expansion of DOTS: lack of political will and commitment, poor financial support for TB control, poor organization and management of health services, inadequate human resources, irregular drug supplies, the HIV epidemic, and the rise of multidrug resistance. An analysis of current operational research on TB is presented on the basis of these constraints, and examples of successful projects are outlined in the article. We discuss the prerequisites for success, the shortcomings of this WHO- supported programme, and future challenges and needs. PMID:12132005

7 CFR 1783.12 - What are eligible uses of grant proceeds?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) REVOLVING FUNDS FOR FINANCING WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS... projects or with existing water and wastewater systems, and (2) Short-term costs incurred for replacement equipment, small-scale extension of services, or other small capital projects that are not part of the...

Telling It like It Is: Developing Social Stories[TM] for Children in Mainstream Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehead, Jo

2007-01-01

In this article, the author reports on a practical strategy originally developed for use with pupils with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). Based on a small-scale research project, the article focuses on the use of Social Stories to promote pro-social behaviour with a group of non-ASC pupils. The topic was chosen for systematic enquiry by the…

Moving against the Grain? Investigating the Efficacy of a Touch-Based Intervention in a Climate of Suspicion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacIntyre, Helen; Colwell, Jennifer; Ota, Cathy

2010-01-01

This article considers the implications of a small-scale research project, undertaken by the authors, which used the example of the Massage in Schools Programme (a simple peer massage programme) to ascertain whether the planned use of touch-based activity can support the growth of social and emotional skills in the primary classroom. Such claims…

To Enter the Castle of Fear: Engendering Children's Story Writing from Home to School at KS2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millard, Elaine

2005-01-01

This paper describes a small-scale writing project in which a class of KS 2 primary pupils were invited to import their own narrative interests into a task designed by their teacher and the researcher within the constraints of the National Literacy Strategy. By employing an adventure genre, based on problem and puzzle solving, pupils were…

Government Support for Synthetic Pipeline Gas Uncertain and Needs Attention.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-14

coal gas. Tear Sheetii RECOMMENDATIONS GAO recommends that the Secretary of Energy - --establish a plan to guide future support of high-Btu coal...recognizes that there are basic dif- ferences expected from large and small scale research projects, GAO believes that the report recognizes these...transportation, including the pipeline system. In its price-setting, or ratemaking function, it represents the interests of gas customers, sometimes

Software engineering risk factors in the implementation of a small electronic medical record system: the problem of scalability.

PubMed

Chiang, Michael F; Starren, Justin B

2002-01-01

The successful implementation of clinical information systems is difficult. In examining the reasons and potential solutions for this problem, the medical informatics community may benefit from the lessons of a rich body of software engineering and management literature about the failure of software projects. Based on previous studies, we present a conceptual framework for understanding the risk factors associated with large-scale projects. However, the vast majority of existing literature is based on large, enterprise-wide systems, and it unclear whether those results may be scaled down and applied to smaller projects such as departmental medical information systems. To examine this issue, we discuss the case study of a delayed electronic medical record implementation project in a small specialty practice at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. While the factors contributing to the delay of this small project share some attributes with those found in larger organizations, there are important differences. The significance of these differences for groups implementing small medical information systems is discussed.

Involving High School Students in Computational Physics University Research: Theory Calculations of Toluene Adsorbed on Graphene

PubMed Central

Borck, Øyvind; Gunnarsson, Linda; Lydmark, Pär

2016-01-01

To increase public awareness of theoretical materials physics, a small group of high school students is invited to participate actively in a current research projects at Chalmers University of Technology. The Chalmers research group explores methods for filtrating hazardous and otherwise unwanted molecules from drinking water, for example by adsorption in active carbon filters. In this project, the students use graphene as an idealized model for active carbon, and estimate the energy of adsorption of the methylbenzene toluene on graphene with the help of the atomic-scale calculational method density functional theory. In this process the students develop an insight into applied quantum physics, a topic usually not taught at this educational level, and gain some experience with a couple of state-of-the-art calculational tools in materials research. PMID:27505418

Involving High School Students in Computational Physics University Research: Theory Calculations of Toluene Adsorbed on Graphene.

PubMed

Ericsson, Jonas; Husmark, Teodor; Mathiesen, Christoffer; Sepahvand, Benjamin; Borck, Øyvind; Gunnarsson, Linda; Lydmark, Pär; Schröder, Elsebeth

2016-01-01

To increase public awareness of theoretical materials physics, a small group of high school students is invited to participate actively in a current research projects at Chalmers University of Technology. The Chalmers research group explores methods for filtrating hazardous and otherwise unwanted molecules from drinking water, for example by adsorption in active carbon filters. In this project, the students use graphene as an idealized model for active carbon, and estimate the energy of adsorption of the methylbenzene toluene on graphene with the help of the atomic-scale calculational method density functional theory. In this process the students develop an insight into applied quantum physics, a topic usually not taught at this educational level, and gain some experience with a couple of state-of-the-art calculational tools in materials research.

Research Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2012-12-01

Achievements in Sino-German Interdisciplinary Major Research Project Published by Small A Conserved Proline Switch on the Ribosome Facilitates the Recruitment and Binding of trGTPases Air Pollution Contributes in Sunshine Dimming in China Role of Lymphatic Trafficking and Biodistribution Soft Fibrin Gels Promote Selection and Growth of Tumorigenic Cells Targeted Therapy: The New Lease on Life for Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, and Beyond The Structural Basis for the Sensing and Binding of Cyclic di-GMP by STING Research on Atomic-Scale Investigation of Li Storage Mechanism in Spinel Li4Ti5O12 NSFC Funded Project Made Significant Progress in Intelligent Nanomaterial and Device Palaeobotany and the Evolution of the Monsoon in China Non Heme System Asymmetric Epoxidation Reaction Made Progress Rapid Advancement of Immunology Study in China Chinese Experts Successfully Produced Transgenic Animals from Haploid Embryonic Stem Cells

Quantitative characterization of the small-scale fracture patterns on the plains of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sammis, Charles G.; Bowman, David D.

1995-01-01

The objectives of this research project were to (1) compile a comprehensive database of the occurrence of regularly spaced kilometer scale lineations on the volcanic plains of Venus in an effort to verify the effectiveness of the shear-lag model developed by Banerdt and Sammis (1992), and (2) develop a model for the formation of irregular kilometer scale lineations such as typified in the gridded plains region of Guinevere Planitia. Attached to this report is the paper 'A Tectonic Model for the Formation of the Gridded Plains on Guinevere Planitia, Venus, and Implications for the Elastic Thickness of the Lithosphere'.

Considerations in Starting Climate Change Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, J. C. S.; Morgan, G.; Hamburg, S.; Winickoff, D. E.

2014-12-01

Many have called for climate engineering research because the growing risks of climate change and the geopolitical and national security risks of climate remediation technologies are real. As the topic of climate engineering remains highly controversial, national funding agencies should evaluate even modest outdoor climate engineering research proposals with respect to societal, legal, and risk considerations in making a decision to fund or not to fund. These concerns will be extremely difficult to coordinate internationally if they are not first considered successfully on a national basis. Assessment of a suite of proposed research projects with respect to these considerations indicates we would learn valuable lessons about how to govern research by initiating a few exemplar projects. The first time an issue arrives it can be very helpful if it there are specific cases, not a broad class of projects. A good first case should be defensible and understandable, fit within the general mandate of existing research programs, have negligible physical risk, small physical scale and short duration. By focusing on a specific case, the discussion can be held with limits and help to establish some track record in dealing with a controversial subject and developing a process for assigning appropriate scrutiny and outreach. Even at an early stage, with low risk, small-scale experiments, obtaining broad-based advice will aid in dealing with the controversies. An independent advisory body can provide guidance about a wide spectrum of physical and social risks of funding the experiment compared to societal benefit of gaining understanding. Clearly identifying the research as climate engineering research avoids sending research down a path that might violate public trust and provide an important opportunity to grow governance and public engagement at an early stage. Climate engineering research should be seen in the context of all approaches to dealing with the climate problem. Much of climate-engineering research will inspire investigators to address significant and difficult problems in climate science. US research programs should use this fact for societal benefit. Agencies should assess the early research and use the assessment to make decisions about how to, or not to, proceed.

Using "EC-Assess" to Assess a Small Biofuels Project in Honduras

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngassa, Franklin Chamda

2010-01-01

Biofuels may contribute to both rural economic development and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Gota Verde Project in Yoro, Honduras, attempts to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of small-scale biofuel production for local use by implementing a distinctive approach to feedstock production that encourages small farm…

Consideration of Experimental Approaches in the Physical and Biological Sciences in Designing Long-Term Watershed Studies in Forested Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stallard, R. F.

2011-12-01

The importance of biological processes in controlling weathering, erosion, stream-water composition, soil formation, and overall landscape development is generally accepted. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) Project in eastern Puerto Rico and Panama and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) Panama Canal Watershed Experiment (PCWE) are landscape-scale studies based in the humid tropics where the warm temperatures, moist conditions, and luxuriant vegetation promote especially rapid biological and chemical processes - photosynthesis, respiration, decay, and chemical weathering. In both studies features of small-watershed, large-watershed, and landscape-scale-biology experiments are blended to satisfy the research needs of the physical and biological sciences. The WEBB Project has successfully synthesized its first fifteen years of data, and has addressed the influence of land cover, geologic, topographic, and hydrologic variability, including huge storms on a wide range of hydrologic, physical, and biogeochemical processes. The ongoing PCWE should provide a similar synthesis of a moderate-sized humid tropical watershed. The PCWE and the Agua Salud Project (ASP) within the PCWE are now addressing the role of land cover (mature forests, pasture, invasive-grass dominated, secondary succession, native species plantation, and teak) at scales ranging from small watersheds to the whole Panama Canal watershed. Biologists have participated in the experimental design at both watershed scales, and small (0.1 ha) to large (50 ha) forest-dynamic plots have a central role in interfacing between physical scientists and biologists. In these plots, repeated, high-resolution mapping of all woody plants greater than 1-cm diameter provides a description of population changes through time presumably reflecting individual life histories, interactions with other organisms and the influence of landscape processes and climate, thereby bridging the research needs and conceptual scales of hydrologists and biogeochemists with those of biologists. Both experiments are embedded in larger data-collection networks: the WEBB within the hydrological and meteorological monitoring programs of the USGS and other federal agencies, and the PCWE in the long-term monitoring conducted by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), its antecedents, and STRI. Examination of landscape-scale processes in a changing world requires the development of detailed landscape-scale data sets, including a formulation of reference states that can act as surrogate experimental controls. For example, the concept of a landscape steady state provides a convenient reference in which present-day observations can be interpreted. Extreme hydrological states must also be described, and both WEBB and PCWE have successfully examined the role of droughts and large storms and their impact on geomorphology, biogeochemistry, and biology. These experiments also have provided platforms for research endeavors never contemplated in the original objectives, a testament to the importance of developing approaches that consider the needs of physical and biological sciences.

Renewable energy projects in the Dominican Republic

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

Viani, B.

1997-12-01

This paper describes a US/Dominican Republic program to develop renewable energy projects in the country. The objective is to demonstrate the commercial viability of renewable energy generation projects, primarily small-scale wind and hydropower. Preliminary studies are completed for three micro-hydro projects with a total capacity of 262 kWe, and two small wind power projects for water pumping. In addition wind resource assessment is ongoing, and professional training and technical assistance to potential investors is ongoing. Projects goals include not less than ten small firms actively involved in installation of such systems by September 1998.

Small-Scale Hydroelectric Power in the Southwest: New Impetus for an old Energy Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-06-01

A forum was provided for state legislators and other interested persons to discuss the problems facing small scale hydro developers, and to recommend appropriate solutions to resolve those problems. Alternative policy options were recommended for consideration by both state and federal agencies. Emphasis was placed on the legal, institutional, environmental and economic barriers at the state level, as well as the federal delays associated with licensing small scale hydro projects. Legislative resolution of the problems and delays in small scale hydro licensing and development were also stressed.

"I Think a Lot of It Is Common Sense. ..." Early Years Students, Professionalism and the Development of a "Vocational Habitus"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Carol; Braun, Annette

2011-01-01

This paper reports on research from a small-scale project investigating the vocational training of students in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in England. We draw on data from interviews with 42 students and five tutors in order to explore the students' understandings of professionalism in early years. In the paper, we discuss first, the…

Development of the Finse Alpine Research Station towards a platform for multi-disciplinary research on Land-Atmosphere Interaction in Cold Environments (LATICE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burkhart, John F.; Decker, Sven; Filhol, Simon; Hulth, John; Nesje, Atle; Schuler, Thomas V.; Sobolowski, Stefan; Tallaksen, Lena M.

2017-04-01

The Finse Alpine Research Station provides convenient access to the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in Southern Norway (60 deg N, 1222 m asl). The station is located above the tree-line in vicinity to the west-eastern mountain water divide and is easily accessible by train from Bergen and Oslo. The station itself offers housing and basic laboratory facilities and has been used for ecological monitoring. Over the past years, studies on small-scale snow distribution and ground temperature have been performed and accompanied by a suite of meteorological measurements. Supported by strategic investments by the University of Oslo and ongoing research projects, these activities are currently expanded and the site is developed towards a mountain field laboratory for studies on Land-Atmosphere Interaction in Cold Environments, facilitated by the LATICE project (www.mn.uio.no/latice). Additional synergy comes from close collaborations with a range of institutions that perform operational monitoring close to Finse, including long-term time series of meteorological data and global radiation. Through our activities, this infrastructure has been complemented by a permanent tower for continuous Eddy-Covariance measurements along with associated gas fluxes. A second, mobile covariance system is in preparation and will become operational in 2017. In addition, a wireless sensor network is set up to grasp the spatial distributions of basic meteorological variables, snow depth and glacier mass balance on the nearby Hardangerjøkulen ice cap. While the research focus so far was on small scale processes (snow redistribution), this is now being expanded to cover hydrological processes on the catchment and regional scale. To this end, two discharge stations have been installed to gauge discharge from two contrasting catchments (glacier dominated and non-glacierized). In this presentation, we provide an overview over existing and planned infrastructure, field campaigns and research activities, accompanied by available data, the result of some preliminary analysis and discuss opportunities for future collaboration.

A program for handling map projections of small-scale geospatial raster data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finn, Michael P.; Steinwand, Daniel R.; Trent, Jason R.; Buehler, Robert A.; Mattli, David M.; Yamamoto, Kristina H.

2012-01-01

Scientists routinely accomplish small-scale geospatial modeling using raster datasets of global extent. Such use often requires the projection of global raster datasets onto a map or the reprojection from a given map projection associated with a dataset. The distortion characteristics of these projection transformations can have significant effects on modeling results. Distortions associated with the reprojection of global data are generally greater than distortions associated with reprojections of larger-scale, localized areas. The accuracy of areas in projected raster datasets of global extent is dependent on spatial resolution. To address these problems of projection and the associated resampling that accompanies it, methods for framing the transformation space, direct point-to-point transformations rather than gridded transformation spaces, a solution to the wrap-around problem, and an approach to alternative resampling methods are presented. The implementations of these methods are provided in an open-source software package called MapImage (or mapIMG, for short), which is designed to function on a variety of computer architectures.

Sediment dynamics in the Adriatic Sea investigated with coupled models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sherwood, Christopher R.; Book, Jeffrey W.; Carniel, Sandro; Cavaleri, Luigi; Chiggiato, Jacopo; Das, Himangshu; Doyle, James D.; Harris, Courtney K.; Niedoroda, Alan W.; Perkins, Henry; Poulain, Pierre-Marie; Pullen, Julie; Reed, Christopher W.; Russo, Aniello; Sclavo, Mauro; Signell, Richard P.; Traykovski, Peter A.; Warner, John C.

2004-01-01

Several large research programs focused on the Adriatic Sea in winter 2002-2003, making it an exciting place for sediment dynamics modelers (Figure 1). Investigations of atmospheric forcing and oceanic response (including wave generation and propagation, water-mass formation, stratification, and circulation), suspended material, bottom boundary layer dynamics, bottom sediment, and small-scale stratigraphy were performed by European and North American researchers participating in several projects. The goal of EuroSTRATAFORM researchers is to improve our ability to understand and simulate the physical processes that deliver sediment to the marine environment and generate stratigraphic signatures. Scientists involved in the Po and Apennine Sediment Transport and Accumulation (PASTA) experiment benefited from other major research programs including ACE (Adriatic Circulation Experiment), DOLCE VITA (Dynamics of Localized Currents and Eddy Variability in the Adriatic), EACE (the Croatian East Adriatic Circulation Experiment project), WISE (West Istria Experiment), and ADRICOSM (Italian nowcasting and forecasting) studies.

Pilot testing of a membrane system for postcombustion CO 2 capture

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

Merkel, Tim; Kniep, Jay; Wei, Xiaotong

2015-09-30

This final report summarizes work conducted for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE) to scale up an efficient post-combustion CO 2 capture membrane process to the small pilot test stage (award number DE-FE0005795). The primary goal of this research program was to design, fabricate, and operate a membrane CO 2 capture system to treat coal-derived flue gas containing 20 tonnes CO 2/day (20 TPD). Membrane Technology and Research (MTR) conducted this project in collaboration with Babcock and Wilcox (B&W), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), WorleyParsons (WP), the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), Enerkem (EK), andmore » the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC). In addition to the small pilot design, build and slipstream testing at NCCC, other project efforts included laboratory membrane and module development at MTR, validation field testing on a 1 TPD membrane system at NCCC, boiler modeling and testing at B&W, a techno-economic analysis (TEA) by EPRI/WP, a case study of the membrane technology applied to a ~20 MWe power plant by ISTC, and an industrial CO 2 capture test at an Enerkem waste-to-biofuel facility. The 20 TPD small pilot membrane system built in this project successfully completed over 1,000 hours of operation treating flue gas at NCCC. The Polaris™ membranes used on this system demonstrated stable performance, and when combined with over 10,000 hours of operation at NCCC on a 1 TPD system, the risk associated with uncertainty in the durability of postcombustion capture membranes has been greatly reduced. Moreover, next-generation Polaris membranes with higher performance and lower cost were validation tested on the 1 TPD system. The 20 TPD system also demonstrated successful operation of a new low-pressure-drop sweep module that will reduce parasitic energy losses at full scale by as much as 10 MWe. In modeling and pilot boiler testing, B&W confirmed the viability of CO 2 recycle to the boiler as envisioned in the MTR process design. The impact of this CO 2 recycle on boiler efficiency was quantified and incorporated into a TEA of the membrane capture process applied to a full-scale power plant. As with previous studies, the TEA showed the membrane process to be lower cost than the conventional solvent capture process even at 90% CO 2capture. A sensitivity study indicates that the membrane capture cost decreases significantly if the 90% capture requirement is relaxed. Depending on the process design, a minimum capture cost is achieved at 30-60% capture, values that would meet proposed CO 2 emission regulations for coal-fired power plants. In summary, this project has successfully advanced the MTR membrane capture process through small pilot testing (technology readiness level 6). The technology is ready for future scale-up to the 10 MWe size.« less

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate Projects for 2016

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2017-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) technologies into NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) projects. Other Government and commercial projects managers can also find this useful. Space Transportation; Life Support and Habitation Systems; Extra-Vehicular Activity; High EfficiencySpace Power; Human Exploration and Operations Mission,

Knowledge-exchange in the Pacific: outcomes of the TROPIC (translational research for obesity prevention in communities) project.

PubMed

Kremer, Peter; Mavoa, Helen; Waqa, Gade; Moodie, Marjory; McCabe, Marita; Swinburn, Boyd

2017-04-26

The Pacific TROPIC (Translational Research for Obesity Prevention in Communities) project aimed to design, implement and evaluate a knowledge-broking approach to evidence-informed policy making to address obesity in Fiji. This paper reports on the quantitative evaluation of the knowledge-broking intervention through assessment of participants' perceptions of evidence use and development of policy/advocacy briefs. Selected staff from six organizations - four government Ministries and two nongovernment organizations (NGOs) - participated in the project. The intervention comprised workshops and supported development of policy/advocacy briefs. Workshops addressed obesity and policy cycles and developing participants' skills in accessing, assessing, adapting and applying relevant evidence. A knowledge-broking team supported participants individually and/or in small groups to develop evidence-informed policy/advocacy briefs. A questionnaire survey that included workplace and demographic items and the self-assessment tool "Is Research Working for You?" (IRWFY) was administered pre- and post-intervention. Forty nine individuals (55% female, 69% 21-40 years, 69% middle-senior managers) participated in the study. The duration and level of participant engagement with the intervention activities varied - just over half participated for 10+ months, just under half attended most workshops and approximately one third produced one or more policy briefs. There were few reliable changes on the IRWFY scales following the intervention; while positive changes were found on several scales, these effects were small (d < .2) and only one individual scale (assess) was statistically significant (p < .05). Follow up (N = 1) analyses of individual-level change indicated that while 63% of participants reported increased research utilization post-intervention, this proportion was not different to chance levels. Similar analysis using scores aggregated by organization also revealed no organizational-level change post-intervention. This study empirically evaluated a knowledge-broking program that aimed to extend evidence-informed policy making skills and development of a suite of national policy briefs designed to increase the enactment of obesity-related policies. The findings failed to indicate reliable improvements in research utilization at either the individual or organizational level. Factors associated with fidelity and intervention dose as well as challenges related to organizational support and the measurement of research utilization, are discussed and recommendations for future research presented.

Structural Reform: The Experience of Ten Schools Driving the Development of an All-Age Hard Federation across a Market Town in Northern England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howland, Gill

2015-01-01

This article provides a narrative which illustrates the experiences of one group of UK schools as they have attempted to introduce innovation in order to achieve their collective vision of improving educational opportunity for all pupils in their care. It considers the findings of a small-scale research project which follows, over a 3-year period,…

In the Service of the National Economy

DTIC Science & Technology

1960-07-22

research on hydromechanics, particularly as applied to hydroturbines . The construction project for the hydraulic complex in the region of the Sanhsi...Gorge on the Yangtse River, to be initiated next year, will be on a huge scale. The design and manufacture of the huge hydroturbines require the...designed a small hydroturbine to be operated under low pressure (0.3 - 1.0 meters). The laws of the aerodynamics of the propeller were taken into account

"If I Wasn't Learning Anything New about Teaching I Would Have Left It by Now!": How History Teachers Can Support Their Own and Others' Continued Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burn, Katharine

2012-01-01

Katharine Burn has a long-standing interest in history teachers' professional learning--not just the ways in which experienced teachers can support beginners, but how teachers at all stages of their career can be encouraged to go developing their practice. In this article, which draws on a number of small-scale research projects, she illustrates…

Scale in Education Research: Towards a Multi-Scale Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noyes, Andrew

2013-01-01

This article explores some theoretical and methodological problems concerned with scale in education research through a critique of a recent mixed-method project. The project was framed by scale metaphors drawn from the physical and earth sciences and I consider how recent thinking around scale, for example, in ecosystems and human geography might…

Hydrologic Impacts of Climate Change: Quantification of Uncertainties (Alexander von Humboldt Medal Lecture)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mujumdar, Pradeep P.

2014-05-01

Climate change results in regional hydrologic change. The three prominent signals of global climate change, viz., increase in global average temperatures, rise in sea levels and change in precipitation patterns convert into signals of regional hydrologic change in terms of modifications in water availability, evaporative water demand, hydrologic extremes of floods and droughts, water quality, salinity intrusion in coastal aquifers, groundwater recharge and other related phenomena. A major research focus in hydrologic sciences in recent years has been assessment of impacts of climate change at regional scales. An important research issue addressed in this context deals with responses of water fluxes on a catchment scale to the global climatic change. A commonly adopted methodology for assessing the regional hydrologic impacts of climate change is to use the climate projections provided by the General Circulation Models (GCMs) for specified emission scenarios in conjunction with the process-based hydrologic models to generate the corresponding hydrologic projections. The scaling problem arising because of the large spatial scales at which the GCMs operate compared to those required in distributed hydrologic models, and their inability to satisfactorily simulate the variables of interest to hydrology are addressed by downscaling the GCM simulations to hydrologic scales. Projections obtained with this procedure are burdened with a large uncertainty introduced by the choice of GCMs and emission scenarios, small samples of historical data against which the models are calibrated, downscaling methods used and other sources. Development of methodologies to quantify and reduce such uncertainties is a current area of research in hydrology. In this presentation, an overview of recent research carried out by the author's group on assessment of hydrologic impacts of climate change addressing scale issues and quantification of uncertainties is provided. Methodologies developed with conditional random fields, Dempster-Shafer theory, possibility theory, imprecise probabilities and non-stationary extreme value theory are discussed. Specific applications on uncertainty quantification in impacts on streamflows, evaporative water demands, river water quality and urban flooding are presented. A brief discussion on detection and attribution of hydrologic change at river basin scales, contribution of landuse change and likely alterations in return levels of hydrologic extremes is also provided.

Biogas utilization

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

Moser, M.A.

1996-01-01

Options for successfully using biogas depend on project scale. Almost all biogas from anaerobic digesters must first go through a gas handling system that pressurizes, meters, and filters the biogas. Additional treatment, including hydrogen sulfide-mercaptan scrubbing, gas drying, and carbon dioxide removal may be necessary for specialized uses, but these are complex and expensive processes. Thus, they can be justified only for large-scale projects that require high-quality biogas. Small-scale projects (less than 65 cfm) generally use biogas (as produced) as a boiler fuel or for fueling internal combustion engine-generators to produce electricity. If engines or boilers are selected properly, theremore » should be no need to remove hydrogen sulfide. Small-scale combustion turbines, steam turbines, and fuel cells are not used because of their technical complexity and high capital cost. Biogas cleanup to pipeline or transportation fuel specifications is very costly, and energy economics preclude this level of treatment.« less

FLARE (Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments): A Major Next-Step for Laboratory Studies of Magnetic Reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, H.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Prager, S.; Daughton, W. S.; Bale, S. D.; Carter, T. A.; Crocker, N.; Drake, J. F.; Egedal, J.; Sarff, J.; Wallace, J.; Belova, E.; Ellis, R.; Fox, W. R., II; Heitzenroeder, P.; Kalish, M.; Jara-Almonte, J.; Myers, C. E.; Que, W.; Ren, Y.; Titus, P.; Yamada, M.; Yoo, J.

2014-12-01

A new intermediate-scale plasma experiment, called the Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments or FLARE, is under construction at Princeton as a joint project by five universities and two national labs to study magnetic reconnection in regimes directly relevant to space, solar and astrophysical plasmas. The currently existing small-scale experiments have been focusing on the single X-line reconnection process in plasmas either with small effective sizes or at low Lundquist numbers, both of which are typically very large in natural plasmas. These new regimes involve multiple X-lines as guided by a reconnection "phase diagram", in which different coupling mechanisms from the global system scale to the local dissipation scale are classified into different reconnection phases [H. Ji & W. Daughton, Phys. Plasmas 18, 111207 (2011)]. The design of the FLARE device is based on the existing Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX) at Princeton (http://mrx.pppl.gov) and is to provide experimental access to the new phases involving multiple X-lines at large effective sizes and high Lundquist numbers, directly relevant to space and solar plasmas. The motivating major physics questions, the construction status, and the planned collaborative research especially with space and solar research communities will be discussed.

Excellence in Physics Education Award: SCALE-UP, Student Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beichner, Robert

2016-03-01

The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies (SCALE-UP) Project combines curricula and a specially-designed instructional space to enhance learning. SCALE-UP students practice communication and teamwork skills while performing activities that enhance their conceptual understanding and problem solving skills. This can be done with small or large classes and has been implemented at more than 250 institutions. Educational research indicates that students should collaborate on interesting tasks and be deeply involved with the material they are studying. SCALE-UP classtime is spent primarily on ``tangibles'' and ``ponderables''--hands-on measurements/observations and interesting questions. There are also computer simulations (called ``visibles'') and hypothesis-driven labs. Students sit at tables designed to facilitate group interactions. Instructors circulate and engage in Socratic dialogues. The setting looks like a banquet hall, with lively interactions nearly all the time. Impressive learning gains have been measured at institutions across the US and internationally. This talk describes today's students, how lecturing got started, what happens in a SCALE-UP classroom, and how the approach has spread. The SCALE-UP project has greatly benefitted from numerous Grants made by NSF and FIPSE to NCSU and other institutions.

Exposing the Science in Citizen Science: Fitness to Purpose and Intentional Design.

PubMed

Parrish, Julia K; Burgess, Hillary; Weltzin, Jake F; Fortson, Lucy; Wiggins, Andrea; Simmons, Brooke

2018-05-21

Citizen science is a growing phenomenon. With millions of people involved and billions of in-kind dollars contributed annually, this broad extent, fine grain approach to data collection should be garnering enthusiastic support in the mainstream science and higher education communities. However, many academic researchers demonstrate distinct biases against the use of citizen science as a source of rigorous information. To engage the public in scientific research, and the research community in the practice of citizen science, a mutual understanding is needed of accepted quality standards in science, and the corresponding specifics of project design and implementation when working with a broad public base. We define a science-based typology focused on the degree to which projects deliver the type(s) and quality of data/work needed to produce valid scientific outcomes directly useful in science and natural resource management. Where project intent includes direct contribution to science and the public is actively involved either virtually or hands-on, we examine the measures of quality assurance (methods to increase data quality during the design and implementation phases of a project) and quality control (post hoc methods to increase the quality of scientific outcomes). We suggest that high quality science can be produced with massive, largely one-off, participation if data collection is simple and quality control includes algorithm voting, statistical pruning and/or computational modeling. Small to mid-scale projects engaging participants in repeated, often complex, sampling can advance quality through expert-led training and well-designed materials, and through independent verification. Both approaches - simplification at scale and complexity with care - generate more robust science outcomes.

Experimental plasma research project summaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1992-06-01

This is the latest in a series of Project Summary books that date back to 1976. It is the first after a hiatus of several years. They are published to provide a short description of each project supported by the Experimental Plasma Research Branch of the Division of Applied Plasma Physics in the Office of Fusion Energy. The Experimental Plasma Research Branch seeks to provide a broad range of experimental data, physics understanding, and new experimental techniques that contribute to operation, interpretation, and improvement of high temperature plasma as a source of fusion energy. In pursuit of these objectives, the branch supports research at universities, DOE laboratories, other federal laboratories, and industry. About 70 percent of the funds expended are spent at universities and a significant function of this program is the training of students in fusion physics. The branch supports small- and medium-scale experimental studies directly related to specific critical plasma issues of the magnetic fusion program. Plasma physics experiments are conducted on transport of particles and energy within plasma. Additionally, innovative approaches for operating, controlling, and heating plasma are evaluated for application to the larger confinement devices of the magnetic fusion program. New diagnostic approaches to measuring the properties of high temperature plasmas are developed to the point where they can be applied with confidence on the large-scale confinement experiments. Atomic data necessary for impurity control, interpretation of diagnostic data, development of heating devices, and analysis of cooling by impurity ion radiation are obtained. The project summaries are grouped into the three categories of plasma physics, diagnostic development, and atomic physics.

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Projects at NASA Glenn Research Center for 2015

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.; Morris, Jessica R.

2015-01-01

This document is intended to enable the more effective transition of NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) SBIR technologies funded by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program as well as its companion, the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program into NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) projects. Primarily, it is intended to help NASA program and project managers find useful technologies that have undergone extensive research and development (RRD), through Phase II of the SBIR program; however, it can also assist non-NASA agencies and commercial companies in this process. aviation safety, unmanned aircraft, ground and flight test technique, low emissions, quiet performance, rotorcraft

Small-Scale Smart Grid Construction and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surface, Nicholas James

The smart grid (SG) is a commonly used catch-phrase in the energy industry yet there is no universally accepted definition. The objectives and most useful concepts have been investigated extensively in economic, environmental and engineering research by applying statistical knowledge and established theories to develop simulations without constructing physical models. In this study, a small-scale version (SSSG) is constructed to physically represent these ideas so they can be evaluated. Results of construction show data acquisition three times more expensive than the grid itself although mainly due to the incapability to downsize 70% of data acquisition costs to small-scale. Experimentation on the fully assembled grid exposes the limitations of low cost modified sine wave power, significant enough to recommend pure sine wave investment in future SSSG iterations. Findings can be projected to full-size SG at a ratio of 1:10, based on the appliance representing average US household peak daily load. However this exposes disproportionalities in the SSSG compared with previous SG investigations and recommended changes for future iterations are established to remedy this issue. Also discussed are other ideas investigated in the literature and their suitability for SSSG incorporation. It is highly recommended to develop a user-friendly bidirectional charger to more accurately represent vehicle-to-grid (V2G) infrastructure. Smart homes, BEV swap stations and pumped hydroelectric storage can also be researched on future iterations of the SSSG.

Irrigation Training Manual. Planning, Design, Operation, and Management of Small-Scale Irrigation Systems [and] Irrigation Reference Manual. A Technical Reference to Be Used with the Peace Corps Irrigation Training Manual T0076 in the Selection, Planning, Design, Operation, and Management of Small-Scale Irrigation Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salazar, LeRoy; And Others

This resource for trainers involved in irrigated agriculture training for Peace Corps volunteers consists of two parts: irrigation training manual and irrigation reference manual. The complete course should fully prepare volunteers serving as irrigation, specialists to plan, implement, evaluate and manage small-scale irrigation projects in arid,…

Increasing the scale and adoption of population health interventions: experiences and perspectives of policy makers, practitioners, and researchers

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Decisions to scale up population health interventions from small projects to wider state or national implementation is fundamental to maximising population-wide health improvements. The objectives of this study were to examine: i) how decisions to scale up interventions are currently made in practice; ii) the role that evidence plays in informing decisions to scale up interventions; and iii) the role policy makers, practitioners, and researchers play in this process. Methods Interviews with an expert panel of senior Australian and international public health policy-makers (n = 7), practitioners (n = 7), and researchers (n = 7) were conducted in May 2013 with a participation rate of 84%. Results Scaling up decisions were generally made through iterative processes and led by policy makers and/or practitioners, but ultimately approved by political leaders and/or senior executives of funding agencies. Research evidence formed a component of the overall set of information used in decision-making, but its contribution was limited by the paucity of relevant intervention effectiveness research, and data on costs and cost effectiveness. Policy makers, practitioners/service managers, and researchers had different, but complementary roles to play in the process of scaling up interventions. Conclusions This analysis articulates the processes of how decisions to scale up interventions are made, the roles of evidence, and contribution of different professional groups. More intervention research that includes data on the effectiveness, reach, and costs of operating at scale and key service delivery issues (including acceptability and fit of interventions and delivery models) should be sought as this has the potential to substantially advance the relevance and ultimately usability of research evidence for scaling up population health action. PMID:24735455

Designing a grounded theory study: some practicalities.

PubMed

McCallin, Antoinette M

2003-01-01

Grounded theory is an interpretative research methodology frequently used by social science researchers seeking to discover the underlying social processes shaping interaction. The methodology is useful to create knowledge about the behavioural patterns of a group. The aim of this paper was to discuss some practical issues that the prospective grounded theory researcher planning a small-scale project may consider. Discussion focuses on the basic premises, choosing a version of grounded theory, the research problem, the purpose of study, the research question and the place of the literature in a study. The specific skills required of the grounded theory researcher are considered and some cautions are exercised. The paper may assist student researchers in a critical care setting and may be of interest to their supervisors and experienced. grounded theory researchers.

Using Microsoft Excel[R] to Calculate Descriptive Statistics and Create Graphs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Nathan T.

2008-01-01

Descriptive statistics and appropriate visual representations of scores are important for all test developers, whether they are experienced testers working on large-scale projects, or novices working on small-scale local tests. Many teachers put in charge of testing projects do not know "why" they are important, however, and are utterly convinced…

Tapping rocks for Terror Lake hydro project

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

Sieber, O.V.

The Terror Lake hydro project in Alaska is described. Terror Lake is a small alpine lake surrounded by barren glacier-scoured, rocky mountain tops and plateaus that do not retain moisture. The method for obtaining more water for the hydro project in Kodiak is unique. The basic program was to dam up the outlet of Terror Lake and raise the water level 170 ft. from approximately 1250 ft. above sea level to 1420 ft. Although the megawatt output of the project is small, the concept of the Terror Lake Project has an epic scale to it.

Design and Testing of a One-Third Scale Soyuz TM Descent Module Spartan Conversion Project Super Loki Instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Loren A.; Armitage, Pamela Kay

1993-01-01

The 1992-1993 senior Aerospace Engineering Design class continued work on the post landing configurations for the Assured Crew Return Vehicle. The Assured Crew Return Vehicle will be permanently docked to the space station fulfilling NASA's commitment of Assured Crew Return Capability in the event of an accident or illness aboard the space station. The objective of the project was to give the Assured Crew Return Vehicle Project Office data to feed into their feasibility studies. Three design teams were given the task of developing models with dynamically and geometrically scaled characteristics. Groups one and two combined efforts to design a one-third scale model of the Russian Soyuz TM Descent Module, and an on-board flotation system. This model was designed to determine the flotation characteristics and test the effects of a rigid flotation and orientation system. Group three designed a portable water wave test facility to be located on campus. Because of additional funding from Thiokol Corporation, testing of the Soyuz model and flotation systems took place at the Offshore Technology Research Center. Universities Space Research Association has been studying the use of small expendable launch vehicles for missions which cost less than 200 million dollars. The Crusader2B. which consists of the original Spartan first and second stage with an additional Spartan second stage and the Minuteman III upper stage is being considered for this task. University of Central Florida project accomplishments include an analysis of launch techniques, a modeling technique to determine flight characteristics, and input into the redesign of an existing mobile rail launch platform.

NASA Small Business Innovation Research Program. Composite List of Projects, 1983 to 1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The NASA SBIR Composite List of Projects, 1983 to 1989, includes all projects that have been selected for support by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program of NASA. The list describes 1232 Phase 1 and 510 Phase 2 contracts that had been awarded or were in negotiation for award in August 1990. The main body is organized alphabetically by name of the small businesses. Four indexes cross-reference the list. The objective of this listing is to provide information about the SBIR program to anyone concerned with NASA research and development activities.

Small Scale Beekeeping. Appropriate Technologies for Development. Manual M-17.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentry, Curtis

This manual is designed to assist Peace Corps volunteers in the development and implementation of small-scale beekeeping programs as a tool for development. Addressed in the individual chapters are bees and humans; project planning; the types and habits of bees; the essence of beekeeping; bee space and beehives; intermediate technology beekeeping;…

Small Scale Turbopump Manufacturing Technology and Material Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alvarez, Erika; Morgan, Kristin; Wells, Doug; Zimmerman, Frank

2011-01-01

As part of an internal research and development project, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has been developing a high specific impulse 9,000-lbf LOX/LH2 pump-fed engine testbed with the capability to throttle 10:1. A Fuel Turbopump (FTP) with the ability to operate across a speed range of 30,000-rpm to 100,000-rpm was developed and analyzed. This small size and flight-like Fuel Turbopump has completed the design and analysis phase and is currently in the manufacturing phase. This paper highlights the manufacturing and processes efforts to fabricate an approximately 20-lb turbopump with small flow passages, intricately bladed components and approximately 3-in diameter impellers. As a result of the small scale and tight tolerances of the hardware on this turbopump, several unique manufacturing and material challenges were encountered. Some of the technologies highlighted in this paper include the use of powder metallurgy technology to manufacture small impellers, electron beam welding of a turbine blisk shroud, and casting challenges. The use of risk reduction efforts such as non-destructive testing (NDT) and evaluation (NDE), fractography, material testing, and component spin testing are also discussed in this paper.

Five Kilowatt Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Diesel Reformer

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

Dennis Witmer; Thomas Johnson

2008-12-31

Reducing fossil fuel consumption both for energy security and for reduction in global greenhouse emissions has been a major goal of energy research in the US for many years. Fuel cells have been proposed as a technology that can address both these issues--as devices that convert the energy of a fuel directly into electrical energy, they offer low emissions and high efficiencies. These advantages are of particular interest to remote power users, where grid connected power is unavailable, and most electrical power comes from diesel electric generators. Diesel fuel is the fuel of choice because it can be easily transportedmore » and stored in quantities large enough to supply energy for small communities for extended periods of time. This projected aimed to demonstrate the operation of a solid oxide fuel cell on diesel fuel, and to measure the resulting efficiency. Results from this project have been somewhat encouraging, with a laboratory breadboard integration of a small scale diesel reformer and a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell demonstrated in the first 18 months of the project. This initial demonstration was conducted at INEEL in the spring of 2005 using a small scale diesel reformer provided by SOFCo and a fuel cell provided by Acumentrics. However, attempts to integrate and automate the available technology have not proved successful as yet. This is due both to the lack of movement on the fuel processing side as well as the rather poor stack lifetimes exhibited by the fuel cells. Commercial product is still unavailable, and precommercial devices are both extremely expensive and require extensive field support.« less

Thermal Analysis of Small Re-Entry Probe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agrawal, Parul; Prabhu, Dinesh K.; Chen, Y. K.

2012-01-01

The Small Probe Reentry Investigation for TPS Engineering (SPRITE) concept was developed at NASA Ames Research Center to facilitate arc-jet testing of a fully instrumented prototype probe at flight scale. Besides demonstrating the feasibility of testing a flight-scale model and the capability of an on-board data acquisition system, another objective for this project was to investigate the capability of simulation tools to predict thermal environments of the probe/test article and its interior. This paper focuses on finite-element thermal analyses of the SPRITE probe during the arcjet tests. Several iterations were performed during the early design phase to provide critical design parameters and guidelines for testing. The thermal effects of ablation and pyrolysis were incorporated into the final higher-fidelity modeling approach by coupling the finite-element analyses with a two-dimensional thermal protection materials response code. Model predictions show good agreement with thermocouple data obtained during the arcjet test.

Predator-Free New Zealand: Conservation Country.

PubMed

Russell, James C; Innes, John G; Brown, Philip H; Byrom, Andrea E

2015-05-01

Eradications of invasive species from over 1000 small islands around the world have created conservation arks, but to truly address the threat of invasive species to islands, eradications must be scaled by orders of magnitude. New Zealand has eradicated invasive predators from 10% of its offshore island area and now proposes a vision to eliminate them from the entire country. We review current knowledge of invasive predator ecology and control technologies in New Zealand and the biological research, technological advances, social capacity and enabling policy required. We discuss the economic costs and benefits and conclude with a 50-year strategy for a predator-free New Zealand that is shown to be ecologically obtainable, socially desirable, and economically viable. The proposal includes invasive predator eradication from the two largest offshore islands, mammal-free mainland peninsulas, very large ecosanctuaries, plus thousands of small projects that will together merge eradication and control concepts on landscape scales.

Predator-Free New Zealand: Conservation Country

PubMed Central

Russell, James C.; Innes, John G.; Brown, Philip H.; Byrom, Andrea E.

2015-01-01

Eradications of invasive species from over 1000 small islands around the world have created conservation arks, but to truly address the threat of invasive species to islands, eradications must be scaled by orders of magnitude. New Zealand has eradicated invasive predators from 10% of its offshore island area and now proposes a vision to eliminate them from the entire country. We review current knowledge of invasive predator ecology and control technologies in New Zealand and the biological research, technological advances, social capacity and enabling policy required. We discuss the economic costs and benefits and conclude with a 50-year strategy for a predator-free New Zealand that is shown to be ecologically obtainable, socially desirable, and economically viable. The proposal includes invasive predator eradication from the two largest offshore islands, mammal-free mainland peninsulas, very large ecosanctuaries, plus thousands of small projects that will together merge eradication and control concepts on landscape scales. PMID:26955079

Status and Plans for the FLARE (Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, H.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Prager, S.; Daughton, W.; Bale, S.; Carter, T.; Crocker, N.; Drake, J.; Egedal, J.; Sarff, J.; Wallace, J.; Chen, Y.; Cutler, R.; Fox, W.; Heitzenroeder, P.; Kalish, M.; Jara-Almonte, J.; Myers, C.; Ren, Y.; Yamada, M.; Yoo, J.

2015-11-01

The FLARE device (flare.pppl.gov) is a new intermediate-scale plasma experiment under construction at Princeton to study magnetic reconnection in regimes directly relevant to space, solar, astrophysical, and fusion plasmas. The existing small-scale experiments have been focusing on the single X-line reconnection process either with small effective sizes or at low Lundquist numbers, but both of which are typically very large in natural and fusion plasmas. The design of the FLARE device is motivated to provide experimental access to the new regimes involving multiple X-lines, as guided by a reconnection ``phase diagram'' [Ji & Daughton, PoP (2011)]. Most of major components of the FLARE device have been designed and are under construction. The device will be assembled and installed in 2016, followed by commissioning and operation in 2017. The planned research on FLARE as a user facility will be discussed. Supported by NSF.

Pre-harvest (1994-1995) Conditions of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Small Mammal Communities

Treesearch

Debby K. Fantz; Rochelle B. Renken

1997-01-01

We conducted a capture-recapture study on northeast-facing slopes to determine the pre-treatment landscape-scale effect of even- and uneven-aged silvicultural treatments upon the species composition, species richness, and relative abundance of small mammals on Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) sites. Similarity indices of species composition between sites...

A Primer for Developing Measures of Science Content Knowledge for Small-Scale Research and Instructional Use.

PubMed

Bass, Kristin M; Drits-Esser, Dina; Stark, Louisa A

2016-01-01

The credibility of conclusions made about the effectiveness of educational interventions depends greatly on the quality of the assessments used to measure learning gains. This essay, intended for faculty involved in small-scale projects, courses, or educational research, provides a step-by-step guide to the process of developing, scoring, and validating high-quality content knowledge assessments. We illustrate our discussion with examples from our assessments of high school students' understanding of concepts in cell biology and epigenetics. Throughout, we emphasize the iterative nature of the development process, the importance of creating instruments aligned to the learning goals of an intervention or curricula, and the importance of collaborating with other content and measurement specialists along the way. © 2016 K. M. Bass et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Crowdfunding To Support University Research and Public Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Brian

2016-10-01

Crowdfunding involves raising (usually small) monetary contributions from a large number of people, often performed via the internet. Several universities have adopted this model to support small-dollar, high-profile projects and provide the seed money for research efforts. By contrast with traditional scientific funding, crowdfunding provides a novel way to engage the public in the scientific process and sometimes involves donor rewards in the form of acknowledgments in publications and direct involvement in the research itself.In addition to Kickstarter.com and Indiegogo.com that support a range of enterprises, there are several organizations tailored to scientific research and development, including Experiment.com and the now-defunct PetriDish.org. Private companies are also available to help universities establish their own crowd-funding platforms. At Boise State University, we recently engaged the services of ScaleFunder to launch the PonyUp platform (https://ponyup.boisestate.edu/), inaugurated in Fall 2015 with requests of support for projects ranging from the health effects of organic food during pregnancy to censuses of hummingbirds.In this presentation, I'll discuss my own crowdfunding project to support the rehabilitation of Boise State's on-campus observatory. As the first project launched on PonyUp, it was an enormous success -- we met our original donation goal of $8k just two weeks into the four-week campaign and so upped the goal to $10k, which we achieved two weeks later. In addition to the very gratifying monetary support of the broader Boise community, we received personal stories from many of our donors about their connections to Boise State and the observatory. I'll talk about our approach to social and traditional media platforms and discuss how we leveraged an unlikely cosmic syzygy to boost the campaign.

U. S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center: Rapid Repair of Levee Breaches

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

tensile loads while allowing rigid (nonfabric) structural elements to bear the compressive loads, as shown in Figure 2.2. In Figure 2.2(a), the...Report 81000-01 2.7.3 Small-Scale Modeling Flume Tests An 80 ft long tilting flume was used to provide a simulated levee breach and flow for...somewhat peripheral to the main thrust of the DHS-SERRI funding in this project, only a cursory description of the technology and testing results will

Oceanography: 1998 Paris Meeting Abstracts: Coastal and Marginal Seas. Volume 11, Number 2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-01

Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188), Washington, DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Laave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 18 MAR 1999 3. REPORT...Richard W. Spinrad Small-Scale Hydrodynamics of Feeding Appendages of Marine Animals 10 M.A.R. Koehl Controls on Floe Size in the Sea 13 Paul S...we’ve included our first inter- view with one of community’s most influential leaders, the Chief of Naval Research, Rear Admiral Paul G. Gaffney, Jr

Demonstrating a new framework for the comparison of environmental impacts from small- and large-scale hydropower and wind power projects.

PubMed

Bakken, Tor Haakon; Aase, Anne Guri; Hagen, Dagmar; Sundt, Håkon; Barton, David N; Lujala, Päivi

2014-07-01

Climate change and the needed reductions in the use of fossil fuels call for the development of renewable energy sources. However, renewable energy production, such as hydropower (both small- and large-scale) and wind power have adverse impacts on the local environment by causing reductions in biodiversity and loss of habitats and species. This paper compares the environmental impacts of many small-scale hydropower plants with a few large-scale hydropower projects and one wind power farm, based on the same set of environmental parameters; land occupation, reduction in wilderness areas (INON), visibility and impacts on red-listed species. Our basis for comparison was similar energy volumes produced, without considering the quality of the energy services provided. The results show that small-scale hydropower performs less favourably in all parameters except land occupation. The land occupation of large hydropower and wind power is in the range of 45-50 m(2)/MWh, which is more than two times larger than the small-scale hydropower, where the large land occupation for large hydropower is explained by the extent of the reservoirs. On all the three other parameters small-scale hydropower performs more than two times worse than both large hydropower and wind power. Wind power compares similarly to large-scale hydropower regarding land occupation, much better on the reduction in INON areas, and in the same range regarding red-listed species. Our results demonstrate that the selected four parameters provide a basis for further development of a fair and consistent comparison of impacts between the analysed renewable technologies. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Role of slope stability in cumulative impact assessment of hydropower development: North Cascades, Washington

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

Lee, R.R.; Staub, W.P.

1993-08-01

Two environmental assessments considered the potential cumulative environmental impacts resulting from the development of eight proposed hydropower projects in the Nooksack River Basin and 11 proposed projects in the Skagit River Basin, North Cascades, Washington, respectively. While not identified as a target resource, slope stability and the alteration of sediment supply to creeks and river mainstems significantly affect other resources. The slope stability assessment emphasized the potential for cumulative impacts under disturbed conditions (e.g., road construction and timber harvesting) and a landslide-induced pipeline rupture scenario. In the case of small-scale slides, the sluicing action of ruptured pipeline water on themore » fresh landslide scarp was found to be capable of eroding significantly more material than the original landslide. For large-scale landslides, sluiced material was found to be a small increment of the original landslide. These results predicted that hypothetical accidental pipeline rupture by small-scale landslides may result in potential cumulative impacts for 12 of the 19 projects with pending license applications in both river basins. 5 refs., 2 tabs.« less

Requirements for future development of small scale rainfall simulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iserloh, Thomas; Ries, Johannes B.; Seeger, Manuel

2013-04-01

Rainfall simulation with small scale simulators is a method used worldwide to assess the generation of overland flow, soil erosion, infiltration and interrelated processes such as soil sealing, crusting, splash and redistribution of solids and solutes. Following the outcomes of the project "Comparability of simulation results of different rainfall simulators as input data for soil erosion modelling (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG, Project No. Ri 835/6-1)" and the "International Rainfall Simulator Workshop 2011" in Trier, the necessity for further technical improvements of simulators and strategies towards an adaption of designs and methods becomes obvious. Uniform measurements of artificially generated rainfall and comparative measurements on a prepared bare fallow with rainfall simulators used by European research groups showed limitations of the comparability of the results. The following requirements, essential for small portable rainfall simulators, were identified: (I) Low and efficient water consumption for use in areas with water shortage, (II) easy handling and control of test conditions, (III) homogeneous spatial rainfall distribution, (IV) best possible drop spectrum (physically), (V) reproducibility and knowledge of spatial distribution and drop spectrum, (VI) easy and fast training of operators to obtain reproducible experiments and (VII) good mobility and easy installation for use in remote areas and in regions where highly erosive rainfall events are rare or irregular. The presentation discusses possibilities for a common use of identical plot designs, rainfall intensities and nozzles.

Internationalization Measures in Large Scale Research Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soeding, Emanuel; Smith, Nancy

2017-04-01

Internationalization measures in Large Scale Research Projects Large scale research projects (LSRP) often serve as flagships used by universities or research institutions to demonstrate their performance and capability to stakeholders and other interested parties. As the global competition among universities for the recruitment of the brightest brains has increased, effective internationalization measures have become hot topics for universities and LSRP alike. Nevertheless, most projects and universities are challenged with little experience on how to conduct these measures and make internationalization an cost efficient and useful activity. Furthermore, those undertakings permanently have to be justified with the Project PIs as important, valuable tools to improve the capacity of the project and the research location. There are a variety of measures, suited to support universities in international recruitment. These include e.g. institutional partnerships, research marketing, a welcome culture, support for science mobility and an effective alumni strategy. These activities, although often conducted by different university entities, are interlocked and can be very powerful measures if interfaced in an effective way. On this poster we display a number of internationalization measures for various target groups, identify interfaces between project management, university administration, researchers and international partners to work together, exchange information and improve processes in order to be able to recruit, support and keep the brightest heads to your project.

Investigating and Stimulating Primary Teachers' Attitudes Towards Science: Summary of a Large-Scale Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walma van der Molen, Juliette; van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra

2013-01-01

Attention to the attitudes of primary teachers towards science is of fundamental importance to research on primary science education. The current article describes a large-scale research project that aims to overcome three main shortcomings in attitude research, i.e. lack of a strong theoretical concept of attitude, methodological flaws in…

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology into NASA Programs Associated with the Science Mission Directorate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2015-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) technologies that have gone through Phase II of the SBIR program into NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) programs. Other Government and commercial project managers can also find this information useful.

Open-ended projects in undergraduate optics and lasers courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyt, Chad

This talk will describe the format and experience of undergraduate Lasers and Optics courses at Bethel University. The courses, which include a rigorous lecture portion, are built on open-ended research projects that have a novel aspect. They begin with four weeks of small student groups rotating between several standard laser and optics laboratory exercises. These may include, for example, alignment and characterization of a helium neon laser and measurements with a Michelson interferometer or a scanning Fabry-Pérot optical cavity. During the following seven weeks of the course, student groups (2-4 people) choose and pursue research questions in the lab. Their work culminates in a group manuscript typeset in and a twenty-minute presentation to the class. Projects in the spring, 2014 Optics course included experiments with ultracold lithium atoms in a magneto-optical trap, optical tweezers, digital holography and adaptive optics. Projects in the spring, 2015 Lasers course included ultrafast optics with a mode-locked erbium fiber laser, quantum optics, surface plasmon lasers (led by Nathan Lindquist) and a low-cost, near-infrared spectrometer. Several of these projects are related to larger scale, funded research in the physics department. The format and experience in Lasers and Optics is representative of other upper-level courses at Bethel, including Fluid Mechanics and Computer Methods. A physics education research group from the University of Colorado evaluated the spring, 2015 Lasers course. They focused on student experimental attitudes and measurements of student project ownership.

Lessons learned from the integration of local stakeholders in water management approaches in central-northern Namibia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jokisch, A.; Urban, W.

2012-04-01

Water is the main limiting factor for economic and agricultural development in central-northern Namibia, where approximately 50% of the Namibian population lives on less than 10% of the country's surface area. The climate in the region can be characterized as semi-arid, with distinctive rainy and dry seasons and an average precipitation of 470 mm/a. Central-northern Namibia can furthermore be characterized by a system of so-called Oshanas, very shallow ephemeral river streams which drain the whole region from north to south towards the Etosha-Saltpan. Water quality within these ephemeral river streams rapidly decreases towards the end of the dry season due to high rates of evaporation (2,700 mm/a) which makes the water unsuitable for human consumption and in certain times of the year also for irrigation purposes. Other local water resources are scarce or of low quality. Therefore, the local water supply is mainly secured via a pipeline scheme which is fed by the Namibian-Angolan border river Kunene. Within the research project CuveWaters - Integrated Water Resources Management in central-northern Namibia different small scale water supply and sanitation technologies are implemented and tested as part of the projects multi-resource mix. The aim is to decentralize the regional water supply and make it more sustainable especially in the face of climate change. To gain understanding and to create ownership within the local population for the technologies implemented, stakeholder participation and capacity development are integral parts of the project. As part of the implementation process of rainwater harvesting and water harvesting from ephemeral river streams, pilot plants for the storage of water were constructed with the help of local stakeholders who will also be the beneficiaries of the pilot plants. The pilot plants consist of covered storage tanks and infrastructure for small scale horticultural use of the water stored. These small scale horticultural activities enable the users of the pilot plants to improve their standard of living by producing vegetables for self-consumption or for selling them on local markets. Irrigation for small-scale horticulture was virtually unknown in the region prior to the project which makes intense training for the local users necessary. This paper summarizes the participative process of finding a pilot village and a suitable location along the ephemeral river stream as well as the process of selecting people from the local community for construction and for the operation of the pilot plant. According to the demand-responsive approach of the CuveWaters project, local stakeholders were involved in all these processes. Tools for participation used are workshops and interviews with local stakeholders and the integration of the users in all decision-making processes as well as in construction, maintenance, operation and monitoring.

A pilot evaluation of the Arts for Life project in end-of-life care.

PubMed

Gallagher, Ann

To explore and evaluate the experience of the 'Arts for Life' project among patients or residents with terminal illness in nursing homes and the community, their relatives and practitioners. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with five patients/residents and two relatives. Five practitioners including a music therapist and a digital artist were involved in the study. The evaluation discusses the perceived benefits and challenges of the Arts for Life project from the perspectives of a small sample of patients/residents, relatives, nurses and arts facilitators. The findings suggested that the Arts for Life project provided opportunities for participants to express their creativity and individuality. A range of benefits was identified. Participants described their involvement in the project as providing a means of escapism, relief from pain and anxiety, and as helping them to engage with loss. The findings should be interpreted with caution as a result of the small sample size. The evaluation suggests that people with different diagnoses benefit in different ways from participation in the arts. An understanding of the role of the arts enables nurses to appreciate different responses to end-of-life care. Larger scale research is required with focused evaluation objectives to explore further the issues raised.

‘Like sugar and honey’: The embedded ethics of a larval control project in The Gambia

PubMed Central

Kelly, Ann H.; Ameh, David; Majambere, Silas; Lindsay, Steve; Pinder, Margaret

2010-01-01

This paper describes a malaria research project in The Gambia to provoke thinking on the social value of transnational research. The Larval Control Project (LCP) investigated the efficacy of a microbial insecticide to reduce vector density and, ultimately, clinical malaria in Gambian children. The LCP’s protocol delineated a clinical surveillance scheme that involved Village Health Workers (VHWs) supported by project nurses. Combining insights from ethnographic fieldwork conducted at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratories in Farafenni from 2005 to 2009, open-ended interviews with project nurses, and eight focus group discussions held with participant mothers in October 2007, we consider the social impact of the LCP’s investigative method against the backdrop of several years of research activity. We found that while participants associated the LCP with the clinical care it provided, they also regarded the collaboration between the nurses and VHWs added additional benefits. Organised around the operational functions of the trial, small-scale collaborations provided the platform from which to build local capacity. While ethical guidelines emphasise the considerations that must be added to experimental endeavour in southern countries (e.g. elaborating processes of informed consent, developing strategies of community engagement or providing therapeutic access to participants after the trial concludes), these findings suggest that shifting attention from supplementing ethical protocols to the everyday work of research – embedding ethics through scientific activity – may provide a sounder basis to reinforce the relationship between scientific rigour and social value. PMID:20362381

Translational Genomics in Low and Middle Income Countries: Opportunities and Challenges

PubMed Central

Tekola-Ayele, Fasil; Rotimi, Charles N.

2015-01-01

Translation of genomic discoveries into patient care is slowly becoming a reality in developed economies around the world. In contrast, low and middle income countries (LMIC) have participated minimally in genomic research for several reasons including lack of coherent national policies, limited number of well-trained genomic scientists, poor research infrastructure, and local economic and cultural challenges. Recent initiatives such as the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa), the Qatar Genome Project and the Mexico National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN) that aim to address these problems through capacity building and empowerment of local researchers have sparked a paradigm shift. In this short communication, we describe experiences of small-scale medical genetics and translational genomics research programs in LMIC. The lessons drawn from these programs drive home the importance of addressing resource, policy, and socio-cultural dynamics to realize the promise of precision medicine driven by genomic science globally. By echoing lessons from a bench-to-community translational genomics research, we advocate that large-scale genomics research projects can be successfully linked with health care programs. To harness the benefits of genomics-led health care, LMIC governments should begin to develop national genomics policies that will address human and technology capacity development within the context of their national economic and socio-cultural uniqueness. These policies should encourage international collaboration and promote link between the public health program and genomics researchers. Finally, we highlight the potential catalytic roles of the global community to foster translational genomics in LMIC. PMID:26138992

Reasoning algebraically with IT: A cognitive perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mok, Ida; Johnson, David

2000-12-01

The focus of this paper is on the implications of key findings and theoretical positions from social psychology and cognitive developmental psychology (Piagetian/neo-Piagetian) for the use of IT tools to support learning in algebra. Particular reference is made to the research of the UK Cognitive Acceleration through Mathematics Education (CAME) project. The feasibility of the CAME model in the exploration of mathematical relationships supported by graphics calculators was addressed in a small-scale study in Hong Kong. The research provides evidence that, with appropriate mediation, cognitive conflict can be utilised to provide valuable appropriate for students to engage in increasingly higher levels of mathematical thinking.

Rehabilitating mussel beds in Coffee Bay, South Africa: Towards fostering cooperative small-scale fisheries governance and enabling community upliftment.

PubMed

Calvo-Ugarteburu, Gurutze; Raemaekers, Serge; Halling, Christina

2017-03-01

Along the coast of South Africa, marine resources play a significant role in supporting livelihoods and contributing to food security in impoverished rural communities. Post-apartheid fisheries laws and policies have begun to address traditional fishing rights and development needs, and new management arrangements are being implemented. One such initiative has been the Mussel Rehabilitation Project in Coffee Bay, which piloted a resource rehabilitation technique at several over-exploited fishing sites. Mussel stocks in these exploited areas had dropped to under 1 % mussel cover, and during the project period, stocks increased to >80 % cover, supporting a sustainable harvest well above national daily bag limits. This stock enhancement was achieved only after the project had started to address social challenges such as the lack of local management institutions and the need to enhance food security. The project embarked on training and institution-building; it formed a robust community mussel management committee; and developed a local resource management plan, facilitating increased community participation in the day-to-day management of the resource. The project also saw the initiation of various ancillary projects aimed at improving food security and stimulating the local economy and hence alleviating pressure on the marine resources. Here we review this 10-year project's outcomes, and present lessons for small-scale fisheries governance in South Africa and internationally. We show, through empirical experience, that balancing stock rebuilding needs in a context of widespread poverty and dependency on natural resources by a local fisher community can only be addressed through an integrated approach to development. Participation of resource users and a thorough understanding of the local context are imperative to negotiating appropriate small-scale fisheries governance approaches. We recommend that the implementation of South Africa's newly minted Small-Scale Fisheries Policy should begin with bottom-up, demonstrative resource management measures such as mussel rehabilitation. This type of initiative can deliver short-term food security benefits and foster social learning towards sustainable and cooperative fisheries governance.

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate Projects at Glenn Research Center for 2015

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2016-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Glenn Research Center Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR)/(STTR) technologies into NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) programs and projects. Other Government and commercial project managers can also find this useful. Introduction Incorporating Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)-developed technology into NASA projects is important, especially given the Agency's limited resources for technology development. The SBIR program's original intention was for technologies that had completed Phase II to be ready for integration into NASA programs, however, in many cases there is a gap between Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 5 and 6 that needs to be closed. After SBIR Phase II projects are completed, the technology is evaluated against various parameters and a TRL rating is assigned. Most programs tend to adopt more mature technologies-at least TRL 6 to reduce the risk to the mission rather than adopt TRLs between 3 and 5 because those technologies are perceived as too risky. The gap between TRLs 5 and 6 is often called the "Valley of Death" (Figure 1), and historically it has been difficult to close because of a lack of funding support from programs. Several papers have already suggested remedies on how to close the gap (Refs. 1 to 4).

Talking About The Smokes: a large-scale, community-based participatory research project.

PubMed

Couzos, Sophia; Nicholson, Anna K; Hunt, Jennifer M; Davey, Maureen E; May, Josephine K; Bennet, Pele T; Westphal, Darren W; Thomas, David P

2015-06-01

To describe the Talking About The Smokes (TATS) project according to the World Health Organization guiding principles for conducting community-based participatory research (PR) involving indigenous peoples, to assist others planning large-scale PR projects. The TATS project was initiated in Australia in 2010 as part of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project, and surveyed a representative sample of 2522 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults to assess the impact of tobacco control policies. The PR process of the TATS project, which aimed to build partnerships to create equitable conditions for knowledge production, was mapped and summarised onto a framework adapted from the WHO principles. Processes describing consultation and approval, partnerships and research agreements, communication, funding, ethics and consent, data and benefits of the research. The TATS project involved baseline and follow-up surveys conducted in 34 Aboriginal community-controlled health services and one Torres Strait community. Consistent with the WHO PR principles, the TATS project built on community priorities and strengths through strategic partnerships from project inception, and demonstrated the value of research agreements and trusting relationships to foster shared decision making, capacity building and a commitment to Indigenous data ownership. Community-based PR methodology, by definition, needs adaptation to local settings and priorities. The TATS project demonstrates that large-scale research can be participatory, with strong Indigenous community engagement and benefits.

Research Leads: Current Practice, Future Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggall, Anna; Singer, Rachel

2015-01-01

This report was conceived as one of three publications that collectively provide a commentary on research awareness and research use within schools in England. This third report in the series presents findings from a small-scale, detailed study of teachers who are operating as their school's Research Lead. The small scale of the study is…

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology Into NASA Programs Associated With the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2015-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) technologies that have gone through Phase II of the SBIR program into NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) programs. Other Government and commercial project managers can also find this information useful.

Small Business Innovation Research : Program Solicitation (Closing Date : May 3, 1994)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-01-01

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is the primary vehicle through which the federal government funds research and development (R&D) projects at small technology companies. The SBIR Program of the Department of Transportation is a r...

Small Business Innovation Research : Program Solicitation (Closing Date : May 1, 1998)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is the primary vehicle through which the federal government funds research and development (R&D) projects at small technology companies. The SBIR Program of the Department of Transportation is a r...

Small Business Innovation Research : Program Solicitation (Closing Date : May 1, 1997)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is the primary vehicle through which the federal government funds research and development (R&D) projects at small technology companies. The SBIR Program of the Department of Transportation is a r...

Small Business Innovation Research : Program Solicitation (Closing Date : May 1, 1987)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-01-01

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is the primary vehicle through which the federal government funds research and development (R&D) projects at small technology companies. The SBIR Program of the Department of Transportation is a r...

NASA's Hypersonic Research Engine Project: A review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, Earl H.; Mackley, Ernest A.

1994-01-01

The goals of the NASA Hypersonic Research Engine (HRE) Project, which began in 1964, were to design, develop, and construct a high-performance hypersonic research ramjet/scramjet engine for flight tests of the developed concept over the speed range of Mach 4 to 8. The project was planned to be accomplished in three phases: project definition, research engine development, and flight test using the X-15A-2 research airplane, which was modified to carry hydrogen fuel for the research engine. The project goal of an engine flight test was eliminated when the X-15 program was canceled in 1968. Ground tests of full-scale engine models then became the focus of the project. Two axisymmetric full-scale engine models, having 18-inch-diameter cowls, were fabricated and tested: a structural model and combustion/propulsion model. A brief historical review of the project, with salient features, typical data results, and lessons learned, is presented. An extensive number of documents were generated during the HRE Project and are listed.

The Challenge of Implementing an ERP System in a Small and Medium Enterprise--A Teaching Case of ERP Project Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Hongjiang; Rondeau, Patrick J.; Mahenthiran, Sakthi

2011-01-01

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation projects are notoriously risky. While large-scale ERP cases continue to be developed, relatively few new ERP cases have been published that further ERP implementation education in small to medium size firms. This case details the implementation of a new ERP system in a medium sized…

Neutron scattering as a probe of liquid crystal polymer-reinforced composite materials

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

Hjelm, R.P.; Douglas, E.P.; Benicewicz, B.C.

1995-12-31

This is the final report of a three-year Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This research project sought to obtain nanoscale and molecular level information on the mechanism of reinforcement in liquid crystal polymer (LCP)-reinforced composites, to realize molecular-reinforced LCP composites, and to test the validity of the concept of molecular reinforcement. Small-angle neutron scattering was used to study the structures in the ternary phase diagram of LCP with liquid crystal thermosets and solvent on length scales ranging from 1-100 nm. The goal of the scattering measurements is to understand the phase morphologymore » and degree of segregation of the reinforcing and matrix components. This information helps elucidate the physics of self assembly in these systems. This work provides an experimental basis for a microengineering approach to composites of vastly improved properties.« less

Express Payload Project - A new method for rapid access to Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uhran, Mark L.; Timm, Marc G.

1993-01-01

The deployment and permanent operation of Space Station Freedom will enable researchers to enter a new era in the 21st century, in which continuous on-orbit experimentation and observation become routine. In support of this objective, the Space Station Freedom Program Office has initiated the Express Payload Project. The fundamental project goal is to reduce the marginal cost associated with small payload development, integration, and operation. This is to be accomplished by developing small payload accommodations hardware and a new streamlined small payload integration process. Standardization of small payload interfaces, certification of small payload containers, and increased payload developer responsibility for mission success are key aspects of the Express Payload Project. As the project progresses, the principles will be applied to both pressurized payloads flown inside the station laboratories and unpressurized payloads attached to the station external structures. The increased access to space afforded by Space Station Freedom and the Express Payload Project has the potential to significantly expand the scope, magnitude, and success of future research in the microgravity environment.

Small business innovation research. Abstracts of 1988 phase 1 awards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Non-proprietary proposal abstracts of Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects supported by NASA are presented. Projects in the fields of aeronautical propulsion, aerodynamics, acoustics, aircraft systems, materials and structures, teleoperators and robots, computer sciences, information systems, data processing, spacecraft propulsion, bioastronautics, satellite communication, and space processing are covered.

The Tuskegee Legacy Project: willingness of minorities to participate in biomedical research.

PubMed

Katz, Ralph V; Kegeles, S Steven; Kressin, Nancy R; Green, B Lee; Wang, Min Qi; James, Sherman A; Russell, Stefanie Luise; Claudio, Cristina

2006-11-01

The broad goal of the Tuskegee Legacy Project (TLP) study was to address, and understand, a range of issues related to the recruitment and retention of Blacks and other minorities in biomedical research studies. The specific aim of this analysis was to compare the self-reported willingness of Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites to participate as research subjects in biomedical studies, as measured by the Likelihood of Participation (LOP) Scale and the Guinea Pig Fear Factor (GPFF) Scale. The Tuskegee Legacy Project Questionnaire, a 60 item instrument, was administered to 1,133 adult Blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Whites in 4 U.S. cities. The findings revealed no difference in self-reported willingness to participate in biomedical research, as measured by the LOP Scale, between Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites, despite Blacks being 1.8 times as likely as Whites to have a higher fear of participation in biomedical research on the GPFF Scale.

The Tuskegee Legacy Project: Willingness of Minorities to Participate in Biomedical Research

PubMed Central

Katz, Ralph V.; Russell, Stefanie L.; Kegeles, S. Steven; Kressin, Nancy R.; Green, B. Lee; Wang, Min Qi; James, Sherman A.; Claudio, Cristina

2006-01-01

The broad goal of the Tuskegee Legacy Project (TLP) study was to address, and understand, a range of issues related to the recruitment and retention of Blacks and other minorities in biomedical research studies. The specific aim of this analysis was to compare the self-reported willingness of Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites to participate as research subjects in biomedical studies, as measured by the Likelihood of Participation (LOP) Scale and the Guinea Pig Fear Factor (GPFF) Scale. The Tuskegee Legacy Project Questionnaire, a 60 item instrument, was administered to 1,133 adult Blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Whites in 4 U.S. cities. The findings revealed no difference in self-reported willingness to participate in biomedical research, as measured by the LOP Scale, between Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites, despite Blacks being 1.8 times as likely as Whites to have a higher fear of participation in biomedical research on the GPFF Scale. PMID:17242525

The Multi-Scale Mass Transfer Processes Controlling Natural Attenuation and Engineered Remediation: An IFC Focused on Hanford’s 300 Area Uranium Plume Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

The purpose of the project is to conduct research at an Integrated Field-Scale Research Challenge Site in the Hanford Site 300 Area, CERCLA OU 300-FF-5 (Figure 1), to investigate multi-scale mass transfer processes associated with a subsurface uranium plume impacting both the vadose zone and groundwater. The project will investigate a series of science questions posed for research related to the effect of spatial heterogeneities, the importance of scale, coupled interactions between biogeochemical, hydrologic, and mass transfer processes, and measurements/approaches needed to characterize a mass-transfer dominated system. The research will be conducted by evaluating three (3) different hypotheses focused onmore » multi-scale mass transfer processes in the vadose zone and groundwater, their influence on field-scale U(VI) biogeochemistry and transport, and their implications to natural systems and remediation. The project also includes goals to 1) provide relevant materials and field experimental opportunities for other ERSD researchers and 2) generate a lasting, accessible, and high-quality field experimental database that can be used by the scientific community for testing and validation of new conceptual and numerical models of subsurface reactive transport.« less

Economies of scale and scope in publicly funded biomedical and health research: evidence from the literature.

PubMed

Hernandez-Villafuerte, Karla; Sussex, Jon; Robin, Enora; Guthrie, Sue; Wooding, Steve

2017-02-02

Publicly funded biomedical and health research is expected to achieve the best return possible for taxpayers and for society generally. It is therefore important to know whether such research is more productive if concentrated into a small number of 'research groups' or dispersed across many. We undertook a systematic rapid evidence assessment focused on the research question: do economies of scale and scope exist in biomedical and health research? In other words, is that research more productive per unit of cost if more of it, or a wider variety of it, is done in one location? We reviewed English language literature without date restriction to the end of 2014. To help us to classify and understand that literature, we first undertook a review of econometric literature discussing models for analysing economies of scale and/or scope in research generally (not limited to biomedical and health research). We found a large and disparate literature. We reviewed 60 empirical studies of (dis-)economies of scale and/or scope in biomedical and health research, or in categories of research including or overlapping with biomedical and health research. This literature is varied in methods and findings. At the level of universities or research institutes, studies more often point to positive economies of scale than to diseconomies of scale or constant returns to scale in biomedical and health research. However, all three findings exist in the literature, along with inverse U-shaped relationships. At the level of individual research units, laboratories or projects, the numbers of studies are smaller and evidence is mixed. Concerning economies of scope, the literature more often suggests positive economies of scope than diseconomies, but the picture is again mixed. The effect of varying the scope of activities by a research group was less often reported than the effect of scale and the results were more mixed. The absence of predominant findings for or against the existence of economies of scale or scope implies a continuing need for case by case decisions when distributing research funding, rather than a general policy either to concentrate funding in a few centres or to disperse it across many.

Evidence at Mesospheric Altitude of Deeply Propagating Atmospheric Gravity Waves Created by Orographic Forcing over the Auckland Islands (50.5ºS) During the Deepwave Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pautet, P. D.; Ma, J.; Taylor, M. J.; Bossert, K.; Doyle, J. D.; Eckermann, S. D.; Williams, B. P.; Fritts, D. C.

2014-12-01

The DEEPWAVE project recently took place in New Zealand during the months of June and July 2014. This international program focused on investigating the generation and deep propagation of atmospheric gravity waves. A series of instruments was operated at several ground-based locations and on-board the NSF Gulfstream V aircraft. 26 research flights were performed to explore possible wave sources and their effects on the middle and upper atmosphere. On July 14th, a research flight was conducted over the Auckland Islands, a small sub Antarctic archipelago located ~450km south of New Zealand. Moderate southwesterly tropospheric wind (~25m/s) was blowing over the rugged topography of the islands, generating mountain wave signature at the flight altitude. Spectacular small-scale gravity waves were simultaneously observed at the mesopause level using the USU Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (AMTM). Their similarity with the model-predicted waves was striking. This presentation will describe this remarkable case of deep wave propagation and compare the measurements obtained with the instruments on-board the aircraft with forecasting and wave propagation models.

The 300 Area Integrated Field Research Challenge Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a group of expert collaborators are using the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site 300 Area uranium plume within the footprint of the 300-FF-5 groundwater operable unit as a site for an Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge (IFRC). The IFRC is entitled Multi-Scale Mass Transfer Processes Controlling Natural Attenuation and Engineered Remediation: An IFRC Focused on the Hanford Site 300 Area Uranium Plume Project. The theme is investigation of multi-scale mass transfer processes. A series of forefront science questions on mass transfer are posed for research that relate to the effect of spatial heterogeneities; themore » importance of scale; coupled interactions between biogeochemical, hydrologic, and mass transfer processes; and measurements/approaches needed to characterize and model a mass transfer-dominated system. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the 300 Area IFRC Project. This plan is designed to be used exclusively by project staff.« less

Ischemic Stroke Profile, Risk Factors, and Outcomes in India: The Indo-US Collaborative Stroke Project.

PubMed

Sylaja, P N; Pandian, Jeyaraj Durai; Kaul, Subhash; Srivastava, M V Padma; Khurana, Dheeraj; Schwamm, Lee H; Kesav, Praveen; Arora, Deepti; Pannu, Aman; Thankachan, Tijy K; Singhal, Aneesh B

2018-01-01

The Indo-US Collaborative Stroke Project was designed to characterize ischemic stroke across 5 high-volume academic tertiary hospitals in India. From January 2012 to August 2014, research coordinators and physician coinvestigators prospectively collected data on 2066 patients with ischemic stroke admitted <2 weeks after onset. Investigator training and supervision and data monitoring were conducted by the US site (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston). The mean age was 58.3±14.7 years, 67.2% men. The median admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 10 (interquartile range, 5-15) and 24.5% had National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≥16. Hypertension (60.8%), diabetes mellitus (35.7%), and tobacco use (32.2%, including bidi/smokeless tobacco) were common risk factors. Only 4% had atrial fibrillation. All patients underwent computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging; 81% had cerebrovascular imaging. Stroke etiologic subtypes were large artery (29.9%), cardiac (24.9%), small artery (14.2%), other definite (3.4%), and undetermined (27.6%, including 6.7% with incomplete evaluation). Intravenous or intra-arterial thrombolysis was administered in 13%. In-hospital mortality was 7.9%, and 48% achieved modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 2 at 90 days. On multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus predicted poor 3-month outcome and younger age, lower admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and small-artery etiology predicted excellent 3-month outcome. These comprehensive and novel clinical imaging data will prove useful in refining stroke guidelines and advancing stroke care in India. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Role of research in occupational therapy clinical practice: applying action learning and action research in pursuit of evidence-based practice.

PubMed

du Toit, Sanet H J; Wilkinson, Annette C; Adam, Kerry

2010-10-01

 In South Africa, as in many other countries, the development of research capacity in students and their early professional career is regarded as of major importance. Within the context of clinical education for occupational therapy students at the University of the Free State, a lecturer and her students embarked on a collaborative journey while fulfilling the requirements of their undergraduate curriculum. The outcome is a model promoting evidence-based practice (EBP) during service development on a dementia care ward. The practical use of action learning, action research (ALAR) approach in the clinical context, was used to encourage student engagement in successive small-scale research projects while simulating EBP. The projects ranged from the development of therapeutic multi-sensory environments to compiling activity profiles for identified residents. At the same time, students had the opportunity to experience the value of a scientific approach to practice development, which stimulated their awareness of the importance of research. Reflection by the researcher contributed towards more effective ways for compiling project assignments and a formalised approach for assessing projects. Students described personal and professional gains because of participation in projects against the life-changing experience of rendering a service to elderly persons suffering from dementia. The formalised approach guiding thoughts and actions finally assisted in developing a practical process model that could support EBP. The ALAR model contributed towards a scholarship of practice where the students, clinical educator and residents of a dementia unit all experienced the value of research. © 2010 The Authors. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2010 Australian Association of Occupational Therapists.

Labor productivity, perceived effectiveness, and sustainability of innovative projects.

PubMed

Makai, Peter; Cramm, Jane M; van Grotel, Marloes; Nieboer, Anna P

2014-01-01

To assess labor productivity, perceived effectiveness, and sustainability of a national quality program that sought to stimulate efficiency gains through increased labor productivity while maintaining quality through implementing small-scale innovation projects. Longitudinal measures of labor productivity and quality were collected at baseline and after completion of the innovation projects. Perceived effectiveness and sustainability (measured by routinization) were assessed cross-sectionally after project completion. This study was conducted in The Netherlands. Ninety-eight improvement projects in long-term care organizations. A national quality program to stimulate innovative approaches in long-term care. Labor productivity, perceived effectiveness, and sustainability were the main outcome measures. Labor productivity data were available for only 37 (38%) of the 98 projects, 33 (89%) of which demonstrated significantly improved efficiency. Perceived effectiveness was significantly associated with sustainability (0.29; p < .05), but not labor productivity. To achieve sustainability in long-term care, developers of innovative projects must collect better quality information on efficiency gains in terms of labor productivity and focus more on efficiency improvement. More research is necessary to explore relationships between labor productivity, perceived effectiveness, and sustainability. © 2012 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

Apiculture de Petite Eschelle (Small Scale Beekeeping). Appropriate Technologies for Development. Peace Corps Information Collection & Exchange Manual Series No. M-26.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentry, Curtis

This French-language manual is designed to assist Peace Corps volunteers in French-speaking countries in the implementation of small-scale beekeeping programs as a tool for development. Addressed in the individual chapters are bees and humans; project planning; the types and habits of bees; the essence of beekeeping; bee space and beehives;…

Small-Scale Industries in Kenya: A Case Study of Economic Development. Toward a Better World Series, Learning Kit No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Harriet; Ross-Larson, Bruce, Ed.

This World Bank (Washington, D.C.) kit is a case study designed to introduce secondary school social studies students to a project in Kenya established to strengthen small-scale industries. The kit contains a pamphlet, a booklet, a sound filmstrip, and a teacher's guide. The pamphlet, "Economic Summary: Kenya," points out the severe…

Oceanography: the present and future

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

Brewer, P.G.

This volume is the proceedings of a symposium held September 29 to October 2, 1980 at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The book is the companion volume to ''Oceanography: the Past'' also published by Springer-Verlag. The papers are organized not by conventional disciplinary topics but by the ''scale'' of the oceanographic process: Part I, Small and Local Scale Oceanography; Part II, Regional Scale Oceanography; Part III, Global Scale Oceanography; and Part IV, The Human Scale. The articles presented, however, do not summarize such projects but give recognizable disciplinary summariesmore » and predictions in line with the subtitle of the book. In general, the articles are classed by this scale concept, although ''Shoreline Research'' by Pilkey and ''The Oceans Nearby'' by Murphy are better placed in the section The Human Scale and Bolin's ''Changing Global Biogeochemistry'' switched from The Human Scale to Global Scale as indicated by the title. This volume should be of value to marine geologists and geochemists, sedimentologists, and public-interest (environmental) geologists interested in oceanographic processes.« less

Overview of IEA biomass combustion activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hustad, J. E.

1994-07-01

The objectives of the International Energy Agency (IEA) bioenergy program are: (1) to encourage cooperative research, development and use of energy and the increased utilization of alternatives to oil; and (2) to establish increased program and project cooperation between participants in the whole field of bioenergy. There are four Task Annexes to the Implementing Agreement during the period 1992-1994: Efficient and Environmentally Sound Biomass Production Systems; Harvesting and Supply of Woody Biomass for Energy; Biomass Utilization; and Conversion of Municipal Solid Waste Feedstock to Energy. The report describes the following biomass combustion activities during the period 1992-1994: Round robin test of a wood stove; Emissions from biomass combustion; A pilot project cofiring biomass with oil to reduce SO2 emissions; Small scale biomass chip handling; Energy from contaminated wood waste combustion; Modeling of biomass combustion; Wood chip cogeneration; Combustion of wet biomass feedstocks, ash reinjection and carbon burnout; Oxidation of wet biomass; Catalytic combustion in small wood burning appliances; Characterization of biomass fuels and ashes; Measurement techniques (FTIR).

Final Report Scalable Analysis Methods and In Situ Infrastructure for Extreme Scale Knowledge Discovery

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

O'Leary, Patrick

The primary challenge motivating this project is the widening gap between the ability to compute information and to store it for subsequent analysis. This gap adversely impacts science code teams, who can perform analysis only on a small fraction of the data they calculate, resulting in the substantial likelihood of lost or missed science, when results are computed but not analyzed. Our approach is to perform as much analysis or visualization processing on data while it is still resident in memory, which is known as in situ processing. The idea in situ processing was not new at the time ofmore » the start of this effort in 2014, but efforts in that space were largely ad hoc, and there was no concerted effort within the research community that aimed to foster production-quality software tools suitable for use by Department of Energy (DOE) science projects. Our objective was to produce and enable the use of production-quality in situ methods and infrastructure, at scale, on DOE high-performance computing (HPC) facilities, though we expected to have an impact beyond DOE due to the widespread nature of the challenges, which affect virtually all large-scale computational science efforts. To achieve this objective, we engaged in software technology research and development (R&D), in close partnerships with DOE science code teams, to produce software technologies that were shown to run efficiently at scale on DOE HPC platforms.« less

Creative Partnerships for Funding Nursing Research

PubMed Central

McCann, Judith J.; Hills, Elizabeth Blanchard; Zauszniewski, Jaclene A.; Smith, Carol E.; Farran, Carol J.; Wilkie, Diana J.

2013-01-01

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) program are two federal funding mechanisms that some nurses in academic positions have used to support research and development of innovative nursing products or services. Both the SBIR and STTR mechanisms are excellent sources of funding for nurse researchers who want to capitalize on relationships with small businesses or obtain seed money to fund high risk projects with potential to attract new venture capital. This paper provides an overview of NIH-funded SBIR and STTR programs and summarizes similarities and differences between the programs. The paper also describes unique features of NIH SBIR and STTR funding mechanisms that differentiate them from other R-series funding mechanisms, reviews evaluation criteria for SBIR and STTR projects, and discusses critical partners and resources for proposal development. Finally, the paper describes characteristics of successful partnerships and provides examples of SBIR/STTR-funded projects. PMID:20719996

Creative partnerships for funding nursing research.

PubMed

McCann, Judith J; Hills, Elizabeth Blanchard; Zauszniewski, Jaclene A; Smith, Carol E; Farran, Carol J; Wilkie, Diana J

2011-02-01

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) program are two federal funding mechanisms that some nurses in academic positions have used to support research and development of innovative nursing products or services. Both the SBIR and STTR mechanisms are excellent sources of funding for nurse researchers who want to capitalize on relationships with small businesses or obtain seed money to fund high-risk projects with potential to attract new venture capital. This article provides an overview of National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded SBIR and STTR programs and summarizes similarities and differences between the programs. The article also describes unique features of NIH SBIR and STTR funding mechanisms that differentiate them from other R-series funding mechanisms, reviews evaluation criteria for SBIR and STTR projects, and discusses critical partners and resources for proposal development. Finally, the article describes characteristics of successful partnerships and provides examples of SBIR/STTR-funded projects.

Revisiting Scale, Comparative Research and Education in Small States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brock, Colin; Crossley, Michael

2013-01-01

Comparative research on education in small states has attracted international attention since the mid-1980s when the Commonwealth sponsored a number of seminal meetings and publications, and became a key advocate for the advancement of such work. This article considers the place of different dimensions of scale in comparative research; re-examines…

Large-Scale Aerosol Modeling and Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-30

Modeling of Burning Emissions ( FLAMBE ) project, and other related parameters. Our plans to embed NAAPS inside NOGAPS may need to be put on hold...AOD, FLAMBE and FAROP at FNMOC are supported by 6.4 funding from PMW-120 for “Large-scale Atmospheric Models”, “Small-scale Atmospheric Models

Low-Energy, Low-Cost Production of Ethylene by Low- Temperature Oxidative Coupling of Methane

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

Radaelli, Guido; Chachra, Gaurav; Jonnavittula, Divya

In this project, we develop a catalytic process technology for distributed small-scale production of ethylene by oxidative coupling of methane at low temperatures using an advanced catalyst. The Low Temperature Oxidative Coupling of Methane (LT-OCM) catalyst system is enabled by a novel chemical catalyst and process pioneered by Siluria, at private expense, over the last six years. Herein, we develop the LT-OCM catalyst system for distributed small-scale production of ethylene by identifying and addressing necessary process schemes, unit operations and process parameters that limit the economic viability and mass penetration of this technology to manufacture ethylene at small-scales. The outputmore » of this program is process concepts for small-scale LT-OCM catalyst based ethylene production, lab-scale verification of the novel unit operations adopted in the proposed concept, and an analysis to validate the feasibility of the proposed concepts.« less

Investigation of Solar Wind Correlations and Solar Wind Modifications Near Earth by Multi-Spacecraft Observations: IMP 8, WIND and INTERBALL-1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paularena, Karolen I.; Richardson, John D.; Zastenker, Georgy N.

2002-01-01

The foundation of this Project is use of the opportunity available during the ISTP (International Solar-Terrestrial Physics) era to compare solar wind measurements obtained simultaneously by three spacecraft - IMP 8, WIND and INTERBALL-1 at wide-separated points. Using these data allows us to study three important topics: (1) the size and dynamics of near-Earth mid-scale (with dimension about 1-10 million km) and small-scale (with dimension about 10-100 thousand km) solar wind structures; (2) the reliability of the common assumption that solar wind conditions at the upstream Lagrangian (L1) point accurately predict the conditions affecting Earth's magnetosphere; (3) modification of the solar wind plasma and magnetic field in the regions near the Earth magnetosphere, the foreshock and the magnetosheath. Our Project was dedicated to these problems. Our research has made substantial contributions to the field and has lead others to undertake similar work.

A HUMAN AUTOMATION INTERACTION CONCEPT FOR A SMALL MODULAR REACTOR CONTROL ROOM

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

Le Blanc, Katya; Spielman, Zach; Hill, Rachael

Many advanced nuclear power plant (NPP) designs incorporate higher degrees of automation than the existing fleet of NPPs. Automation is being introduced or proposed in NPPs through a wide variety of systems and technologies, such as advanced displays, computer-based procedures, advanced alarm systems, and computerized operator support systems. Additionally, many new reactor concepts, both full scale and small modular reactors, are proposing increased automation and reduced staffing as part of their concept of operations. However, research consistently finds that there is a fundamental tradeoff between system performance with increased automation and reduced human performance. There is a need to addressmore » the question of how to achieve high performance and efficiency of high levels of automation without degrading human performance. One example of a new NPP concept that will utilize greater degrees of automation is the SMR concept from NuScale Power. The NuScale Power design requires 12 modular units to be operated in one single control room, which leads to a need for higher degrees of automation in the control room. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) researchers and NuScale Power human factors and operations staff are working on a collaborative project to address the human performance challenges of increased automation and to determine the principles that lead to optimal performance in highly automated systems. This paper will describe this concept in detail and will describe an experimental test of the concept. The benefits and challenges of the approach will be discussed.« less

Growing up and Growing out: Emerging Adults Learn Management through Service-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fairfield, Kent D.

2010-01-01

This article describes a journey introducing service-learning based on large-scale projects in an undergraduate management curriculum, leading to supplementing this approach with more conventional small-group projects. It outlines some of the foundation for service-learning. Having students undertake a single class-wide project offers distinctive…

Experimental AMO physics in undergraduate optics and lasers courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyt, Chad

2017-04-01

This talk will describe experimental AMO research projects in undergraduate Lasers and Optics courses at Bethel University. The courses, which include a comprehensive lecture portion, are built on open-ended projects that have a novel aspect. Classes begin with four weeks of small student groups rotating between several standard laser and optics laboratory exercises. These may include, for example, alignment and characterization of a helium neon laser and measurements with a Michelson interferometer or a scanning Fabry-Pérot optical cavity. During the following seven weeks of the course, student groups (2-4 people) choose and pursue research questions in the lab. Their work culminates in a group manuscript and a twenty-minute presentation to the class. Projects in the spring, 2016 Optics course included experiments with ultracold lithium atoms in a magneto-optical trap, a prototype, portable, mode-locked erbium fiber laser, a home-built fiber laser frequency comb, double-slit imaging with single photons, and digital holographic tweezers (led by Nathan Lindquist). Projects in the spring, 2015 Lasers course included ultrafast optics with a mode-locked erbium fiber laser, quantum optics, surface plasmon lasers (led by Nathan Lindquist) and a low-cost, near-infrared spectrometer. Several of these projects are related to larger scale, funded research in the physics department. The format and experience in Lasers and Optics is representative of other upper-level courses at Bethel, including Fluid Mechanics and Computer Methods. A physics education research group from the University of Colorado evaluated the spring, 2015 Lasers and 2016 Optics courses. They focused on student experimental attitudes and measurements of student project ownership.

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...

Small-scale response in an avian community to a large-scale thinning project in the southwestern United States

Treesearch

Karen E. Bagne; Deborah M. Finch

2009-01-01

Avian populations were monitored using point counts from 2002 to 2007, two years before and four years after a 2800 ha fuel reduction project. The study area was within a ponderosa pine forest near Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Adjacent unthinned areas were also monitored as a reference for population variation related to other factors. For individual bird species...

The Phenomenology of Small-Scale Turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreenivasan, K. R.; Antonia, R. A.

I have sometimes thought that what makes a man's work classic is often just this multiplicity [of interpretations], which invites and at the same time resists our craving for a clear understanding. Wright (1982, p. 34), on Wittgenstein's philosophy Small-scale turbulence has been an area of especially active research in the recent past, and several useful research directions have been pursued. Here, we selectively review this work. The emphasis is on scaling phenomenology and kinematics of small-scale structure. After providing a brief introduction to the classical notions of universality due to Kolmogorov and others, we survey the existing work on intermittency, refined similarity hypotheses, anomalous scaling exponents, derivative statistics, intermittency models, and the structure and kinematics of small-scale structure - the latter aspect coming largely from the direct numerical simulation of homogeneous turbulence in a periodic box.

Ethical Guidelines for Structural Interventions to Small-Scale Historic Stone Masonry Buildings.

PubMed

Hurol, Yonca; Yüceer, Hülya; Başarır, Hacer

2015-12-01

Structural interventions to historic stone masonry buildings require that both structural and heritage values be considered simultaneously. The absence of one of these value systems in implementation can be regarded as an unethical professional action. The research objective of this article is to prepare a guideline for ensuring ethical structural interventions to small-scale stone historic masonry buildings in the conservation areas of Northern Cyprus. The methodology covers an analysis of internationally accepted conservation documents and national laws related to the conservation of historic buildings, an analysis of building codes, especially Turkish building codes, which have been used in Northern Cyprus, and an analysis of the structural interventions introduced to a significant historic building in a semi-intact state in the walled city of Famagusta. This guideline covers issues related to whether buildings are intact or ruined, the presence of earthquake risk, the types of structural decisions in an architectural conservation project, and the values to consider during the decision making phase.

Influence of the normal modes on the plasma uniformity in large scale CCP reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eremin, Denis; Brinkmann, Ralf Peter; Mussenbrock, Thomas; Lane, Barton; Matsukuma, Masaaki; Ventzek, Peter

2016-09-01

Large scale capacitively coupled plasmas (CCP) driven by sources with high frequency components often exhibit phenomena which are absent in relatively well understood small scale CCPs driven at low frequencies. Of particular interest are such phenomena which affect discharge parameters of direct relevance to the plasma processing applications. One of such parameters is plasma uniformity. By using a self-consistent 2d3v Particle-in-cell/Monte-Carlo (PIC/MCC) code parallelized on GPU we have been able to show that uniformity of the plasma generated is influenced predominantly by two factors, the ionization pattern caused by high-energy electrons and the average temperature of low-energy plasma electrons. The heating mechanisms for these two groups of electrons appear to be different leading to different transversal (radial) profiles of the corresponding factors, which is well captured by the kinetic PIC/MCC code. We find that the heating mechanisms are intrinsically connected with excitation of normal modes inherent to a plasma-filled CCP reactor. In this work we study the wave nature of these phenomena, such as their excitation, propagation, and interaction with electrons. Supported by SFB-TR 87 project of the German Research Foundation and by the ``Experimental and numerical analysis of very high frequency capacitively coupled plasma discharges'' mutual research project between RUB and Tokyo Electron Ltd.

Ecological research at the Goosenest Adaptive Management Area in northeastern California

Treesearch

Martin W. Ritchie

2005-01-01

This paper describes the establishment of an interdisciplinary, large-scale ecological research project on the Goosenest Adaptive Management Area of the Klamath National Forest in northeastern California. This project is a companion to the Blacks Mountain Ecological Research Project described by Oliver (2000). The genesis for this project was the Northwest...

Feasibility survey on international cooperation for high efficiency energy conversion technology in fiscal 1993

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1994-03-01

Following cooperative researches on fuel cell jointly conducted by NEDO and EGAT (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand), the survey on international cooperation relating to high efficiency energy conversion technology was carried out for the ASEAN countries. The paper summed up the results of the survey. The study of the international cooperation is made for the following three items: a program for periodical exchange of information with EGAT, a project for cooperative research on phosphoric acid fuel cell in Indonesia, and a project for cooperative research with EGAT on electric power storage by advanced battery. In Malaysia, which is small in scale of state, part of the Ministry of Energy, Telecommunication and Posts is only in charge of the energy issue. Therefore, the situation is that they cannot answer well to many items of research/development cooperation brought in from Japan. The item of medium- and long-term developmental research in the Philippines is about the problems which are seen subsequently in the Manila metropolitan area where the problem of outage is being settled. Accordingly, it is essential to promote the cooperative research, well confirming policies and systems of the Ministry of Energy and the national electricity corporation.

La Apaicultura de Pequena Escala (Small Scale Beekeeping). Appropriate Technologies for Development. Peace Corps Information Collection & Exchange Manual Series No. M-25.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentry, Curtis

This Spanish-language manual is designed to assist Peace Corps volunteers in Spanish-speaking countries in the implementation of small-scale beekeeping programs as a tool for development. Addressed in the individual chapters are bees and humans; project planning; the types and habits of bees; the essence of beekeeping; bee space and beehives;…

Translational Genomics in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Opportunities and Challenges.

PubMed

Tekola-Ayele, Fasil; Rotimi, Charles N

2015-01-01

Translation of genomic discoveries into patient care is slowly becoming a reality in developed economies around the world. In contrast, low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) have participated minimally in genomic research for several reasons including the lack of coherent national policies, the limited number of well-trained genomic scientists, poor research infrastructure, and local economic and cultural challenges. Recent initiatives such as the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa), the Qatar Genome Project, and the Mexico National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN) that aim to address these problems through capacity building and empowerment of local researchers have sparked a paradigm shift. In this short communication, we describe experiences of small-scale medical genetics and translational genomic research programs in LMIC. The lessons drawn from these programs drive home the importance of addressing resource, policy, and sociocultural dynamics to realize the promise of precision medicine driven by genomic science globally. By echoing lessons from a bench-to-community translational genomic research, we advocate that large-scale genomic research projects can be successfully linked with health care programs. To harness the benefits of genomics-led health care, LMIC governments should begin to develop national genomics policies that will address human and technology capacity development within the context of their national economic and sociocultural uniqueness. These policies should encourage international collaboration and promote the link between the public health program and genomics researchers. Finally, we highlight the potential catalytic roles of the global community to foster translational genomics in LMIC. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Social Climate Scales: An Annotated Bibliography. April, 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moos, Rudolf, Comp.; Max, Wendy, Comp.

The Social Climate Scales were designed to assess the dimensions of four types of environments: treatment, total institutions, school, and community settings. This report provides abstracts of recent research projects in which the scales have been used. The projects involved use of the Ward Atmosphere Scale, Community-Oriented Programs Environment…

High Resolution Modelling of the Congo River's Multi-Threaded Main Stem Hydraulics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, A. B.; Trigg, M.; Tshimanga, R.; Neal, J. C.; Borman, D.; Smith, M. W.; Bola, G.; Kabuya, P.; Mushie, C. A.; Tschumbu, C. L.

2017-12-01

We present the results of a summer 2017 field campaign by members of the Congo River users Hydraulics and Morphology (CRuHM) project, and a subsequent reach-scale hydraulic modelling study on the Congo's main stem. Sonar bathymetry, ADCP transects, and water surface elevation data have been collected along the Congo's heavily multi-threaded middle reach, which exhibits complex in-channel hydraulic processes that are not well understood. To model the entire basin's hydrodynamics, these in-channel hydraulic processes must be parameterised since it is not computationally feasible to represent them explicitly. Furthermore, recent research suggests that relative to other large global rivers, in-channel flows on the Congo represent a relatively large proportion of total flow through the river-floodplain system. We therefore regard sufficient representation of in-channel hydraulic processes as a Congo River hydrodynamic research priority. To enable explicit representation of in-channel hydraulics, we develop a reach-scale (70 km), high resolution hydraulic model. Simulation of flow through individual channel threads provides new information on flow depths and velocities, and will be used to inform the parameterisation of a broader basin-scale hydrodynamic model. The basin-scale model will ultimately be used to investigate floodplain fluxes, flood wave attenuation, and the impact of future hydrological change scenarios on basin hydrodynamics. This presentation will focus on the methodology we use to develop a reach-scale bathymetric DEM. The bathymetry of only a small proportion of channel threads can realistically be captured, necessitating some estimation of the bathymetry of channels not surveyed. We explore different approaches to this bathymetry estimation, and the extent to which it influences hydraulic model predictions. The CRuHM project is a consortium comprising the Universities of Kinshasa, Rhodes, Dar es Salaam, Bristol, and Leeds, and is funded by Royal Society-DFID Africa Capacity Building Initiative. The project aims to strengthen institutional research capacity and advance our understanding of the hydrology, hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics of the world's second largest river system through fieldwork and development of numerical models.

Undergraduate Research Collaborations with Government Agencies Involving the Effects of Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurtler, G.

2017-12-01

We discuss the challenges and achievements that a small HSI college had integrating undergraduate research experiences into an existing natural sciences program. Like most introductory college science courses, our natural science courses used textbooks, PowerPoint presentations, and lectures to illustrate basic scientific concepts. Though a collective decision was made by our science faculty to incorporate undergraduate research projects into various STEM courses, our greatest challenge was incorporating mandatory research courses into the degree plans of our Natural Science program. We found that students made considerable progress in understanding natural science by critically evaluating primary research articles and undertaking small research projects. Many of these student projects were conducted in cooperation with the Albuquerque District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, United States Geological Survey in Denver, and the National Ice Core Laboratory. These projects illustrated the effects of climate change on the water quality, sediment buildup, and biodiversity at local reservoirs. Other projects involved the analysis of ice core samples from Greenland and Antarctica. Students presented research posters at various research venues, including Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative colloquiums.

Development of PETAL diagnostics: PETAPhys project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raffestin, D.; Boutoux, G.; Baggio, J.; Batani, D.; Blanchot, N.; Bretheau, D.; Hulin, S.; D'Humieres, E.; Granet, F.; Longhi, Th.; Meyer, Ch.; Moreno, Q.; Nuter, R.; Rault, J.; Tikhonchuk, V.; Universite de Bordeaux/Celia Team; CEA. DAM/Cesta Team

2017-10-01

Beginning of autumn 2017, PETAL, a Petawatt laser beam, will be operated for experiments on the LMJ facility at the CEA/ Cesta research center. The PETAPhys project provides a support to the qualification phase of the PETAL laser operation. Within the PETAPhys project, we are developing two simple and robust diagnostics permitting both to characterize the focal spot of the PETAL beam and to measure the hard X-ray spectrum at each shot. The first diagnostic consists in optical imaging of the PETAL beam focal spot in the spectral range of the second and third harmonic radiation emitted from the target. The second diagnostic is a hard X-ray dosimeter consisting in a stack of imaging plates (IP) and filters, either placed inside a re-entrant tube or inserted close to target. Numerical simulations as well as experiments on small scale facilities have been performed to design these diagnostics. If available, preliminary results from PETAL experiments will be discussed. We acknowledge the financial support from the French National Research Agency (ANR) in the framework of ``the investments for the future'' Programme IdEx Bordeaux-LAPHIA (ANR-10-IDEX-03-02).

Nanoscale Liquid Jets Shape New Line of Business

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Just as a pistol shrimp stuns its prey by quickly closing its oversized claw to shoot out a shock-inducing, high-velocity jet of water, NanoMatrix, Inc., is sending shockwaves throughout the nanotechnology world with a revolutionary, small-scale fabrication process that uses powerful liquid jets to cut and shape objects. Emanuel Barros, a former project engineer at NASA s Ames Research Center, set out to form the Santa Cruz, California-based NanoMatrix firm and materialize the micro/nano cutting process partially inspired by the water-spewing crustacean. Early on in his 6-year NASA career, Barros led the development of re-flown flight hardware for an award-winning Spacelab project called NeuroLab. This project, the sixteenth and final Spacelab mission, focused on a series of experiments to determine the effects of microgravity on the development of the mammalian nervous system.

Empowering patients through eHealth: a case report of a pan-European project.

PubMed

Lettieri, Emanuele; Fumagalli, Lia P; Radaelli, Giovanni; Bertele', Paolo; Vogt, Jess; Hammerschmidt, Reinhard; Lara, Juan L; Carriazo, Ana; Masella, Cristina

2015-08-05

This paper crystallises the experience developed by the pan-European PALANTE Consortium in dealing with the generation of relevant evidence from heterogeneous eHealth services for patient empowerment in nine European Regions. The European Commission (EC) recently funded a number of pan-European eHealth projects aimed at empowering European patients/citizens thus transforming the traditional patient/citizen role in the management of their health (e.g., PALANTE, SUSTAIN, CARRE, HeartCycle, Empower). However, the heterogeneity of the healthcare systems, of the implemented services and of the target patients, the use of ad-hoc definitions of the salient concepts and the development of small-size experiences have prevented the dissemination of "global" results and the development of cumulative knowledge. The main challenge has been the generation of large-scale evidence from heterogeneous small-size experiences. Three lessons have been collectively learnt during the development of the PALANTE project, which involves 9 sites that have implemented different eHealth services for empowering different typologies of patients. These lessons have been refined progressively through project meetings, reviews with the EC Project Officer and Reviewers. The paper illustrates the ten steps followed to develop the three lessons. The first lesson learnt is about how EC-funded projects should develop cumulative knowledge by avoiding self-crafted measures of outcome and by adopting literature-grounded definitions and scales. The second lesson learnt is about how EC-funded projects should identify ambitious, cross-pilot policy and research questions that allow pooling of data from across heterogeneous experiences even if a multi-centre study design was not agreed before. The third lesson learnt is about how EC-funded projects should open their collections of data and make them freely-accessible to the scientific community shortly after the conclusion of the project in order to guarantee the replicability of results and conclusions. The three lessons might provide original elements for fuelling the ongoing debate about the capability of the EC to develop evidence-based policies by pooling evidence from heterogeneous, local experiences.

Undergraduate research involving human subjects should not be granted ethical approval unless it is likely to be of publishable quality.

PubMed

Gallagher, Cathal T; McDonald, Lisa J; McCormack, Niamh P

2014-06-01

Small-scale research projects involving human subjects have been identified as being effective in developing critical appraisal skills in undergraduate students. In deciding whether to grant ethical approval to such projects, university research ethics committees must weigh the benefits of the research against the risk of harm or discomfort to the participants. As the learning objectives associated with student research can be met without the need for human subjects, the benefit associated with training new healthcare professionals cannot, in itself, justify such risks. The outputs of research must be shared with the wider scientific community if it is to influence future practice. Our survey of 19 UK universities indicates that undergraduate dissertations associated with the disciplines of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy are not routinely retained in their library catalogues, thus closing a major avenue to the dissemination of their findings. If such research is unlikely to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at a conference, or otherwise made available to other researchers, then the risks of harm, discomfort or inconvenience to participants are unlikely to be offset by societal benefits. Ethics committees should be satisfied that undergraduate research will be funnelled into further research that is likely to inform clinical practice before granting ethical approval.

Small business innovation research. Abstracts of completed 1987 phase 1 projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Non-proprietary summaries of Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects supported by NASA in the 1987 program year are given. Work in the areas of aeronautical propulsion, aerodynamics, acoustics, aircraft systems, materials and structures, teleoperators and robotics, computer sciences, information systems, spacecraft systems, spacecraft power supplies, spacecraft propulsion, bioastronautics, satellite communication, and space processing are covered.

Current and Future Environmental Balance of Small-Scale Run-of-River Hydropower.

PubMed

Gallagher, John; Styles, David; McNabola, Aonghus; Williams, A Prysor

2015-05-19

Globally, the hydropower (HP) sector has significant potential to increase its capacity by 2050. This study quantifies the energy and resource demands of small-scale HP projects and presents methods to reduce associated environmental impacts based on potential growth in the sector. The environmental burdens of three (50-650 kW) run-of-river HP projects were calculated using life cycle assessment (LCA). The global warming potential (GWP) for the projects to generate electricity ranged from 5.5-8.9 g CO2 eq/kWh, compared with 403 g CO2 eq/kWh for UK marginal grid electricity. A sensitivity analysis accounted for alternative manufacturing processes, transportation, ecodesign considerations, and extended project lifespan. These findings were extrapolated for technically viable HP sites in Europe, with the potential to generate 7.35 TWh and offset over 2.96 Mt of CO2 from grid electricity per annum. Incorporation of ecodesign could provide resource savings for these HP projects: avoiding 800 000 tonnes of concrete, 10 000 tonnes of steel, and 65 million vehicle miles. Small additional material and energy contributions can double a HP system lifespan, providing 39-47% reductions for all environmental impact categories. In a world of finite resources, this paper highlights the importance of HP as a resource-efficient, renewable energy system.

Creating Energy for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neiman, Robert A.

2002-01-01

Describes the use of small-scale change projects by Philadelphia's Department of Human Services to generate new outcomes and new skills and experience that improved basic day-to-day operations, strategic planning, and cumulatively produced larger-scale changes in service, financing, and performance. (Author/LRW)

SMALL SCALE ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERING: DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD LEVEL GREYWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

The project will increase quality of life through the protection of ecosystem services and drinking water supplies through pollution reduction. Additionally, through water reuse our project has the potential to decrease overall water consumption. Decreasing overall water co...

A Summary of NASA Research Exploring the Acoustics of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zawodny, Nikolas S.; Christian, Andrew; Cabell, Randolph

2018-01-01

Proposed uses of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) have the potential to expose large portions of communities to a new noise source. In order to understand the potential noise impact of sUAS, NASA initiated acoustics research as one component of the 3-year DELIVER project, with the goal of documenting the feasibility of using existing aircraft design tools and methods on this class of vehicles. This paper summarizes the acoustics research conducted within the DELIVER project. The research described here represents an initial study, and subsequent research building on the findings of this work has been proposed for other NASA projects. The paper summarizes acoustics research in four areas: measurements of noise generated by flyovers of small unmanned aerial vehicles, measurements in controlled test facilities to understand the noise generated by components of these vehicles, computational predictions of component and full vehicle noise, and psychoacoustic tests including auralizations conducted to assess human annoyance to the noise generated by these vehicles.

Crossing Science-Policy-Societal Boundaries to Reduce Scientific and Institutional Uncertainty in Small-Scale Fisheries.

PubMed

Sutton, Abigail M; Rudd, Murray A

2016-10-01

The governance of small-scale fisheries (SSF) is challenging due to the uncertainty, complexity, and interconnectedness of social, political, ecological, and economical processes. Conventional SSF management has focused on a centralized and top-down approach. A major criticism of conventional management is the over-reliance on 'expert science' to guide decision-making and poor consideration of fishers' contextually rich knowledge. That is thought to exacerbate the already low governance potential of SSF. Integrating scientific knowledge with fishers' knowledge is increasingly popular and is often assumed to help reduce levels of biophysical and institutional uncertainties. Many projects aimed at encouraging knowledge integration have, however, been unsuccessful. Our objective in this research was to assess factors that influence knowledge integration and the uptake of integrated knowledge into policy-making. We report results from 54 semi-structured interviews with SSF researchers and practitioners from around the globe. Our analysis is framed in terms of scientific credibility, societal legitimacy, and policy saliency, and we discuss cases that have been partially or fully successful in reducing uncertainty via push-and-pull-oriented boundary crossing initiatives. Our findings suggest that two important factors affect the science-policy-societal boundary: a lack of consensus among stakeholders about what constitutes credible knowledge and institutional uncertainty resulting from shifting policies and leadership change. A lack of training for scientific leaders and an apparent 'shelf-life' for community organizations highlight the importance of ongoing institutional support for knowledge integration projects. Institutional support may be enhanced through such investments, such as capacity building and specialized platforms for knowledge integration.

Crossing Science-Policy-Societal Boundaries to Reduce Scientific and Institutional Uncertainty in Small-Scale Fisheries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutton, Abigail M.; Rudd, Murray A.

2016-10-01

The governance of small-scale fisheries (SSF) is challenging due to the uncertainty, complexity, and interconnectedness of social, political, ecological, and economical processes. Conventional SSF management has focused on a centralized and top-down approach. A major criticism of conventional management is the over-reliance on `expert science' to guide decision-making and poor consideration of fishers' contextually rich knowledge. That is thought to exacerbate the already low governance potential of SSF. Integrating scientific knowledge with fishers' knowledge is increasingly popular and is often assumed to help reduce levels of biophysical and institutional uncertainties. Many projects aimed at encouraging knowledge integration have, however, been unsuccessful. Our objective in this research was to assess factors that influence knowledge integration and the uptake of integrated knowledge into policy-making. We report results from 54 semi-structured interviews with SSF researchers and practitioners from around the globe. Our analysis is framed in terms of scientific credibility, societal legitimacy, and policy saliency, and we discuss cases that have been partially or fully successful in reducing uncertainty via push-and-pull-oriented boundary crossing initiatives. Our findings suggest that two important factors affect the science-policy-societal boundary: a lack of consensus among stakeholders about what constitutes credible knowledge and institutional uncertainty resulting from shifting policies and leadership change. A lack of training for scientific leaders and an apparent `shelf-life' for community organizations highlight the importance of ongoing institutional support for knowledge integration projects. Institutional support may be enhanced through such investments, such as capacity building and specialized platforms for knowledge integration.

Technology Connections for Grades 3-5. Research Projects and Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heller, Norma

This book provides guidance and instruction for nine in-depth projects that integrate information literacy skills and technology skills with the elementary curriculum while promoting small-group learning and interpersonal skills. These projects use the talents of both the teacher and the librarian and emphasize small group learning. The following…

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Green Infrastructure Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) at the Small Watershed Scale

EPA Science Inventory

There have been numerous studies of the water quantity and quality functions of stormwater BMPs at the site scale, but relatively few assessments at the watershed scale. This presentation will present an overview and initial results of projects to evaluate the effectiveness of g...

Women's empowerment and micro-finance programmes: strategies for increasing impact.

PubMed

Mayoux, L

1998-05-01

This study summarizes findings from a pilot project that distributed information and ran workshops in Ethiopia, Ghana, and India, on women's empowerment and microfinance. The project was funded by the British Small Enterprise Development Fund of the Department of International Development. Links between microfinance and women's empowerment are viewed as optimistic, limited by design, cost effective in eliminating poverty, and a misplaced diversion of resources. Microfinance programs range from small scale self-help groups to large poverty-targeted banks. One model may vary in delivery, group functions and structures, and complementary services. This project identified 3 contrasting approaches to microfinance and women's empowerment: the financial sustainability approach, the integrated community development approach, and the feminist empowerment approach. However, program evaluations revealed the need to question the assumptions underlying all 3 approaches. In most programs, women benefited to a limited degree. Many women did not control the loan use. Most women were engaged in low paid, traditionally female activities, and increases in income were small. Resources and time invested in economic activity were limited by responsibility for household consumption and unpaid domestic work. Microfinance programs sometimes created domestic tension between spouses and loss of spousal income and support. Group repayment pressures sometimes created pressures between women. Many women focused on personal rather than social objectives. The author proposes a gender strategy for microfinance and sets priorities for further research.

The topology of galaxy clustering.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coles, P.; Plionis, M.

The authors discuss an objective method for quantifying the topology of the galaxy distribution using only projected galaxy counts. The method is a useful complement to fully three-dimensional studies of topology based on the genus by virtue of the enormous projected data sets available. Applying the method to the Lick counts they find no evidence for large-scale non-gaussian behaviour, whereas the small-scale distribution is strongly non-gaussian, with a shift in the meatball direction.

Evaluation of pilot-scale pulse-corona-induced plasma device to remove NO{sub x} from combustion exhausts from a subscale combustor and from a hush house at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Final report, August 1994--January 1997

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

Haythornthwaite, S.M.; Durham, M.D.; Anderson, G.L.

1997-05-01

Jet engine test cells (JETCs) are used to test-fire new, installed, and reworked jet engines. Because JETCs have been classified as stationary sources of pollutant emissions, they are subject to possible regulation under Title 1 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) as amended in 1990. In Phase 1 of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, a novel NOx-control approach utilizing pulsed-corona-induced plasma successfully showed 90% removal of NOx in the laboratory. The objective of Phase 2 was to reproduce the laboratory-scale results in a pilot-scale system. The technology was successfully demonstrated at pilot scale in the field, on amore » slipstream of JETC flue gas at Nellis Air Force Base. Based on the field data, cost projections were made for a system to treat the full JETC exhaust. The technology efficiently converted NO into ONO, and a wet scrubber was required to achieve the treatment goal of 50-percent removal and destruction of NOx. The plasma simultaneously removes hydrocarbons from the flue gas stream. This project demonstrated that pulse-corona-induced plasma technology is scalable to practical industrial dimensions.« less

Projected Growth in Small-Scale, Fossil-Fueled Distributed Generation: Potential Implications for the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory

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

Eberle, Annika; Heath, Garvin A

The generation capacity of small-scale (less than one megawatt) fossil-fueled electricity in the United States is anticipated to grow by threefold to twenty-fold from 2015 to 2040. However, in adherence with internationally agreed upon carbon accounting methods, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) U.S. Greenhouse Inventory (GHGI) does not currently attribute greenhouse gases (GHGs) from these small-scale distributed generation sources to the electric power sector and instead accounts for these emissions in the sector that uses the distributed generation (e.g., the commercial sector). In addition, no other federal electric-sector GHG emission data product produced by the EPA or the U.S. Energymore » Information Administration (EIA) can attribute these emissions to electricity. We reviewed the technical documentation for eight federal electric-sector GHG emission data products, interviewed the data product owners, collected their GHG emission estimates, and analyzed projections for growth in fossil-fueled distributed generation. We show that, by 2040, these small-scale generators could account for at least about 1%- 5% of total CO2 emissions from the U.S. electric power sector. If these emissions fall outside the electric power sector, the United States may not be able to completely and accurately track changes in electricity-related CO2 emissions, which could impact how the country sets GHG reduction targets and allocates mitigation resources. Because small-scale, fossil-fueled distributed generation is expected to grow in other countries as well, the results of this work also have implications for global carbon accounting.« less

Capital and Operating Costs of Small Arsenic Removal Adsorptive Media Systems

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted 50 full-scale demonstration projects on treatment systems removing arsenic from drinking water in 26 states throughout the U.S. The projects were conducted to evaluate the performance, reliability, and cost of arsenic remo...

Analysis of Environmental Issues Related to Small-Scale Hydroelectric Development IV: Fish Mortality Resulting From Turbine Passage

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

Turbak, Susan C.; Reichle, Donna R.; Shriner, Carole R.

1981-01-01

The purpose of this report is to provide summary information for use by potential developers and regulators of small-scale hydroelectric projects (defined as existing dams that can be retrofitted to a total site capacity of ≤30 MW), where turbine-related mortality of fish is a potential issue affecting site-specific development. Mitigation techniques for turbine-related mortality are not covered in this report.

Successes of Small Business Innovation Research at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Walter S.; Bitler, Dean W.; Prok, George M.; Metzger, Marie E.; Dreibelbis, Cindy L.; Ganss, Meghan

2002-01-01

This booklet of success stories highlights the NASA Glenn Research Center's accomplishments and successes by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. These success stories are the results of selecting projects that support NASA missions and also have high commercialization potential. Each success story describes the innovation accomplished, commercialization of the technology, and further applications and usages. This booklet emphasizes the integration and incorporation of technologies into NASA missions and other government projects. The company name and the NASA contact person are identified to encourage further usage and application of the SBIR developed technologies and also to promote further commercialization of these products.

Managing the Socioeconomic Impacts of Energy Development. A Guide for the Small Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armbrust, Roberta

Decisions concerning large-scale energy development projects near small communities or in predominantly rural areas are usually complex, requiring cooperation of all levels of government, as well as the general public and the private sector. It is unrealistic to expect the typical small community to develop capabilities to independently evaluate a…

Research Projects for Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troncalli, Andra

2010-03-01

Physics majors, by enrolling in our research experience in physics course, have the opportunity to work in small groups on independent research projects. Over the last few years, I have directed a few of these research projects; some were closely related to my own research in the field of high temperature superconductivity, and students participated in growing and characterizing samples. Other projects involved nanotechnology, Hall probes, and programming in LabVIEW. For some students, this was their very first research project, while others had more experience. I will talk about the projects and about the particular type of challenges and benefits this type of course brings to both students and instructors.

Research methods in nursing students' Bachelor's theses in Sweden: A descriptive study.

PubMed

Johansson, Linda; Silén, Marit

2018-07-01

During the nursing programme in Sweden, students complete an independent project that allows them to receive both a professional qualification as a nurse and a Bachelor's degree. This project gives students the opportunity to develop and apply skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making, thus preparing them for their future work. However, only a few, small-scale studies have analysed the independent project to gain more insight into how nursing students carry out this task. The aim of the present study was to describe the methods, including ethical considerations and assessment of data quality, applied in nursing students' independent Bachelor's degree projects in a Swedish context. A descriptive study with a quantitative approach. A total of 490 independent projects were analysed using descriptive statistics. Literature reviews were the predominant project form. References were often used to support the analysis method. They were not, however, always relevant to the method. This was also true of ethical considerations. When a qualitative approach was used, and data collected through interviews, the participants were typically professionals. In qualitative projects involving analysis of biographies/autobiographies or blogs participants were either persons with a disease or next of kin of a person with a disease. Although most of the projects were literature reviews, it seemed unclear to the nursing students how the data should be analysed as well as what ethical issues should be raised in relation to the method. Consequently, further research and guidance are needed. In Sweden, independent projects are not considered research and are therefore not required to undergo ethics vetting. However, it is important that they be designed so as to avoid possible research ethics problems. Asking persons about their health, which occurred in some of the empirical projects, may therefore be considered questionable. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FLARE (Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments): A Major Next-Step for Laboratory Studies of Magnetic Reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Hantao; Bhattacharjee, A.; Prager, S.; Daughton, W.; Bale, Stuart D.; Carter, T.; Crocker, N.; Drake, J.; Egedal, J.; Sarff, J.; Fox, W.; Jara-Almonte, J.; Myers, C.; Ren, Y.; Yamada, M.; Yoo, J.

2015-04-01

A new intermediate-scale plasma experiment, called the Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments or FLARE (flare.pppl.gov), is under construction at Princeton as a joint project by five universities and two national labs to study magnetic reconnection in regimes directly relevant to heliophysical and astrophysical plasmas. The currently existing small-scale experiments have been focusing on the single X-line reconnection process in plasmas either with small effective sizes or at low Lundquist numbers, both of which are typically very large in natural plasmas. These new regimes involve multiple X-lines as guided by a reconnection "phase diagram", in which different coupling mechanisms from the global system scale to the local dissipation scale are classified into different reconnection phases [H. Ji & W. Daughton, Phys. Plasmas 18, 111207 (2011)]. The design of the FLARE device is based on the existing Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX) (mrx.pppl.gov) and is to provide experimental access to the new phases involving multiple X-lines at large effective sizes and high Lundquist numbers, directly relevant to magnetospheric, solar wind, and solar coronal plasmas. After a brief summary of recent laboratory results on the topic of magnetic reconnection, the motivating major physics questions, the construction status, and the planned collaborative research especially with heliophysics communities will be discussed.

The Python Project: A Unique Model for Extending Research Opportunities to Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvey, Pamela A.; Wall, Christopher; Luckey, Stephen W.; Langer, Stephen; Leinwand, Leslie A.

2014-01-01

Undergraduate science education curricula are traditionally composed of didactic instruction with a small number of laboratory courses that provide introductory training in research techniques. Research on learning methodologies suggests this model is relatively ineffective, whereas participation in independent research projects promotes enhanced…

Supporting observation campaigns with high resolution modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klocke, Daniel; Brueck, Matthias; Voigt, Aiko

2017-04-01

High resolution simulation in support of measurement campaigns offers a promising and emerging way to create large-scale context for small-scale observations of clouds and precipitation processes. As these simulation include the coupling of measured small-scale processes with the circulation, they also help to integrate the research communities from modeling and observations and allow for detailed model evaluations against dedicated observations. In connection with the measurement campaign NARVAL (August 2016 and December 2013) simulations with a grid-spacing of 2.5 km for the tropical Atlantic region (9000x3300 km), with local refinement to 1.2 km for the western part of the domain, were performed using the icosahedral non-hydrostatic (ICON) general circulation model. These simulations are again used to drive large eddy resolving simulations with the same model for selected days in the high definition clouds and precipitation for advancing climate prediction (HD(CP)2) project. The simulations are presented with the focus on selected results showing the benefit for the scientific communities doing atmospheric measurements and numerical modeling of climate and weather. Additionally, an outlook will be given on how similar simulations will support the NAWDEX measurement campaign in the North Atlantic and AC3 measurement campaign in the Arctic.

CRP: Collaborative Research Project (A Mathematical Research Experience for Undergraduates)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsley, Jason; Rusinko, Joseph

2017-01-01

The "Collaborative Research Project" ("CRP")--a mathematics research experience for undergraduates--offers a large-scale collaborative experience in research for undergraduate students. CRP seeks to widen the audience of students who participate in undergraduate research in mathematics. In 2015, the inaugural CRP had 100…

77 FR 42694 - Helena National Forest, Montana, Telegraph Vegetation Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-20

... slashing generally small diameter trees followed by prescribed burning within the Jericho Mountain... dead and dying trees, promoting desirable regeneration, reducing fuels and the risk of wildfire, and... for Action Wide-scale tree mortality has occurred throughout the project area due to the mountain pine...

Ceramic High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter Final Report CRADA No. TC02160.0

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

Mitchell, M.; Bergman, W.

2017-08-25

The technical objective of this project was to develop a ceramic HEPA filter technology, by initially producing and testing coupon ceramics, small scale prototypes, and full scale prototype HEPA filters, and to address relevant manufacturing and commercialization technical issues.

Participatory approach: from problem identification to setting strategies for increased productivity and sustainability in small scale irrigated agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habtu, Solomon; Ludi, Eva; Jamin, Jean Yves; Oates, Naomi; Fissahaye Yohannes, Degol

2014-05-01

Practicing various innovations pertinent to irrigated farming at local field scale is instrumental to increase productivity and yield for small holder farmers in Africa. However the translation of innovations from local scale to the scale of a jointly operated irrigation scheme is far from trivial. It requires insight on the drivers for adoption of local innovations within the wider farmer communities. Participatory methods are expected to improve not only the acceptance of locally developed innovations within the wider farmer communities, but to allow also an estimation to which extend changes will occur within the entire irrigation scheme. On such a base, more realistic scenarios of future water productivity within an irrigation scheme, which is operated by small holder farmers, can be estimated. Initial participatory problem and innovation appraisal was conducted in Gumselassa small scale irrigation scheme, Ethiopia, from Feb 27 to March 3, 2012 as part of the EAU4FOOD project funded by EC. The objective was to identify and appraise problems which hinder sustainable water management to enhance production and productivity and to identify future research strategies. Workshops were conducted both at local (Community of Practices) and regional (Learning Practice Alliance) level. At local levels, intensive collaboration with farmers using participatory methods produced problem trees and a "Photo Safari" documented a range of problems that negatively impact on productive irrigated farming. A range of participatory methods were also used to identify local innovations. At regional level a Learning Platform was established that includes a wide range of stakeholders (technical experts from various government ministries, policy makers, farmers, extension agents, researchers). This stakeholder group did a range of exercise as well to identify major problems related to irrigated smallholder farming and already identified innovations. Both groups identified similar problems to productive smallholder irrigation: soil nutrient depletion, salinization, disease and pest resulting from inefficient irrigation practices, infrastructure problems leading to a reduction of the size of the command area and decrease in reservoir volume. The major causes have been poor irrigation infrastructure, poor on-farm soil and water management, prevalence of various crop pests and diseases, lack of inputs and reservoir siltation. On-farm participatory research focusing on soil, crop and water management issues, including technical, institutional and managerial aspects, to identify best performing innovations while taking care of the environment was recommended. Currently, a range of interlinked activities are implemented a multiple scales, combining participatory and scientific approaches towards innovation development and up-scaling of promising technologies and institutional and managerial approaches from local to regional scales. ____________________________ Key words: Irrigation scheme, productivity, innovation, participatory method, Gumselassa, Ethiopia

The Open Global Glacier Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marzeion, B.; Maussion, F.

2017-12-01

Mountain glaciers are one of the few remaining sub-systems of the global climate system for which no globally applicable, open source, community-driven model exists. Notable examples from the ice sheet community include the Parallel Ice Sheet Model or Elmer/Ice. While the atmospheric modeling community has a long tradition of sharing models (e.g. the Weather Research and Forecasting model) or comparing them (e.g. the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project or CMIP), recent initiatives originating from the glaciological community show a new willingness to better coordinate global research efforts following the CMIP example (e.g. the Glacier Model Intercomparison Project or the Glacier Ice Thickness Estimation Working Group). In the recent past, great advances have been made in the global availability of data and methods relevant for glacier modeling, spanning glacier outlines, automatized glacier centerline identification, bed rock inversion methods, and global topographic data sets. Taken together, these advances now allow the ice dynamics of glaciers to be modeled on a global scale, provided that adequate modeling platforms are available. Here, we present the Open Global Glacier Model (OGGM), developed to provide a global scale, modular, and open source numerical model framework for consistently simulating past and future global scale glacier change. Global not only in the sense of leading to meaningful results for all glaciers combined, but also for any small ensemble of glaciers, e.g. at the headwater catchment scale. Modular to allow combinations of different approaches to the representation of ice flow and surface mass balance, enabling a new kind of model intercomparison. Open source so that the code can be read and used by anyone and so that new modules can be added and discussed by the community, following the principles of open governance. Consistent in order to provide uncertainty measures at all realizable scales.

NASA Researcher Andy Stofan Studying Fluid Sloshing

NASA Image and Video Library

1960-09-21

Andy Stofan views a small-scale tank built to study the sloshing characteristics of liquid hydrogen at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. Stofan was tasked with the study of propellant motion, or sloshing, in space vehicle propellant tanks. At the time, there was little knowledge of the behavior of fluids in microgravity or the effects of the launch on the propellant’s motion. Sloshing in the tank could alter a spacecraft’s trajectory or move the propellant away from the turbopump. Stofan became an expert and authored numerous technical reports on the subject. Stofan was assigned to the original Centaur Project Office in 1962 as a member of the Propellant Systems Section. Stofan was instrumental in solving a dynamic instability problem on the Centaur vehicle and served as the systems engineer for the development of the Centaur propellant utilization system. The solution was also applied to the upper-stages of Saturn. In 1966, Stofan was named Head of the Propellant Systems Section. Stofan continued rising through the managerial ranks at Lewis. In 1967 he became Project Manager of a test program that successfully demonstrated the use of a pressurization system for the Centaur vehicle; in 1969 the Assistant Project Manager on the Improved Centaur project; in 1970 Manager of the Titan/Centaur Project Office; in 1974 Director of the Launch Vehicles Division. In 1978, Stofan was appointed Deputy Associate Administrator for the Headquarters Office of Space Science. In 1982, he was named Director of Lewis Research Center.

Whistling Tea Kettles, Train Whistles, and Organ Pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenslade, Thomas B.

2016-12-01

The object on the right-hand side of Fig. 1 is the whistling mechanism of an old-fashioned tea kettle. This started me thinking about similar devices in which a thin blade of air strikes a sharp wedge and a resonator is used to pick out specific frequencies. This note tells how I went about using the frequency spectrum application on a smartphone to learn more about these systems. This would seem to be a good line of small-scale research that would appeal to the introductory physics student who is searching for a science fair project.

Nutritional status and morbidity on an irrigation project in Turkana District, Kenya.

PubMed

Brainard, Jean

1990-01-01

The research reported on here was undertaken to identify the most important contributors to continuing high mortality on a small-scale irrigation project at Nakwamoru in Turkana District, Kenya. The health status of project settlers had not been assessed prior to the present study, which was undertaken in 1978-79, a decade after the project was started. The purpose of the study was to estimate the nutritional status of project children and the major causes of morbidity in the Nakwamoru area. Nutritional status was derived from cross-sectional anthropometric measurements, including weights, heights, triceps skinfolds, and upper arm circumferences, taken on approximately 60% of project children (n = 236) aged 1-10 years. The major causes of morbidity in project settlers of all ages for the period 1973-78 were estimated from outpatient records from the local primary care facility. Age/sex patterns of clinic use were obtained through interviews. Stunting was found to be prevalent, especially in children aged 1-4, while wasting was only observed in a small proportion of the sample, indicating a seasonal pattern of malnutrition. Derived cross-sectional areas of upper arm muscle and fat were found to be low by comparison with U.S. standards, suggesting both energy and protein deficits in project children. Malaria and acute respiratory infections were found to be the major causes of illness in the local population, and both are likely to have contributed to the generally poor nutritional status of project children. Despite free biomedical care, 15% of the local population in general and 23% of adult females had never used clinic services. Copyright © 1990 Wiley-Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company.

From experiment to publication in one semester: a lecture course model on the basis of a photonic researcher's every-day tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerhard, Christoph; Wieneke, Stephan

2015-10-01

We report on a lecture course model that we established three semesters ago in order to strengthen practice-orientated teaching in optics and photonics: In the frame of the lecture "Advanced Laser Treatment", which is a mandatory course of our university's master degree curriculum, students now have the possibility to experience a researcher's every-day tasks. In small groups, the attendees work on a self-contained topic which is defined by the lecturers. The work load and content is in the scale of a small work package of a usual research project. It includes the initial research on the state of the art, the experimentation using different laser sources, and the subsequent evaluation of the obtained results. On the basis of this work, the students then prepare a draft of a scientific paper and finally present their results and findings orally in a conference-like exam. This lecture course model has turned out to be an appropriate teaching method for practice-orientated subjects. It was observed that the students are much more motivated and work more independently than during a classical lecture with a certain amount of lab work. Having sole responsibility supports to identify with their project. Further, this lecture course model helps to develop scientific work skills, attain first experience in every-day research tasks and encourages creativity. In some cases, the paper drafts written by the students can even be published, representing a valuable starting point for their future professional career.

Development of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for Scaling Terrestrial Ecosystem Traits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, R.; McMahon, A. M.; Serbin, S.; Rogers, A.

2015-12-01

The next generation of Ecosystem and Earth System Models (EESMs) will require detailed information on ecosystem structure and function, including properties of vegetation related to carbon (C), water, and energy cycling, in order to project the future state of ecosystems. High spatial-temporal resolution measurements of terrestrial ecosystem are also important for EESMs, because they can provide critical inputs and benchmark datasets for evaluation of EESMs simulations across scales. The recent development of high-quality, low-altitude remote sensing platforms or small UAS (< 25 kg) enables measurements of terrestrial ecosystems at unprecedented temporal and spatial scales. Specifically, these new platforms can provide detailed information on patterns and processes of terrestrial ecosystems at a critical intermediate scale between point measurements and suborbital and satellite platforms. Given their potential for sub-decimeter spatial resolution, improved mission safety, high revisit frequency, and reduced operation cost, these platforms are of particular interest in the development of ecological scaling algorithms to parameterize and benchmark EESMs, particularly over complex and remote terrain. Our group is developing a small UAS platform and integrated sensor package focused on measurement needs for scaling and informing ecosystem modeling activities, as well as scaling and mapping plant functional traits. To do this we are developing an integrated software workflow and hardware package using off-the-shelf instrumentation including a high-resolution digital camera for Structure from Motion, spectroradiometer, and a thermal infrared camera. Our workflow includes platform design, measurement, image processing, data management, and information extraction. The fusion of 3D structure information, thermal-infrared imagery, and spectroscopic measurements, will provide a foundation for the development of ecological scaling and mapping algorithms. Our initial focus is in temperate forests but near-term research will expand into the high-arctic and eventually tropical systems. The results of this prototype study show that off-the-shelf technology can be used to develop a low-cost alternative for mapping plant traits and three-dimensional structure for ecological research.

The management in response to marine oil spill from ships in China: A systematic review.

PubMed

Xiong, Shangao; Long, Hualou; Tang, Guoping; Wan, Jun; Li, Hongyuan

2015-07-15

Historical trends about marine ship-source oil spill incidents from 1990 to 2010 in China were analyzed, and it provided an overview of the status quo of China's management in response to marine oil spill from ships. The Chinese government has issued a series of laws on marine environmental protection since 1982, and promulgated many regulations to prevent and tackle ship-source oil spill. At present, the oil spill emergency response system established in China has five levels: the national level, sea level, provincial level, port level, and ship level. China has demonstrated its ability to control and remove small-scale oil spill from ships in port area and near-shore coastal waters, and also paid attention to related research and development projects. Although China has made significant progress in managing shipping oil spill, challenges still exist, including strengthening oil spill emergency cooperation, enhancing China's response capability, and improving relevant research and development projects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Triggering of solar magnetic eruptions on various size scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterling, Alphonse

A solar eruption that produces a coronal mass ejection (CME) together with a flare is driven by the eruption of a closed-loop magnetic arcade that has a sheared-field core. Before eruption, the sheared core envelops a polarity inversion line along which cool filament material may reside. The sheared-core arcade erupts when there is a breakdown in the balance between the confining downward-directed magnetic tension of the overall arcade field and the upward-directed force of the pent-up magnetic pressure of the sheared field in the core of the arcade. What triggers the breakdown in this balance in favor of the upward-directed force is still an unsettled question. We consider several eruption examples, using imaging data from the SoHO, TRACE and Hinode satellites, and other sources, along with information about the magnetic field of the erupting regions. In several cases, observations of large-scale eruptions, where the magnetic neutral line spans ˜ few ×10,000 km, are consistent with magnetic flux cancelation being the trigger to the eruption's onset, even though the amount of flux canceled is only ˜ few percent of the total magnetic flux of the erupting region. In several other cases, an initial compact (small size-scale) eruption occurs embedded inside of a larger closed magnetic loop system, so that the smaller eruption destabilizes and causes the eruption of the much larger system. In this way, small-scale eruptive events can result in eruption of much larger-scale systems. This work was funded by NASA's Science Mission Directorate thought the Living With a Star Targeted Research and Technology Program, the Supporting Research and Program, and the Hinode project.

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

Hite, Roger

The project site is located in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, approximately 26 miles due east of Baton Rouge. This project proposed to evaluate an early Eocene-aged Wilcox oil reservoir for permanent storage of CO 2. Blackhorse Energy, LLC planned to conduct a parallel CO 2 oil recovery project in the First Wilcox Sand. The primary focus of this project was to examine and prove the suitability of South Louisiana geologic formations for large-scale geologic sequestration of CO 2 in association with enhanced oil recovery applications. This was to be accomplished through the focused demonstration of small-scale, permanent storage of CO 2more » in the First Wilcox Sand. The project was terminated at the request of Blackhorse Energy LLC on October 22, 2014.« less

Advanced Instrumentation and Control Methods for Small and Medium Reactors with IRIS Demonstration

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

J. Wesley Hines; Belle R. Upadhyaya; J. Michael Doster

2011-05-31

Development and deployment of small-scale nuclear power reactors and their maintenance, monitoring, and control are part of the mission under the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) program. The objectives of this NERI-consortium research project are to investigate, develop, and validate advanced methods for sensing, controlling, monitoring, diagnosis, and prognosis of these reactors, and to demonstrate the methods with application to one of the proposed integral pressurized water reactors (IPWR). For this project, the IPWR design by Westinghouse, the International Reactor Secure and Innovative (IRIS), has been used to demonstrate the techniques developed under this project. The research focuses on three topicalmore » areas with the following objectives. Objective 1 - Develop and apply simulation capabilities and sensitivity/uncertainty analysis methods to address sensor deployment analysis and small grid stability issues. Objective 2 - Develop and test an autonomous and fault-tolerant control architecture and apply to the IRIS system and an experimental flow control loop, with extensions to multiple reactor modules, nuclear desalination, and optimal sensor placement strategy. Objective 3 - Develop and test an integrated monitoring, diagnosis, and prognosis system for SMRs using the IRIS as a test platform, and integrate process and equipment monitoring (PEM) and process and equipment prognostics (PEP) toolboxes. The research tasks are focused on meeting the unique needs of reactors that may be deployed to remote locations or to developing countries with limited support infrastructure. These applications will require smaller, robust reactor designs with advanced technologies for sensors, instrumentation, and control. An excellent overview of SMRs is described in an article by Ingersoll (2009). The article refers to these as deliberately small reactors. Most of these have modular characteristics, with multiple units deployed at the same plant site. Additionally, the topics focus on meeting two of the eight needs outlined in the recently published 'Technology Roadmap on Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface (ICHMI) to Support DOE Advanced Nuclear Energy Programs' which was created 'to provide a systematic path forward for the integration of new ICHMI technologies in both near-term and future nuclear power plants and the reinvigoration of the U.S. nuclear ICHMI community and capabilities.' The research consortium is led by The University of Tennessee (UT) and is focused on three interrelated topics: Topic 1 (simulator development and measurement sensitivity analysis) is led by Dr. Mike Doster with Dr. Paul Turinsky of North Carolina State University (NCSU). Topic 2 (multivariate autonomous control of modular reactors) is led by Dr. Belle Upadhyaya of the University of Tennessee (UT) and Dr. Robert Edwards of Penn State University (PSU). Topic 3 (monitoring, diagnostics, and prognostics system development) is led by Dr. Wes Hines of UT. Additionally, South Carolina State University (SCSU, Dr. Ken Lewis) participated in this research through summer interns, visiting faculty, and on-campus research projects identified throughout the grant period. Lastly, Westinghouse Science and Technology Center (Dr. Mario Carelli) was a no-cost collaborator and provided design information related to the IRIS demonstration platform and defining needs that may be common to other SMR designs. The results of this research are reported in a six-volume Final Report (including the Executive Summary, Volume 1). Volumes 2 through 6 of the report describe in detail the research and development under the topical areas. This volume serves to introduce the overall NERI-C project and to summarize the key results. Section 2 provides a summary of the significant contributions of this project. A list of all the publications under this project is also given in Section 2. Section 3 provides a brief summary of each of the five volumes (2-6) of the report. The contributions of SCSU are described in Section 4, including a summary of undergraduate research experience. The project management organizational chart is provided as Figure 1. Appendices A, B, and C contain the reports on the summer research performed at the University of Tennessee by undergraduate students from South Carolina State University.« less

Implementation and Outcomes of Online Self and Peer Assessment on Group Based Honours Research Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Chengqing; Chanda, Emmanuel; Willison, John

2014-01-01

Honours research projects in the School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering at the University of Adelaide are run with small groups of students working with an academic supervisor in a chosen area for one year. The research project is mainly self-directed study, which makes it very difficult to fairly assess the contribution of…

Assessing hazard risk, cost of adaptation and traditional land use activities in the context of permafrost thaw in communities in Yukon and the Northwest Territories, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benkert, B.; Perrin, A.; Calmels, F.

2015-12-01

Together with its partners, the Northern Climate ExChange (NCE, part of the Yukon Research Centre at Yukon College) has been mapping permafrost-related hazard risk in northern communities since 2010. By integrating geoscience and climate project data, we have developed a series of community-scale hazard risk maps. The maps depict hazard risk in stoplight colours for easy interpretation, and support community-based, future-focused adaptation planning. Communities, First Nations, consultants and local regulatory agencies have used the hazard risk maps to site small-scale infrastructure projects, guide land planning processes, and assess suitability of land development applications. However, we know that assessing risk is only one step in integrating the implications of permafrost degradation in societal responses to environmental change. To build on our permafrost hazard risk maps, we are integrating economic principles and traditional land use elements. To assess economic implications of adaptation to permafrost change, we are working with geotechnical engineers to identify adaptation options (e.g., modified building techniques, permafrost thaw mitigation approaches) that suit the risks captured by our existing hazard risk maps. We layer this with an economic analysis of the costs associated with identified adaptation options, providing end-users with a more comprehensive basis upon which to make decisions related to infrastructure. NCE researchers have also integrated traditional land use activities in assessments of permafrost thaw risk, in a project led by Jean Marie River First Nation in the Northwest Territories. Here, the implications of permafrost degradation on food security and land use priorities were assessed by layering key game and gathering areas on permafrost thaw vulnerability maps. Results indicated that close to one quarter of big and small game habitats, and close to twenty percent of key furbearer and gathering areas within the First Nation's traditional territory, are situated on highly thaw sensitive permafrost. These projects demonstrate how physical and socio-economic factors can be integrated in assessments of permafrost vulnerability to thaw, thus providing tangible, useable results that reflect community priorities and support local decision making.

Privatizing Grassroots Development: Lessons Learned from Artisanal Fishermen in Northern Colombia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allred, Timothy F.

1998-01-01

Documents the transformation of a subsidized international development project into a for-profit "environmental enterprise," an ecological business run by and for small-scale fishermen on Colombia's Caribbean coast. Demonstrates the need for development projects to become businesses and the critical role of social investments (literacy…

Geospatial application of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

At the hillslope profile and/or field scale, a simple Windows graphical user interface (GUI) is available to easily specify the slope, soil, and management inputs for application of the USDA Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model. Likewise, basic small watershed configurations of a few hillsl...

Demonstration of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) internet interface and services

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model is a process-based FORTRAN computer simulation program for prediction of runoff and soil erosion by water at hillslope profile, field, and small watershed scales. To effectively run the WEPP model and interpret results additional software has been de...

Environmentally Sound Small-Scale Agricultural Projects. Guidelines for Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohonk Trust, New Paltz, NY.

This publication is the first of a series of manuals that present environmental guidelines for planning and implementing ecologically sustainable projects. Attention is particularly directed to the agricultural situation and needs of developing nations. Subject areas discussed include: (1) users and uses (identifying the major purposes of the…

Scaling up Education Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaffney, Jon D. H.; Richards, Evan; Kustusch, Mary Bridget; Ding, Lin; Beichner, Robert J.

2008-01-01

The SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment for Undergraduate Programs) project was developed to implement reforms designed for small classes into large physics classes. Over 50 schools across the country, ranging from Wake Technical Community College to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have adopted it for classes of…

Approaches of Integrated Watershed Management Project: Experiences of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mula, Rosana P.; Wani, Suhas P.; Dar, William D.

2008-01-01

The process of innovation-development to scaling is varied and complex. Various actors are involved in every stage of the process. In scaling the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)-led integrated watershed management projects in India and South Asia, three drivers were identified--islanding approach,…

Establishing the Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS): Operationalizing Community-based Research in a Large National Quantitative Study.

PubMed

Loutfy, Mona; Greene, Saara; Kennedy, V Logan; Lewis, Johanna; Thomas-Pavanel, Jamie; Conway, Tracey; de Pokomandy, Alexandra; O'Brien, Nadia; Carter, Allison; Tharao, Wangari; Nicholson, Valerie; Beaver, Kerrigan; Dubuc, Danièle; Gahagan, Jacqueline; Proulx-Boucher, Karène; Hogg, Robert S; Kaida, Angela

2016-08-19

Community-based research has gained increasing recognition in health research over the last two decades. Such participatory research approaches are lauded for their ability to anchor research in lived experiences, ensuring cultural appropriateness, accessing local knowledge, reaching marginalized communities, building capacity, and facilitating research-to-action. While having these positive attributes, the community-based health research literature is predominantly composed of small projects, using qualitative methods, and set within geographically limited communities. Its use in larger health studies, including clinical trials and cohorts, is limited. We present the Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS), a large-scale, multi-site, national, longitudinal quantitative study that has operationalized community-based research in all steps of the research process. Successes, challenges and further considerations are offered. Through the integration of community-based research principles, we have been successful in: facilitating a two-year long formative phase for this study; developing a novel survey instrument with national involvement; training 39 Peer Research Associates (PRAs); offering ongoing comprehensive support to PRAs; and engaging in an ongoing iterative community-based research process. Our community-based research approach within CHIWOS demanded that we be cognizant of challenges managing a large national team, inherent power imbalances and challenges with communication, compensation and volunteering considerations, and extensive delays in institutional processes. It is important to consider the iterative nature of community-based research and to work through tensions that emerge given the diverse perspectives of numerous team members. Community-based research, as an approach to large-scale quantitative health research projects, is an increasingly viable methodological option. Community-based research has several advantages that go hand-in-hand with its obstacles. We offer guidance on implementing this approach, such that the process can be better planned and result in success.

Catalytic Production of Ethanol from Biomass-Derived Synthesis Gas

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

Trewyn, Brian G.; Smith, Ryan G.

2016-06-01

Heterogeneous catalysts have been developed for the conversion of biomass-derived synthetic gas (syngas) to ethanol. The objectives of this project were to develop a clean synthesis gas from biomass and develop robust catalysts with high selectivity and lifetime for C 2 oxygenate production from biomass-derived syngas and surrogate syngas. During the timeframe for this project, we have made research progress on the four tasks: (1) Produce clean bio-oil generated from biomass, such as corn stover or switchgrass, by using fast pyrolysis system, (2) Produce clean, high pressure synthetic gas (syngas: carbon monoxide, CO, and hydrogen, H 2) from bio-oil generatedmore » from biomass by gasification, (3) Develop and characterize mesoporous mixed oxide-supported metal catalysts for the selective production of ethanol and other alcohols, such as butanol, from synthesis gas, and (4) Design and build a laboratory scale synthesis gas to ethanol reactor system evaluation of the process. In this final report, detailed explanations of the research challenges associated with this project are given. Progress of the syngas production from various biomass feedstocks and catalyst synthesis for upgrading the syngas to C 2-oxygenates is included. Reaction properties of the catalyst systems under different reaction conditions and different reactor set-ups are also presented and discussed. Specifically, the development and application of mesoporous silica and mesoporous carbon supports with rhodium nanoparticle catalysts and rhodium nanoparticle with manganese catalysts are described along with the significant material characterizations we completed. In addition to the synthesis and characterization, we described the activity and selectivity of catalysts in our micro-tubular reactor (small scale) and fixed bed reactor (larger scale). After years of hard work, we are proud of the work done on this project, and do believe that this work will provide a solid foundation for the future production of syngas from biomass and the development of heterogeneous catalysts for the syngas to C 2-oxygenate process and for the commercialization of this process. Potential future directions for this research are also discussed within the report.« less

Supporting Remote Sensing Research with Small Unmanned Aerial Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, R. C.; Shanks, P. C.; Kritis, L. A.; Trani, M. G.

2014-11-01

We describe several remote sensing research projects supported with small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) operated by the NGA Basic and Applied Research Office. These sUAS collections provide data supporting Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR), NGA University Research Initiative (NURI), and Cooperative Research And Development Agreements (CRADA) efforts in addition to inhouse research. Some preliminary results related to 3D electro-optical point clouds are presented, and some research goals discussed. Additional details related to the autonomous operational mode of both our multi-rotor and fixed wing small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) platforms are presented.

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

Lindberg, James

The America Saves! Energizing Main Street Small Businesses project engaged the 1,200-member National Main Street Center (NMSC) network of downtown organizations and other local, regional, and national partners to test a methodology for sharing customized energy efficiency information with owners of commercial buildings smaller than 50,000 square feet. Led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Green Lab, the project marshalled local staff and volunteers to gather voluntarily-disclosed energy use information from participating businesses. This information was analyzed using a remote auditing tool (validated by the National Renewable Energy Lab) to assess energy savings opportunities and design retrofit strategiesmore » targeting seven building types (food service and sales, attached mixed-use, strip mall, retail, office, lodging, and schools). The original project design contemplated extensive leveraging of the Green Button protocol for sharing annualized utility data at a district scale. Due the lack of adoption of Green Button, the project partners developed customized approaches to data collection in each of twelve pilot communities. The project team encountered considerable challenges in gathering standardized annual utility data from local partners. After overcoming these issues, the data was uploaded to a data storehouse. Over 450 properties were benchmarked and the remote auditing tool was tested using full building profiles and utility records for more than 100 commercial properties in three of the pilot communities. The audit tool demonstrated potential for quickly capturing, analyzing, and communicating energy efficiency opportunities in small commercial buildings. However, the project team found that the unique physical characteristics and use patterns (partial vacancy, periodic intensive uses) of small commercial buildings required more trouble-shooting and data correction than was anticipated. In addition, the project revealed that remote technology alone (such as audits) is not sufficient to convince most owners of commercial buildings or businesses to invest in energy efficiency. Additional, one-on-one personal communication is critical. A combination of technology and well-planned direct contact is likely to produce the highest rate of energy efficiency implementation in the small commercial building market sector. Note that only two of the three planned phases of this project were completed. As a result, research and testing were not fully implemented and thus all results and conclusions from the America Saves! Energizing Main Street Small Businesses project should be considered preliminary. In addition to the National Main Street Center, local organizations, and regional utilities, the America Saves! project partners included the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Energy Center of Wisconsin (Seventh Wave), Lend Lease, Building Energy, and Energy RM.« less

Challenges to the Transdisciplinarity of Climate Services: A Coffee Farming Case from Jamaica's Blue Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guido, Z.

2017-12-01

Climate information is heralded as helping to build adaptive capacity, improve resource management, and contribute to more effective risk management. However, decision makers often find it challenging to use climate information for reasons attributed to a disconnect between technical experts who produce the information and end users. Consequently, many climate service projects are now applying an end-to-end approach that links information users and producers in the design, development, and delivery of services. This collaboration confronts obstacles that can undermine the objectives of the project. Despite this, few studies in the burgeoning field of climate services have assessed the challenges. To address this gap, I provide a reflective account and analysis of the collaborative challenges experienced in an ongoing, complex four-year project developing climate services for small-scale coffee producers in Jamaica. The project has involved diverse activities, including social data collection, research and development of information tools, periodic engagement with coffee sector representatives, and community-based trainings. Contributions to the project were made routinely by 18 individuals who represent 9 institutions located in three countries. These individuals work for academic and governmental organizations and bring expertise in anthropology, plant pathology, and climatology, among others. In spanning diverse disciplines, large geographic distances, and different cultures, the project team has navigated challenges in communication, problem framing, organizational agendas, disciplinary integration, and project management. I contextualize these experiences within research on transdisciplinary and team science, and share some perspectives on strategies to lessen their impact.

Bringing analysis of gender and social-ecological resilience together in small-scale fisheries research: Challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Kawarazuka, Nozomi; Locke, Catherine; McDougall, Cynthia; Kantor, Paula; Morgan, Miranda

2017-03-01

The demand for gender analysis is now increasingly orthodox in natural resource programming, including that for small-scale fisheries. Whilst the analysis of social-ecological resilience has made valuable contributions to integrating social dimensions into research and policy-making on natural resource management, it has so far demonstrated limited success in effectively integrating considerations of gender equity. This paper reviews the challenges in, and opportunities for, bringing a gender analysis together with social-ecological resilience analysis in the context of small-scale fisheries research in developing countries. We conclude that rather than searching for a single unifying framework for gender and resilience analysis, it will be more effective to pursue a plural solution in which closer engagement is fostered between analysis of gender and social-ecological resilience whilst preserving the strengths of each approach. This approach can make an important contribution to developing a better evidence base for small-scale fisheries management and policy.

Statistical analysis of vegetation and stormwater runoff in an urban watershed during summer and winter storms in Portland, Oregon, U.S

Treesearch

Geoffrey H. Donovan; David T. Butry; Megan Y. Mao

2016-01-01

Past research has examined the effect of urban trees, and other vegetation, on stormwater runoff using hydrological models or small-scale experiments. However, there has been no statistical analysis of the influence of vegetation on runoff in an intact urban watershed, and it is not clear how results from small-scale studies scale up to the city level. Researchers...

Concerted Uranium Research in Europe (CURE): toward a collaborative project integrating dosimetry, epidemiology and radiobiology to study the effects of occupational uranium exposure.

PubMed

Laurent, Olivier; Gomolka, Maria; Haylock, Richard; Blanchardon, Eric; Giussani, Augusto; Atkinson, Will; Baatout, Sarah; Bingham, Derek; Cardis, Elisabeth; Hall, Janet; Tomasek, Ladislav; Ancelet, Sophie; Badie, Christophe; Bethel, Gary; Bertho, Jean-Marc; Bouet, Ségolène; Bull, Richard; Challeton-de Vathaire, Cécile; Cockerill, Rupert; Davesne, Estelle; Ebrahimian, Teni; Engels, Hilde; Gillies, Michael; Grellier, James; Grison, Stephane; Gueguen, Yann; Hornhardt, Sabine; Ibanez, Chrystelle; Kabacik, Sylwia; Kotik, Lukas; Kreuzer, Michaela; Lebacq, Anne Laure; Marsh, James; Nosske, Dietmar; O'Hagan, Jackie; Pernot, Eileen; Puncher, Matthew; Rage, Estelle; Riddell, Tony; Roy, Laurence; Samson, Eric; Souidi, Maamar; Turner, Michelle C; Zhivin, Sergey; Laurier, Dominique

2016-06-01

The potential health impacts of chronic exposures to uranium, as they occur in occupational settings, are not well characterized. Most epidemiological studies have been limited by small sample sizes, and a lack of harmonization of methods used to quantify radiation doses resulting from uranium exposure. Experimental studies have shown that uranium has biological effects, but their implications for human health are not clear. New studies that would combine the strengths of large, well-designed epidemiological datasets with those of state-of-the-art biological methods would help improve the characterization of the biological and health effects of occupational uranium exposure. The aim of the European Commission concerted action CURE (Concerted Uranium Research in Europe) was to develop protocols for such a future collaborative research project, in which dosimetry, epidemiology and biology would be integrated to better characterize the effects of occupational uranium exposure. These protocols were developed from existing European cohorts of workers exposed to uranium together with expertise in epidemiology, biology and dosimetry of CURE partner institutions. The preparatory work of CURE should allow a large scale collaborative project to be launched, in order to better characterize the effects of uranium exposure and more generally of alpha particles and low doses of ionizing radiation.

Studies on combined model based on functional objectives of large scale complex engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuting, Wang; Jingchun, Feng; Jiabao, Sun

2018-03-01

As various functions were included in large scale complex engineering, and each function would be conducted with completion of one or more projects, combined projects affecting their functions should be located. Based on the types of project portfolio, the relationship of projects and their functional objectives were analyzed. On that premise, portfolio projects-technics based on their functional objectives were introduced, then we studied and raised the principles of portfolio projects-technics based on the functional objectives of projects. In addition, The processes of combined projects were also constructed. With the help of portfolio projects-technics based on the functional objectives of projects, our research findings laid a good foundation for management of large scale complex engineering portfolio management.

FARM WASTE TO ENERGY: A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR SMALL-SCALE FARMS

EPA Science Inventory

Through this project, it was determined that the utilization of anaerobic digestion on small farms for the purpose of managing varying waste streams and odor issues and decreasing fossil fuel consumption and cost was feasible. The feedstocks necessary to run the digester are r...

Consumer participation and organizational development in health care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Tempfer, Clemens B; Nowak, Peter

2011-07-01

To provide an overview of published data on user participation in Health Care. Active and passive involvement of consumers into agendas associated with Health Care is still an exception. Data on the success of user participation projects in various areas of Health Care are lacking. Systematic literature review using public databases. We identified 467 studies including five systematic reviews describing various participation projects, among them workshops, citizens' panels, focus groups, citizens' juries, and consultation meetings. A general trend favoring a specific method was not observed. The categorization of evaluable studies according to Health Care area (n = 331) yielded the following results: general medicine/preventive medicine (n = 5), internal medicine/oncology (n = 132), obstetrics and gynecology (n = 2), surgery (n = 1), neurology/psychiatry (n = 2), social medicine (n = 16), health worker training (n = 38), and research agenda setting (n = 135). Predefined qualitative parameters were extracted from 69/467 (15%) studies. Sixty one of 69 studies (88%) were retrospective analyses without control groups and without outcome assessment. Six studies had outcome assessment, three judged the outcome as successful, two as negative, and one multi-project study reported 'very successful' project assessments in 24% of the projects. In 18 studies, the level of consumer participation was described as 'informed' in 2/18, 'advisory' in 14/18, and 'decision-making' in 2/18. The following factors associated with project success were identified: adequate financing, partnerships with well institutionalized consumer organizations, advanced project logistics, small-scale projects, and adequate internal and external communication. Most consumer participation projects were performed in research agenda setting, internal medicine/oncology, and health worker training. Various methods have been used in the projects, the level of consumer participation was low, and the success rate of the investigated projects was moderate. Potential factors associated with project success and future areas of research are discussed.

Development of Green Fuels From Algae - The University of Tulsa

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

Crunkleton, Daniel; Price, Geoffrey; Johannes, Tyler

The general public has become increasingly aware of the pitfalls encountered with the continued reliance on fossil fuels in the industrialized world. In response, the scientific community is in the process of developing non-fossil fuel technologies that can supply adequate energy while also being environmentally friendly. In this project, we concentrate on green fuels which we define as those capable of being produced from renewable and sustainable resources in a way that is compatible with the current transportation fuel infrastructure. One route to green fuels that has received relatively little attention begins with algae as a feedstock. Algae are amore » diverse group of aquatic, photosynthetic organisms, generally categorized as either macroalgae (i.e. seaweed) or microalgae. Microalgae constitute a spectacularly diverse group of prokaryotic and eukaryotic unicellular organisms and account for approximately 50% of global organic carbon fixation. The PI's have subdivided the proposed research program into three main research areas, all of which are essential to the development of commercially viable algae fuels compatible with current energy infrastructure. In the fuel development focus, catalytic cracking reactions of algae oils is optimized. In the species development project, genetic engineering is used to create microalgae strains that are capable of high-level hydrocarbon production. For the modeling effort, the construction of multi-scaled models of algae production was prioritized, including integrating small-scale hydrodynamic models of algae production and reactor design and large-scale design optimization models.« less

Implications of the Observed Mesoscale Variations of Clouds for Earth's Radiation Budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossow, William B.; Delo, Carl; Cairns, Brian; Hansen, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The effect of small-spatial-scale cloud variations on radiative transfer in cloudy atmospheres currently receives a lot of research attention, but the available studies are not very clear about which spatial scales are important and report a very large range of estimates of the magnitude of the effects. Also, there have been no systematic investigations of how to measure and represent these cloud variations. We exploit the cloud climatology produced by the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) to: (1) define and test different methods of representing cloud variation statistics, (2) investigate the range of spatial scales that should be included, (3) characterize cloud variations over a range of space and time scales covering mesoscale (30 - 300 km, 3-12 hr) into part of the lower part of the synoptic scale (300 - 3000 km, 1-30 days), (4) obtain a climatology of the optical thickness, emissivity and cloud top temperature variability of clouds that can be used in weather and climate GCMS, together with the parameterization proposed by Cairns et al. (1999), to account for the effects of small-scale cloud variations on radiative fluxes, and (5) evaluate the effect of observed cloud variations on Earth's radiation budget. These results lead to the formulation of a revised conceptual model of clouds for use in radiative transfer calculations in GCMS. The complete variability climatology can be obtained from the ISCCP Web site at http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov.

Evaluating a collaborative IT based research and development project.

PubMed

Khan, Zaheer; Ludlow, David; Caceres, Santiago

2013-10-01

In common with all projects, evaluating an Information Technology (IT) based research and development project is necessary in order to discover whether or not the outcomes of the project are successful. However, evaluating large-scale collaborative projects is especially difficult as: (i) stakeholders from different countries are involved who, almost inevitably, have diverse technological and/or application domain backgrounds and objectives; (ii) multiple and sometimes conflicting application specific and user-defined requirements exist; and (iii) multiple and often conflicting technological research and development objectives are apparent. In this paper, we share our experiences based on the large-scale integrated research project - The HUMBOLDT project - with project duration of 54 months, involving contributions from 27 partner organisations, plus 4 sub-contractors from 14 different European countries. In the HUMBOLDT project, a specific evaluation methodology was defined and utilised for the user evaluation of the project outcomes. The user evaluation performed on the HUMBOLDT Framework and its associated nine application scenarios from various application domains, resulted in not only an evaluation of the integrated project, but also revealed the benefits and disadvantages of the evaluation methodology. This paper presents the evaluation methodology, discusses in detail the process of applying it to the HUMBOLDT project and provides an in-depth analysis of the results, which can be usefully applied to other collaborative research projects in a variety of domains. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toward Soil Spatial Information Systems (SSIS) for global modeling and ecosystem management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baumgardner, Marion F.

1995-01-01

The general objective is to conduct research to contribute toward the realization of a world soils and terrain (SOTER) database, which can stand alone or be incorporated into a more complete and comprehensive natural resources digital information system. The following specific objectives are focussed on: (1) to conduct research related to (a) translation and correlation of different soil classification systems to the SOTER database legend and (b) the inferfacing of disparate data sets in support of the SOTER Project; (2) to examine the potential use of AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) data for delineating meaningful soils and terrain boundaries for small scale soil survey (range of scale: 1:250,000 to 1:1,000,000) and terrestrial ecosystem assessment and monitoring; and (3) to determine the potential use of high dimensional spectral data (220 reflectance bands with 10 m spatial resolution) for delineating meaningful soils boundaries and conditions for the purpose of detailed soil survey and land management.

What on Earth Has Research Got to Do with Me?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rickinson, Mark; Clark, Andy; McLeod, Sandra; Poulton, Prue; Sargent, Julia

2004-01-01

This article is about using research from a practitioner perspective. It tells the stories of four teachers and a researcher, who were part of a collaborative project focused on connecting research and practice in relation to Education for Sustainable Development. The project started with a small advertisement placed in a practitioner newsletter,…

Large Scale Pedagogical Transformation as Widespread Cultural Change in Mexican Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rincón-Gallardo, Santiago

2016-01-01

This article examines how and under what conditions a new pedagogy can spread at scale using the Learning Community Project (LCP) in Mexico as a case study. Started as a small-scale, grassroots pedagogical change initiative in a handful of public schools, LCP evolved over an 8-year period into a national policy that spread its pedagogy of tutorial…

Challenging Conventional Wisdom for Multivariate Statistical Models with Small Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeish, Daniel

2017-01-01

In education research, small samples are common because of financial limitations, logistical challenges, or exploratory studies. With small samples, statistical principles on which researchers rely do not hold, leading to trust issues with model estimates and possible replication issues when scaling up. Researchers are generally aware of such…

"Give me some space": exploring youth to parent aggression and violence.

PubMed

Gabriel, Lynne; Tizro, Zahra; James, Hazel; Cronin-Davis, Jane; Beetham, Tanya; Corbally, Alice; Lopez-Moreno, Emily; Hill, Sarah

2018-01-01

A small scale qualitative project, undertaken by an interdisciplinary domestic violence research group involving academic researchers and research assistants, with colleagues from Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDAS), investigated youth aggression and violence against parents. Following the literature review, data was generated through several research conversations with young people ( n  = 2), through semi-structured interviews with mothers ( n  = 3) and practitioners ( n  = 5), and through a practitioner focus group ( n  = 8). Thematic analysis and triangulation of the data from parents, practitioners and young people, elicited interconnected and complex overarching themes. Young people could be both victim and perpetrator. The witnessing or experiencing of domestic aggression and violence raised the concept of 'bystander children'. The impact of young people experiencing familial violence was underestimated by parents. For practitioners, the effects of working with domestic violence was shown to be significant - both positively and negatively.

Outcomes and Process in Reading Tutoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topping, K. J.; Thurston, A.; McGavock, K.; Conlin, N.

2012-01-01

Background: Large-scale randomised controlled trials are relatively rare in education. The present study approximates to, but is not exactly, a randomised controlled trial. It was an attempt to scale up previous small peer tutoring projects, while investing only modestly in continuing professional development for teachers. Purpose: A two-year…

Spicing up Science: Mini Undergraduate Research Projects in Physics and Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devendorf, George

2008-10-01

Individual student research projects are often small pieces of a larger research program and may or may not provide an interesting and satisfying research experience for a student researcher who only is engaged in the project for a limited time. This researcher describes a variety of research activities conducted with advanced high school students in a high school setting. These research projects are limited by the academic experience of the student, facilities and resources and available time. Such limitations however, have shaped some of the research projects into ``mini-projects'' that form interesting scientific questions which can be addressed within a semester or yearlong project. Several of these research ideas have been inspired from teaching introductory courses and though they may not further a continuing research program or spawn significant publications, they do provide an avenue for teaching and inspiring scientific inquiry in the minds of young potential scientists.

Do Plot Studies Generate “Directionally” Correct Assessments of Field Level Phosphorus Losses?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The National P Research Project (NPRP) coordinated a tremendous amount of research at the plot scale to assess the influence of nutrient management on P transport at the fields scale. The objectives of this research were to determine of plot scale rainfall simulations could be used to assess P trans...

A theory of forest dynamics: Spatially explicit models and issues of scale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pacala, S.

1990-01-01

Good progress has been made in the first year of DOE grant (number sign) FG02-90ER60933. The purpose of the project is to develop and investigate models of forest dynamics that apply across a range of spatial scales. The grant is one third of a three-part project. The second third was funded by the NSF this year and is intended to provide the empirical data necessary to calibrate and test small-scale (less than or equal to 1000 ha) models. The final third was also funded this year (NASA), and will provide data to calibrate and test the large-scale features of the models.

The Influence of Enterprise Diversification on Household Food Security among Small-Scale Sugarcane Farmers: A Case Study of Muhoroni Division, Nyando District, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muthoni Thuo, Caroline

2011-01-01

This paper examines the levels of household food security and the influence of enterprise diversification on household food security among small-scale sugarcane farmers in Muhoroni division, Nyando District, Kenya. A cross-sectional research design was used in this study. The population consisted of small-scale sugarcane farmers who grow sugarcane…

Scientific literacy of adult participants in an online citizen science project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Charles Aaron

Citizen Science projects offer opportunities for non-scientists to take part in scientific research. Scientific results from these projects have been well documented. However, there is limited research about how these projects affect their volunteer participants. In this study, I investigate how participation in an online, collaborative astronomical citizen science project can be associated with the scientific literacy of its participants. Scientific literacy is measured through three elements: attitude towards science, belief in the nature of science and competencies associated with learning science. The first two elements are measured through a pre-test given to 1,385 participants when they join the project and a post-test given six months later to 125 participants. Attitude towards science was measured using nine Likert-items custom designed for this project and beliefs in the nature of science were measured using a modified version of the Nature of Science Knowledge scale. Responses were analyzed using the Rasch Rating Scale Model. Competencies are measured through analysis of discourse occurring in online asynchronous discussion forums using the Community of Inquiry framework, which describes three types of presence in the online forums: cognitive, social and teaching. Results show that overall attitudes did not change, p = .225. However, there was significant change towards attitudes about science in the news (positive) and scientific self efficacy (negative), p < .001 and p = .035 respectively. Beliefs in the nature of science exhibited a small, but significant increase, p = .04. Relative positioning of scores on the belief items did not change much, suggesting the increase is mostly due to reinforcement of current beliefs. The cognitive and teaching presence in the online forums did not change, p = .807 and p = .505 respectively. However, the social presence did change, p = .011. Overall, these results suggest that multi-faceted, collaborative citizen science projects can have an impact on some aspects of scientific literacy. Using the Rasch Model allowed us to uncover effects that may have otherwise been hidden. Future projects may want to include social interactivity between participants and also make participants specifically aware of how they are contributing to the entire scientific process.

Team building: electronic management-clinical translational research (eM-CTR) systems.

PubMed

Cecchetti, Alfred A; Parmanto, Bambang; Vecchio, Marcella L; Ahmad, Sjarif; Buch, Shama; Zgheib, Nathalie K; Groark, Stephen J; Vemuganti, Anupama; Romkes, Marjorie; Sciurba, Frank; Donahoe, Michael P; Branch, Robert A

2009-12-01

Classical drug exposure: response studies in clinical pharmacology represent the quintessential prototype for Bench to Bedside-Clinical Translational Research. A fundamental premise of this approach is for a multidisciplinary team of researchers to design and execute complex, in-depth mechanistic studies conducted in relatively small groups of subjects. The infrastructure support for this genre of clinical research is not well-handled by scaling down of infrastructure used for large Phase III clinical trials. We describe a novel, integrated strategy, whose focus is to support and manage a study using an Information Hub, Communication Hub, and Data Hub design. This design is illustrated by an application to a series of varied projects sponsored by Special Clinical Centers of Research in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the University of Pittsburgh. In contrast to classical informatics support, it is readily scalable to large studies. Our experience suggests the culture consequences of research group self-empowerment is not only economically efficient but transformative to the research process.

EXOS research on master controllers for robotic devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcus, Beth A.; An, Ben; Eberman, Brian

1992-01-01

Two projects are currently being conducted by EXOS under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program with NASA. One project will develop a force feedback device for controlling robot hands, the other will develop an elbow and shoulder exoskeleton which can be integrated with other EXOS devices to provide whole robot arm and hand control. Aspects covered are the project objectives, important research issues which have arisen during the developments, and interim results of the projects. The Phase 1 projects currently underway will result in hardware prototypes and identification of research issues required for complete system development and/or integration.

What next? Sustaining a successful small-scale alcohol consumption harm minimization project.

PubMed

Milne, Sharon; Greenaway, Sarah; Conway, Kim; Henwood, Wendy

2007-01-01

Engaging communities in alcohol consumption-related action projects requires the application of a range of flexible and responsive evidence-based methods. These include: establishing collaborative relationships, implementing strategies to improve age verification practices, encouraging organizational change, and raising awareness of local alcohol issues. The focus of this article is the sustainability of an alcohol harm minimization project for young people in Hawera (a small New Zealand town) that has produced some encouraging results. The Hawera Alcohol and Young People project began in 2000 along with external formative and impact evaluation components. This article will draw on the evaluation findings to date and the experience of community action projects in New Zealand to explore what makes a sustainable community action project and to examine the extent to which this has been achieved by the Hawera Alcohol and Young People project. The limitations of the study are noted.

Initial Investigation into the Psychoacoustic Properties of Small Unmanned Aerial System Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christian, Andrew; Cabell, Randolph

2017-01-01

For the past several years, researchers at NASA Langley have been engaged in a series of projects to study the degree to which existing facilities and capabilities, originally created for work on full-scale aircraft, are extensible to smaller scales --those of the small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS, also UAVs and, colloquially, `drones') that have been showing up in the nation's airspace of late. This paper follows an e ort that has led to an initial human{subject psychoacoustic test regarding the annoyance generated by sUAS noise. This e ort spans three phases: 1. The collection of the sounds through field recordings. 2. The formulation and execution of a psychoacoustic test using those recordings. 3. The initial analysis of the data from that test. The data suggests a lack of parity between the noise of the recorded sUAS and that of a set of road vehicles that were also recorded and included in the test, as measured by a set of contemporary noise metrics. Future work, including the possibility of further human subject testing, is discussed in light of this suggestion.

Implementing Projects in Calculus on a Large Scale at the University of South Florida

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Gordon A.; Campbell, Scott; Grinshpan, Arcadii; Xu, Xiaoying; Holcomb, John; Bénéteau, Catherine; Lewis, Jennifer E.; Ramachandran, Kandethody

2017-01-01

This paper describes the development of a program of project-based learning in Calculus courses at a large urban research university. In this program, students developed research projects in consultation with a faculty advisor in their major, and supervised by their calculus instructors. Students wrote up their projects in a prescribed format…

Social welfare as small-scale help: evolutionary psychology and the deservingness heuristic.

PubMed

Petersen, Michael Bang

2012-01-01

Public opinion concerning social welfare is largely driven by perceptions of recipient deservingness. Extant research has argued that this heuristic is learned from a variety of cultural, institutional, and ideological sources. The present article provides evidence supporting a different view: that the deservingness heuristic is rooted in psychological categories that evolved over the course of human evolution to regulate small-scale exchanges of help. To test predictions made on the basis of this view, a method designed to measure social categorization is embedded in nationally representative surveys conducted in different countries. Across the national- and individual-level differences that extant research has used to explain the heuristic, people categorize welfare recipients on the basis of whether they are lazy or unlucky. This mode of categorization furthermore induces people to think about large-scale welfare politics as its presumed ancestral equivalent: small-scale help giving. The general implications for research on heuristics are discussed.

Funding and Strategic Alignment Guidance for Infusing Small Business Innovation Research Technology into NASA Programs Associated with the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2015-01-01

This report is intended to help NASA program and project managers incorporate Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) technologies that have gone through Phase II of the SBIR program into NASA Aeronautics and Mission Directorate (ARMD) programs. Other Government and commercial program managers can also find this information useful.

Environmentally Sound Small-Scale Agricultural Projects: Guidelines for Planning. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altieri, Miguel; Vukasin, Helen L., Ed.

Environmental planning requires more than finding the right technology and a source of funds. Planning involves consideration of the social, cultural, economic, and natural environments in which the project occurs. The challenge is to develop sustainable food systems that have reasonable production but do not degrade the resource base and upset…

Design and development of hybrid energy generator (photovoltaics) with solar tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohiuddin, A. K. M.; Sabarudin, Mohamad Syabil Bin; Khan, Ahsan Ali; Izan Ihsan, Sany

2017-03-01

This paper is the outcome of a small scale hybrid energy generator (hydro and photovoltaic) project. It contains the photovoltaics part of the project. The demand of energy resources is increasing day by day. That is why people nowadays tend to move on and changes their energy usage from using fossil fuels to a cleaner and green energy like hydro energy, solar energy etc. Nevertheless, energy is hard to come by for people who live in remote areas and also campsites in the remote areas which need continuous energy sources to power the facilities. Thus, the purpose of this project is to design and develop a small scale hybrid energy generator to help people that are in need of power. This main objective of this project is to develop and analyze the effectiveness of solar trackers in order to increase the electricity generation from solar energy. Software like Solidworks and Arduino is used to sketch and construct the design and also to program the microcontroller respectively. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the designed solar tracker sytem.

Psychology in an Interdisciplinary Setting: A Large-Scale Project to Improve University Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koch, Franziska D.; Vogt, Joachim

2015-01-01

At a German university of technology, a large-scale project was funded as a part of the "Quality Pact for Teaching", a programme launched by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to improve the quality of university teaching and study conditions. The project aims at intensifying interdisciplinary networking in teaching,…

Downscaling ocean conditions: Experiments with a quasi-geostrophic model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katavouta, A.; Thompson, K. R.

2013-12-01

The predictability of small-scale ocean variability, given the time history of the associated large-scales, is investigated using a quasi-geostrophic model of two wind-driven gyres separated by an unstable, mid-ocean jet. Motivated by the recent theoretical study of Henshaw et al. (2003), we propose a straightforward method for assimilating information on the large-scale in order to recover the small-scale details of the quasi-geostrophic circulation. The similarity of this method to the spectral nudging of limited area atmospheric models is discussed. Results from the spectral nudging of the quasi-geostrophic model, and an independent multivariate regression-based approach, show that important features of the ocean circulation, including the position of the meandering mid-ocean jet and the associated pinch-off eddies, can be recovered from the time history of a small number of large-scale modes. We next propose a hybrid approach for assimilating both the large-scales and additional observed time series from a limited number of locations that alone are too sparse to recover the small scales using traditional assimilation techniques. The hybrid approach improved significantly the recovery of the small-scales. The results highlight the importance of the coupling between length scales in downscaling applications, and the value of assimilating limited point observations after the large-scales have been set correctly. The application of the hybrid and spectral nudging to practical ocean forecasting, and projecting changes in ocean conditions on climate time scales, is discussed briefly.

Is $50/MWh solar for real? Falling project prices and rising capacity factors drive utility-scale PV toward economic competitiveness

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

Bolinger, Mark; Weaver, Samantha; Zuboy, Jarett

Recently announced low-priced power purchase agreements (PPAs) for US utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) projects suggest $50/MWh solar might be viable under certain conditions. To explore this possibility, this paper draws on an increasing wealth of empirical data to analyze trends in three of the most important PPA price drivers: upfront installed project prices, operations, and maintenance (O&M) costs, and capacity factors. Average installed prices among a sample of utility-scale PV projects declined by more than one third (from 5.8/W AC to 3.7/WAC) from the 2007–2009 period through 2013, even as costlier systems with crystalline-silicon modules, sun tracking, and higher inverter loadingmore » ratios (ILRs) have constituted an increasing proportion of total utility-scale PV capacity (all values shown here are in 2013 dollars). Actual and projected O&M costs from a very small sample of projects appear to range from $20–$40/kW AC-year. Furthermore, the average net capacity factor is 30% for projects installed in 2012, up from 24% for projects installed in 2010, owing to better solar resources, higher ILRs, and greater use of tracking among the more recent projects. Based on these trends, a pro-forma financial model suggests that $50/MWh utility-scale PV is achievable using a combination of aggressive-but-achievable technical and financial input parameters (including receipt of the 30% federal investment tax credit). Although the US utility-scale PV market is still young, the rapid progress in the key metrics documented in this paper has made PV a viable competitor against other utility-scale renewable generators, and even conventional peaking generators, in certain regions of the country.« less

Is $50/MWh solar for real? Falling project prices and rising capacity factors drive utility-scale PV toward economic competitiveness

DOE PAGES

Bolinger, Mark; Weaver, Samantha; Zuboy, Jarett

2015-05-22

Recently announced low-priced power purchase agreements (PPAs) for US utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) projects suggest $50/MWh solar might be viable under certain conditions. To explore this possibility, this paper draws on an increasing wealth of empirical data to analyze trends in three of the most important PPA price drivers: upfront installed project prices, operations, and maintenance (O&M) costs, and capacity factors. Average installed prices among a sample of utility-scale PV projects declined by more than one third (from 5.8/W AC to 3.7/WAC) from the 2007–2009 period through 2013, even as costlier systems with crystalline-silicon modules, sun tracking, and higher inverter loadingmore » ratios (ILRs) have constituted an increasing proportion of total utility-scale PV capacity (all values shown here are in 2013 dollars). Actual and projected O&M costs from a very small sample of projects appear to range from $20–$40/kW AC-year. Furthermore, the average net capacity factor is 30% for projects installed in 2012, up from 24% for projects installed in 2010, owing to better solar resources, higher ILRs, and greater use of tracking among the more recent projects. Based on these trends, a pro-forma financial model suggests that $50/MWh utility-scale PV is achievable using a combination of aggressive-but-achievable technical and financial input parameters (including receipt of the 30% federal investment tax credit). Although the US utility-scale PV market is still young, the rapid progress in the key metrics documented in this paper has made PV a viable competitor against other utility-scale renewable generators, and even conventional peaking generators, in certain regions of the country.« less

High Resolution Model Intercomparison Project (HighResMIP v1.0) for CMIP6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haarsma, Reindert J.; Roberts, Malcolm J.; Vidale, Pier Luigi; Senior, Catherine A.; Bellucci, Alessio; Bao, Qing; Chang, Ping; Corti, Susanna; Fučkar, Neven S.; Guemas, Virginie; von Hardenberg, Jost; Hazeleger, Wilco; Kodama, Chihiro; Koenigk, Torben; Leung, L. Ruby; Lu, Jian; Luo, Jing-Jia; Mao, Jiafu; Mizielinski, Matthew S.; Mizuta, Ryo; Nobre, Paulo; Satoh, Masaki; Scoccimarro, Enrico; Semmler, Tido; Small, Justin; von Storch, Jin-Song

2016-11-01

Robust projections and predictions of climate variability and change, particularly at regional scales, rely on the driving processes being represented with fidelity in model simulations. The role of enhanced horizontal resolution in improved process representation in all components of the climate system is of growing interest, particularly as some recent simulations suggest both the possibility of significant changes in large-scale aspects of circulation as well as improvements in small-scale processes and extremes. However, such high-resolution global simulations at climate timescales, with resolutions of at least 50 km in the atmosphere and 0.25° in the ocean, have been performed at relatively few research centres and generally without overall coordination, primarily due to their computational cost. Assessing the robustness of the response of simulated climate to model resolution requires a large multi-model ensemble using a coordinated set of experiments. The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6 (CMIP6) is the ideal framework within which to conduct such a study, due to the strong link to models being developed for the CMIP DECK experiments and other model intercomparison projects (MIPs). Increases in high-performance computing (HPC) resources, as well as the revised experimental design for CMIP6, now enable a detailed investigation of the impact of increased resolution up to synoptic weather scales on the simulated mean climate and its variability. The High Resolution Model Intercomparison Project (HighResMIP) presented in this paper applies, for the first time, a multi-model approach to the systematic investigation of the impact of horizontal resolution. A coordinated set of experiments has been designed to assess both a standard and an enhanced horizontal-resolution simulation in the atmosphere and ocean. The set of HighResMIP experiments is divided into three tiers consisting of atmosphere-only and coupled runs and spanning the period 1950-2050, with the possibility of extending to 2100, together with some additional targeted experiments. This paper describes the experimental set-up of HighResMIP, the analysis plan, the connection with the other CMIP6 endorsed MIPs, as well as the DECK and CMIP6 historical simulations. HighResMIP thereby focuses on one of the CMIP6 broad questions, "what are the origins and consequences of systematic model biases?", but we also discuss how it addresses the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) grand challenges.

The NUTRA-SNACKS project: basic research and biotechnological programs on nutraceutics.

PubMed

Rea, Giuseppina; Antonacci, Amina; Lambreva, Maya; Margonelli, Andrea; Ambrosi, Cecilia; Giardi, Maria Teresa

2010-01-01

The Nutra-Snacks project aims at creating novel high quality ready-to-eat foods with functional activity, useful for promoting public health. The team is composed of seven research institutes and three SMEs from different countries whose activities span from basic to applied research providing the right technological transfer to small and medium industries involved in the novel food production chain. Strategic objectives include the application of plant cell and in vitro culture systems to create very large amounts of high-value plant secondary metabolites with recognized anticancer, antilipidemic, anticholesterol, antimicrobial, antiviral, antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory properties and to include them in specific food products. To this end, the screening of a vast number of working organisms capable of accumulating the desired compounds and the characterization of their expression profiles represent fundamental steps in the research program. The information allows the identification of plant species hyper-producing metabolites and selection of those metabolites capable of specifically counteracting the oxidative stress that underlies the development of important pathologies and diseases. In addition, devising safe metabolite extraction procedures is also crucial in order to provide nutraceutical-enriched extracts compatible with human health. New biotechnological approaches are also undertaken including the exploitation of photosynthetic algal strains in bio-farms to enhance the synthesis ofantioxidant compounds and the design of novel bioreactors for small and large scale biomass production. Further outstanding objectives include the development of (i) safety and quality control protocols (ii) biosensor techniques for the analysis of the emerging ready-to-eat food and (iii) a contribution to define a standard for new regulations on nutraceutics.

Motivating Students for Project-based Learning for Application of Research Methodology Skills.

PubMed

Tiwari, Ranjana; Arya, Raj Kumar; Bansal, Manoj

2017-12-01

Project-based learning (PBL) is motivational for students to learn research methodology skills. It is a way to engage and give them ownership over their own learning. The aim of this study is to use PBL for application of research methodology skills for better learning by encouraging an all-inclusive approach in teaching and learning rather than an individualized tailored approach. The present study was carried out for MBBS 6 th - and 7 th -semester students of community medicine. Students and faculties were sensitized about PBL and components of research methodology skills. They worked in small groups. The students were asked to fill the student feedback Questionnaire and the faculty was also asked to fill the faculty feedback Questionnaire. Both the Questionnaires were assessed on a 5 point Likert scale. After submitted projects, document analysis was done. A total of 99 students of the 6 th and 7 th semester were participated in PBL. About 90.91% students agreed that there should be continuation of PBL in subsequent batches. 73.74% felt satisfied and motivated with PBL, whereas 76.77% felt that they would be able to use research methodology in the near future. PBL requires considerable knowledge, effort, persistence, and self-regulation on the part of the students. They need to devise plans, gather information evaluate both the findings, and their approach. Facilitator plays a critical role in helping students in the process by shaping opportunity for learning, guiding students, thinking, and helping them construct new understanding.

ICE911 Research: Floating Safe Inert Materials to Preserve Ice and Conserve Water in Order to Mitigate Climate Change Impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Field, L. A.; Manzara, A.; Chetty, S.; Venkatesh, S.; Scholtz, A.

2015-12-01

Ice911 Research has conducted years of field testing to develop and test localized reversible engineering techniques to mitigate the negative impacts of polar ice melt. The technology uses environmentally safe materials to reflect energy in carefully selected, limited areas from summertime polar sun. The technology is now being adapted to help with California's drought. We have tested the albedo modification technique on a small scale over seven Winter/Spring seasons at sites including California's Sierra Nevada Mountains, a Canadian lake, and a small artificial pond in Minnesota about 100 ft in diameter and 6 ft deep at the center, using various materials and an evolving array of instrumentation. On the pond in Minnesota, this year's test results for ice preservation, using hollow glass spheres deployed over our largest test areas yet, showed that glass bubbles can provide an effective material for increasing albedo, significantly reducing the melting rate of ice. This year Ice911 also undertook its first small Arctic field test in Barrow, Alaska on a lake in Barrow's BEO area, and results are still coming in. The technology that Ice911 has been developing for ice preservation has also been shown to keep small test areas of water cooler, in various small-scale tests spanning years. We believe that with some adaptations of the technology, the materials can be applied to reservoirs and lakes to help stretch these precious resources further in California's ongoing drought. There are several distinct advantages for this method over alternatives such as large reverse osmosis projects or building new reservoirs, which could possibly allow a drought-stricken state to build fewer of these more-costly alternatives. First, applying an ecologically benign surface treatment of Ice911's materials can be accomplished within a season, at a lower cost, with far less secondary environmental impact, than such capital-and-time-intensive infrastructure projects. Second, keeping bodies of water cooler using these floating materials could help avoid scenarios like the overheated lakes and streams that led to millions of fish killed this summer in Washington State. Third, Ice911's materials can later be removed if no longer needed, and could be repurposed to another area in need.

Passive Plasma Contact Mechanisms for Small-Scale Spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McTernan, Jesse K.

Small-scale spacecraft represent a paradigm shift in how entities such as academia, industry, engineering firms, and the scientific community operate in space. However, although the paradigm shift produces unique opportunities to build satellites in unique ways for novel missions, there are also significant challenges that must be addressed. This research addresses two of the challenges associated with small-scale spacecraft: 1) the miniaturization of spacecraft and associated instrumentation and 2) the need to transport charge across the spacecraft-environment boundary. As spacecraft decrease in size, constraints on the size, weight, and power of on-board instrumentation increase--potentially limiting the instrument's functionality or ability to integrate with the spacecraft. These constraints drive research into mechanisms or techniques that use little or no power and efficiently utilize existing resources. One limited resource on small-scale spacecraft is outer surface area, which is often covered with solar panels to meet tight power budgets. This same surface area could also be needed for passive neutralization of spacecraft charging. This research explores the use of a transparent, conductive layer on the solar cell coverglass that is electrically connected to spacecraft ground potential. This dual-purpose material facilitates the use of outer surfaces for both energy harvesting of solar photons as well as passive ion collection. Mission capabilities such as in-situ plasma measurements that were previously infeasible on small-scale platforms become feasible with the use of indium tin oxide-coated solar panel coverglass. We developed test facilities that simulate the space environment in low Earth orbit to test the dual-purpose material and the various application of this approach. Particularly, this research is in support of two upcoming missions: OSIRIS-3U, by Penn State's Student Space Programs Lab, and MiTEE, by the University of Michigan. The purpose of OSIRIS-3U is to investigate the effects of space weather on the ionosphere. The spacecraft will use a pulsed Langmuir probe, an instrument now enabled on small-scale spacecraft through the techniques outlined in this research.

Education, Training and Employment in Small-Scale Enterprises: Three Industries in Sao Paulo, Brazil. IIEP Research Report No. 63.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leite, Elenice M.; Caillods, Francoise

Despite the prophecies forecasting their probable disappearance or annihilation, small-scale enterprises have persisted in the Brazilian industrial structure since 1950. To account for the survival of small firms in Brazil, specifically in the state of Sao Paulo, a study examined 100 small firms in three industrial sectors: clothing, mechanical…

Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment at the IEA GHG Weyburn-Midale CO2 Monitoring and Storage Project, Saskatchewan, Canada.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben, R.; Chalaturnyk, R.; Gardner, C.; Hawkes, C.; Johnson, J.; White, D.; Whittaker, S.

2008-12-01

In July 2000, a major research project was initiated to study the geological storage of CO2 as part of a 5000 tonnes/day EOR project planned for the Weyburn Field in Saskatchewan, Canada. Major objectives of the IEA GHG Weyburn CO2 monitoring and storage project included: assessing the integrity of the geosphere encompassing the Weyburn oil pool for effective long-term storage of CO2; monitoring the movement of the injected CO2, and assessing the risk of migration of CO2 from the injection zone (approximately 1500 metres depth) to the surface. Over the period 2000-2004, a diverse group of 80+ researchers worked on: geological, geophysical, and hydrogeological characterizations at both the regional (100 km beyond the field) and detailed scale (10 km around the field); conducted time-lapse geophysical surveys; carried out surface and subsurface geochemical surveys; and undertook numerical reservoir simulations. Results of the characterization were used for a performance assessment that concluded the risk of CO2 movement to the biosphere was very small. By September 2007, more than 14 Mtonnes of CO2 had been injected into the Weyburn reservoir, including approximately 3 Mtonnes recycled from oil production. A "Final Phase" research project was initiated (2007- 2011) to contribute to a "Best Practices" guide for long-term CO2 storage in EOR settings. Research objectives include: improving the geoscience characterization; further detailed analysis and data collection on the role of wellbores; additional geochemical and geophysical monitoring activities; and an emphasis on quantitative risk assessments using multiple analysis techniques. In this talk a review of results from Phase I will be presented followed by plans and initial results for the Final Phase.

Project M: Scale Model of Lunar Landing Site of Apollo 17: Focus on Lighting Conditions and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanik, Christopher S.; Crain, Timothy P.

2010-01-01

This document captures the research and development of a scale model representation of the Apollo 17 landing site on the moon as part of the NASA INSPIRE program. Several key elements in this model were surface slope characteristics, crater sizes and locations, prominent rocks, and lighting conditions. This model supports development of Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) and Project M for the GN&C Autonomous Flight Systems Branch. It will help project engineers visualize the landing site, and is housed in the building 16 Navigation Systems Technology Lab. The lead mentor was Dr. Timothy P. Crain. The purpose of this project was to develop an accurate scale representation of the Apollo 17 landing site on the moon. This was done on an 8'2.5"X10'1.375" reduced friction granite table, which can be restored to its previous condition if needed. The first step in this project was to research the best way to model and recreate the Apollo 17 landing site for the mockup. The project required a thorough plan, budget, and schedule, which was presented to the EG6 Branch for build approval. The final phase was to build the model. The project also required thorough research on the Apollo 17 landing site and the topography of the moon. This research was done on the internet and in person with Dean Eppler, a space scientist, from JSC KX. This data was used to analyze and calculate the scale of the mockup and the ratio of the sizes of the craters, ridges, etc. The final goal was to effectively communicate project status and demonstrate the multiple advantages of using our model. The conclusion of this project was that the mockup was completed as accurately as possible, and it successfully enables the Project M specialists to visualize and plan their goal on an accurate three dimensional surface representation.

National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center project accomplishments: highlights

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holl, Sally

2011-01-01

The National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC) has invested more than $20M since 2008 to put cutting-edge climate science research in the hands of resource managers across the Nation. With NCCWSC support, more than 25 cooperative research initiatives led by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers and technical staff are advancing our understanding of habitats and species to provide guidance to managers in the face of a changing climate. Projects focus on quantifying and predicting interactions between climate, habitats, species, and other natural resources such as water. Spatial scales of the projects range from the continent of North America, to a regional scale such as the Pacific Northwest United States, to a landscape scale such as the Florida Everglades. Time scales range from the outset of the 20th century to the end of the 21st century. Projects often lead to workshops, presentations, publications and the creation of new websites, computer models, and data visualization tools. Partnership-building is also a key focus of the NCCWSC-supported projects. New and on-going cooperative partnerships have been forged and strengthened with resource managers and scientists at Federal, tribal, state, local, academic, and non-governmental organizations. USGS scientists work closely with resource managers to produce timely and relevant results that can assist managers and policy makers in current resource management decisions. This fact sheet highlights accomplishments of five NCCWSC projects.

Capitalizing on Community: the Small College Environment and the Development of Researchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoneking, M. R.

2014-03-01

Liberal arts colleges constitute an important source of and training ground for future scientists. At Lawrence University, we take advantage of our small college environment to prepare physics students for research careers by complementing content acquisition with skill development and project experience distributed throughout the curriculum and with co-curricular elements that are tied to our close-knit supportive physics community. Small classes and frequent contact between physics majors and faculty members offer opportunities for regular and detailed feedback on the development of research relevant skills such as laboratory record-keeping, data analysis, electronic circuit design, computational programming, experimental design and modification, and scientific communication. Part of our approach is to balance collaborative group work on small projects (such as Arduino-based electronics projects and optical design challenges) with independent work (on, for example, advanced laboratory experimental extensions and senior capstone projects). Communal spaces and specialized facilities (experimental and computational) and active on-campus research programs attract eager students to the program, establish a community-based atmosphere, provide unique opportunities for the development of research aptitude, and offer opportunities for genuine contribution to a research program. Recently, we have also been encouraging innovativetendencies in physics majors through intentional efforts to develop personal characteristics, encouraging students to become more tolerant of ambiguity, risk-taking, initiative-seeking, and articulate. Indicators of the success of our approach include the roughly ten physics majors who graduate each year and our program's high ranking among institutions whose graduates go on to receive the Ph.D. in physics. Work supported in part by the National Science Foundation.

The Saskatchewan River Basin - a large scale observatory for water security research (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheater, H. S.

2013-12-01

The 336,000 km2 Saskatchewan River Basin (SaskRB) in Western Canada illustrates many of the issues of Water Security faced world-wide. It poses globally-important science challenges due to the diversity in its hydro-climate and ecological zones. With one of the world's more extreme climates, it embodies environments of global significance, including the Rocky Mountains (source of the major rivers in Western Canada), the Boreal Forest (representing 30% of Canada's land area) and the Prairies (home to 80% of Canada's agriculture). Management concerns include: provision of water resources to more than three million inhabitants, including indigenous communities; balancing competing needs for water between different uses, such as urban centres, industry, agriculture, hydropower and environmental flows; issues of water allocation between upstream and downstream users in the three prairie provinces; managing the risks of flood and droughts; and assessing water quality impacts of discharges from major cities and intensive agricultural production. Superimposed on these issues is the need to understand and manage uncertain water futures, including effects of economic growth and environmental change, in a highly fragmented water governance environment. Key science questions focus on understanding and predicting the effects of land and water management and environmental change on water quantity and quality. To address the science challenges, observational data are necessary across multiple scales. This requires focussed research at intensively monitored sites and small watersheds to improve process understanding and fine-scale models. To understand large-scale effects on river flows and quality, land-atmosphere feedbacks, and regional climate, integrated monitoring, modelling and analysis is needed at large basin scale. And to support water management, new tools are needed for operational management and scenario-based planning that can be implemented across multiple scales and multiple jurisdictions. The SaskRB has therefore been developed as a large scale observatory, now a Regional Hydroclimate Project of the World Climate Research Programme's GEWEX project, and is available to contribute to the emerging North American Water Program. State-of-the-art hydro-ecological experimental sites have been developed for the key biomes, and a river and lake biogeochemical research facility, focussed on impacts of nutrients and exotic chemicals. Data are integrated at SaskRB scale to support the development of improved large scale climate and hydrological modelling products, the development of DSS systems for local, provincial and basin-scale management, and the development of related social science research, engaging stakeholders in the research and exploring their values and priorities for water security. The observatory provides multiple scales of observation and modelling required to develop: a) new climate, hydrological and ecological science and modelling tools to address environmental change in key environments, and their integrated effects and feedbacks at large catchment scale, b) new tools needed to support river basin management under uncertainty, including anthropogenic controls on land and water management and c) the place-based focus for the development of new transdisciplinary science.

Small Scale Industries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rural Development Detwork Bulletin, 1977

1977-01-01

Innovative programs for the promotion of small-scale enterprise are being conducted by a variety of organizations, including universities, government agencies, international research institutes, and voluntary assistance agencies. Their activities encompass basic extension services, management of cooperatives, community action programs, and…

Introducing a New Learning and Teaching Evaluation Planning Framework for Small Internally Funded Projects in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huber, Elaine

2017-01-01

Scholarly evaluation practices in learning and teaching projects are under-reported in the literature. In order for robust evaluative measures to be implemented, a project requires a well-designed evaluation plan. This research study describes the development of a practical evaluation planning framework through an action research approach, using…

Fragments of peer review: A quantitative analysis of the literature (1969-2015)

PubMed Central

Grimaldo, Francisco; Marušić, Ana

2018-01-01

This paper examines research on peer review between 1969 and 2015 by looking at records indexed from the Scopus database. Although it is often argued that peer review has been poorly investigated, we found that the number of publications in this field doubled from 2005. A half of this work was indexed as research articles, a third as editorial notes and literature reviews and the rest were book chapters or letters. We identified the most prolific and influential scholars, the most cited publications and the most important journals in the field. Co-authorship network analysis showed that research on peer review is fragmented, with the largest group of co-authors including only 2.1% of the whole community. Co-citation network analysis indicated a fragmented structure also in terms of knowledge. This shows that despite its central role in research, peer review has been examined only through small-scale research projects. Our findings would suggest that there is need to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing across different research communities. PMID:29466467

Demonstration of coal reburning for cyclone boiler NO{sub x} control. Appendix, Book 1

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

Not Available

Based on the industry need for a pilot-scale cyclone boiler simulator, Babcock Wilcox (B&W) designed, fabricated, and installed such a facility at its Alliance Research Center (ARC) in 1985. The project involved conversion of an existing pulverized coal-fired facility to be cyclone-firing capable. Additionally, convective section tube banks were installed in the upper furnace in order to simulate a typical boiler convection pass. The small boiler simulator (SBS) is designed to simulate most fireside aspects of full-size utility boilers such as combustion and flue gas emissions characteristics, fireside deposition, etc. Prior to the design of the pilot-scale cyclone boiler simulator,more » the various cyclone boiler types were reviewed in order to identify the inherent cyclone boiler design characteristics which are applicable to the majority of these boilers. The cyclone boiler characteristics that were reviewed include NO{sub x} emissions, furnace exit gas temperature (FEGT) carbon loss, and total furnace residence time. Previous pilot-scale cyclone-fired furnace experience identified the following concerns: (1) Operability of a small cyclone furnace (e.g., continuous slag tapping capability). (2) The optimum cyclone(s) configuration for the pilot-scale unit. (3) Compatibility of NO{sub x} levels, carbon burnout, cyclone ash carryover to the convection pass, cyclone temperature, furnace residence time, and FEGT.« less

Outcomes in a Randomised Controlled Trial of Mathematics Tutoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topping, K. J.; Miller, D.; Murray, P.; Henderson, S.; Fortuna, C.; Conlin, N.

2011-01-01

Background: Large-scale randomised controlled trials (RCT) are relatively rare in education. The present study was an attempt to scale up previous small peer tutoring projects, while investing only modestly in continuing professional development for teachers. Purpose: A two-year RCT of peer tutoring in mathematics was undertaken in one local…

KSC SBIR/STTR 2004 Program Year Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

The Kennedy Space Center Level III SBIR/STTR management staff is under the Technology Transfer Office within the Spaceport Engineering and Technology Directorate. The SBIR and STTR programs provide an opportunity for small high technology companies and research institutions to participate in Government-sponsored research and development (R&D) programs in key technology areas. The SBIR program was established by Congress in 1982 to provide increased opportunities for small businesses to participate in R&D programs, increase employment, and improve U.S. competitiveness. The program's specific objectives are to stimulate U.S. technological innovation, use small businesses to meet Federal research and development needs, increase private sector commercialization of innovations, and foster and encourage participation by socially disadvantaged businesses. Legislation enacted in December 2000 reauthorized the program and strengthened emphasis on pursuing commercial applications of SBIR projects. An SBIR Phase I contract is the opportunity to establish the feasibility and technical merit of a proposed innovation. Selected competitively, the Phase I contract lasts for 6 months and is funded up to $70,000. SBIR Phase II contracts continue the most promising Phase I projects based on scientific! technical merit, expected value to NASA, company capability, and commercial potential. Phase II contracts are usually for a period of 24 months and may not exceed $600,000. NASA usually selects approximately 40 percent of Phase I projects to continue to the Phase II level. Phase III is the process of furthering the development of a product to make it commercially available. The STTR program awards contracts to small business concerns for cooperative R&D with a nonprofit research institution. Research institutions include nonprofit research organizations, Federal laboratories, or universities. The goal of the program established by Congress is to facilitate the transfer of technology developed by a research institution through the entrepreneurship of a small business. The STIR program is smaller in funding than the SBIR program. While the proposal is submitted by the small business concern, at least 30 percent of the funding and work must originate with the research institution. STTR Phase I projects receive up to $100K for a one-year effort, and a Phase II contract receives up to $600K for two years.

[Research advances in the relationships between biodiversity and invasiveness within plant communities].

PubMed

Zheng, Jingming; Ma, Keping

2006-07-01

This paper reviewed the theoretical, observational, and experimental studies on the relationships between biodiversity and invasiveness within plant communities. The contradictory conclusions made from these studies were summarized and analyzed, and suggestions were put forward to improve future researches. In theoretical studies, models were highly simplified and depended on unrealistic assumptions, e. g., single mechanism of biodiversity formation, balance between communities status, and similar characters of alien and native species, which limited the credibility of research conclusions. Most of the observational studies were not directly exploring the relationships between biodiversity and invasiveness, but inferring from invasion patterns occurred in nature. Different research scales always resulted in contradictory conclusions. In small-scale research where some biotic factors dominated species interaction, the relationships between biodiversity and invasiveness might be negative, while in larger-scale research, other co-varying extrinsic factors might override those biotic factors in small-scale research, and the relationships between biodiversity and invasiveness might be positive. Although most experimental studies were conducted in small scale and extrinsic influences were ruled out, some mistakes might still happen when constructing biodiversity gradients in the experimental communities. Among these mistakes, sampling effect was the most common one, and the others included building communities with same species abundance but varying richness and density. Some suggestions were put forward on improving the study of the relationships between biodiversity and invasiveness in plant communities. In future researches, we should integrate observational study with experimental study, pay more attention to research scale, avoid sampling effect, and couple model with experimental design.

The project ownership survey: measuring differences in scientific inquiry experiences.

PubMed

Hanauer, David I; Dolan, Erin L

2014-01-01

A growing body of research documents the positive outcomes of research experiences for undergraduates, including increased persistence in science. Study of undergraduate lab learning experiences has demonstrated that the design of the experience influences the extent to which students report ownership of the project and that project ownership is one of the psychosocial factors involved in student retention in the sciences. To date, methods for measuring project ownership have not been suitable for the collection of larger data sets. The current study aims to rectify this by developing, presenting, and evaluating a new instrument for measuring project ownership. Eighteen scaled items were generated based on prior research and theory related to project ownership and combined with 30 items shown to measure respondents' emotions about an experience, resulting in the Project Ownership survey (POS). The POS was analyzed to determine its dimensionality, reliability, and validity. The POS had a coefficient alpha of 0.92 and thus has high internal consistency. Known-groups validity was analyzed through the ability of the instrument to differentiate between students who studied in traditional versus research-based laboratory courses. The POS scales as differentiated between the groups and findings paralleled previous results in relation to the characteristics of project ownership.

Should Data Frameworks be Inherently Multiscalar? A Use Case of the Living Atlas of the World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, D. J.

2015-12-01

In addition to an individual research project, many researchers are involved in at least one major partnership, perhaps one ocean observatory, or one collaborative. The accompanying data framework may be focused on a subdiscipline of oceanography (i.e., marine geology and geophysics, physical oceanography, marine ecology, etc.) or particular study region. The data framework obviously exists to support research, but also collaboration in data collection, spatial analysis, visualization, and communication of the science to multiple audience. These interactions likely take place at multiple scales: the scale of the individual researcher, of small workgroups within a lab, or of inter-organizational collaboration. There are also frameworks that cut horizontally across discipline and region, connecting to broader national or global initiatives such as NSF EarthCube, other NSF-funded Research Coordination Networks, GEOSS, or ODIP. The Living Atlas of the World is presented as a use case of a data framework seeking to cut effectively across multiple spatial and temporal scales. The Living Atlas was first created in 2014 to make authoritative geographic information accessible via hosted cloud services so that users could more quickly address scientific and societal problems and decisions at spatial scales ranging from a small study area the entire globe, while using a range of interactive map functions to tell engaging narratives along the way (aka "story maps"). What began as a way to build trusted, authoritative, and freely available *basemaps* from data contributed online by the GIS community, has grown to a larger program extending far beyond basemap layers to satellite imagery, bathymetry, water column layers, and hydrology, as well elevation, human population, and 3D web scenes. The Living Atlas is continually under construction with new efforts that now extend beyond just the reading and serving of dataset, to the provisioning of spatial analysis on these *data services* in the cloud, as well as the crosswalking and sharing of workflows and use cases, additional apps for mobile, web, and desktop, community-building events where people gather face-to-face, and close interlinkages to other platforms such as ODIP and NSF EarthCube.

Clustering on very small scales from a large, complete sample of confirmed quasar pairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eftekharzadeh, Sarah; Myers, Adam D.; Djorgovski, Stanislav G.; Graham, Matthew J.; Hennawi, Joseph F.; Mahabal, Ashish A.; Richards, Gordon T.

2016-06-01

We present by far the largest sample of spectroscopically confirmed binaryquasars with proper transverse separations of 17.0 ≤ Rprop ≤ 36.6 h-1 kpc. Our sample, whichis an order-of-magnitude larger than previous samples, is selected from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) imaging over an area corresponding to the SDSS 6th data release (DR6). Our quasars are targeted using a Kernel Density Estimation technique (KDE), and confirmed using long-slit spectroscopy on a range of facilities.Our most complete sub-sample of 44 binary quasars with g<20.85, extends across angular scales of 2.9" < Δθ < 6.3", and is targeted from a parent sample that would be equivalent to a full spectroscopic survey of nearly 300,000 quasars.We determine the projected correlation function of quasars (\\bar Wp) over proper transverse scales of 17.0 ≤ Rprop ≤ 36.6 h-1 kpc, and also in 4 bins of scale within this complete range.To investigate the redshift evolution of quasar clustering on small scales, we make the first self-consistent measurement of the projected quasar correlation function in 4 bins of redshift over 0.4 ≤ z ≤ 2.3.

Partnership Working in Small Rural Primary Schools: The Best of Both Worlds. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Robert

2014-01-01

The aim of the research was to investigate the most effective ways for small rural primary schools to work together in order to improve provision and raise standards. The project sought to examine the circumstances and context of small rural schools in Lincolnshire and evaluate their different leadership models (such as collaborations,…

A flexible, small positron emission tomography prototype for resource-limited laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda-Menchaca, A.; Martínez-Dávalos, A.; Murrieta-Rodríguez, T.; Alva-Sánchez, H.; Rodríguez-Villafuerte, M.

2015-05-01

Modern small-animal PET scanners typically consist of a large number of detectors along with complex electronics to provide tomographic images for research in the preclinical sciences that use animal models. These systems can be expensive, especially for resource-limited educational and academic institutions in developing countries. In this work we show that a small-animal PET scanner can be built with a relatively reduced budget while, at the same time, achieving relatively high performance. The prototype consists of four detector modules each composed of LYSO pixelated crystal arrays (individual crystal elements of dimensions 1 × 1 × 10 mm3) coupled to position-sensitive photomultiplier tubes. Tomographic images are obtained by rotating the subject to complete enough projections for image reconstruction. Image quality was evaluated for different reconstruction algorithms including filtered back-projection and iterative reconstruction with maximum likelihood-expectation maximization and maximum a posteriori methods. The system matrix was computed both with geometric considerations and by Monte Carlo simulations. Prior to image reconstruction, Fourier data rebinning was used to increase the number of lines of response used. The system was evaluated for energy resolution at 511 keV (best 18.2%), system sensitivity (0.24%), spatial resolution (best 0.87 mm), scatter fraction (4.8%) and noise equivalent count-rate. The system can be scaled-up to include up to 8 detector modules, increasing detection efficiency, and its price may be reduced as newer solid state detectors become available replacing the traditional photomultiplier tubes. Prototypes like this may prove to be very valuable for educational, training, preclinical and other biological research purposes.

On the Representation of Subgrid Microtopography Effects in Process-based Hydrologic Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jan, A.; Painter, S. L.; Coon, E. T.

2017-12-01

Increased availability of high-resolution digital elevation are enabling process-based hydrologic modeling on finer and finer scales. However, spatial variability in surface elevation (microtopography) exists below the scale of a typical hyper-resolution grid cell and has the potential to play a significant role in water retention, runoff, and surface/subsurface interactions. Though the concept of microtopographic features (depressions, obstructions) and the associated implications on flow and discharge are well established, representing those effects in watershed-scale integrated surface/subsurface hydrology models remains a challenge. Using the complex and coupled hydrologic environment of the Arctic polygonal tundra as an example, we study the effects of submeter topography and present a subgrid model parameterized by small-scale spatial heterogeneities for use in hyper-resolution models with polygons at a scale of 15-20 meters forming the surface cells. The subgrid model alters the flow and storage terms in the diffusion wave equation for surface flow. We compare our results against sub-meter scale simulations (acts as a benchmark for our simulations) and hyper-resolution models without the subgrid representation. The initiation of runoff in the fine-scale simulations is delayed and the recession curve is slowed relative to simulated runoff using the hyper-resolution model with no subgrid representation. Our subgrid modeling approach improves the representation of runoff and water retention relative to models that ignore subgrid topography. We evaluate different strategies for parameterizing subgrid model and present a classification-based method to efficiently move forward to larger landscapes. This work was supported by the Interoperable Design of Extreme-scale Application Software (IDEAS) project and the Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments-Arctic (NGEE Arctic) project. NGEE-Arctic is supported by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research in the DOE Office of Science.

Dynamic system simulation of small satellite projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raif, Matthias; Walter, Ulrich; Bouwmeester, Jasper

2010-11-01

A prerequisite to accomplish a system simulation is to have a system model holding all necessary project information in a centralized repository that can be accessed and edited by all parties involved. At the Institute of Astronautics of the Technische Universitaet Muenchen a modular approach for modeling and dynamic simulation of satellite systems has been developed called dynamic system simulation (DySyS). DySyS is based on the platform independent description language SysML to model a small satellite project with respect to the system composition and dynamic behavior. A library of specific building blocks and possible relations between these blocks have been developed. From this library a system model of the satellite of interest can be created. A mapping into a C++ simulation allows the creation of an executable system model with which simulations are performed to observe the dynamic behavior of the satellite. In this paper DySyS is used to model and simulate the dynamic behavior of small satellites, because small satellite projects can act as a precursor to demonstrate the feasibility of a system model since they are less complex compared to a large scale satellite project.

Contribution of small and medium enterprises to economic development: Evidence from a transiting economy.

PubMed

Obi, James; Ibidunni, Ayodotun Stephen; Tolulope, Atolagbe; Olokundun, Maxwell Ayodele; Amaihian, Augusta Bosede; Borishade, Taiye Tairat; Fred, Peter

2018-06-01

The focus of this research was to present a data article on the contribution of SMEs to economic development in a transiting economy. Descriptive research design was adopted in this study. Data were obtained from 600 respondents in 60 small-scale enterprises located in different parts of the country (20 small-scale enterprises located in Lagos State, 20 in Anambra State and 20 in Kano State of Nigeria respectively). Data analysis was carried out using tables and percentages and the null hypotheses of the study was tested using chi-square ( X 2 ) inferential statistical model at 5% level of significance. The findings revealed that there is a significant relationship between the operation of small and medium-scale enterprises and economic growth in developing nations.

Effects of Ensemble Configuration on Estimates of Regional Climate Uncertainties

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

Goldenson, N.; Mauger, G.; Leung, L. R.

Internal variability in the climate system can contribute substantial uncertainty in climate projections, particularly at regional scales. Internal variability can be quantified using large ensembles of simulations that are identical but for perturbed initial conditions. Here we compare methods for quantifying internal variability. Our study region spans the west coast of North America, which is strongly influenced by El Niño and other large-scale dynamics through their contribution to large-scale internal variability. Using a statistical framework to simultaneously account for multiple sources of uncertainty, we find that internal variability can be quantified consistently using a large ensemble or an ensemble ofmore » opportunity that includes small ensembles from multiple models and climate scenarios. The latter also produce estimates of uncertainty due to model differences. We conclude that projection uncertainties are best assessed using small single-model ensembles from as many model-scenario pairings as computationally feasible, which has implications for ensemble design in large modeling efforts.« less

Less Interested after Lessons? Report on a Small-Scale Research Study into 12- to 13-Year-Old Students' Attitudes to Earth Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hetherington, Lindsay

2010-01-01

Results of a small-scale research study conducted with year 8 (ages 12-13) students suggest that although these students have generally positive attitudes towards earth science, girls tend to be less interested in it than boys. Interest in earth science was found to separate into two dominant factors, labelled "scientific" and…

Synthesis of a Novel Energetic Heterocyclic Oxidizer with Higher Energy and Lower Sensitivity Final Report CRADA No. TC02099.0

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

Pagoria, P.; Racoveanu, A.

2017-09-08

The project involved the synthesis of 5g of a target energetic compound, 3,4-bis(5-nitro-1,2,5- oxadiazol-4-yl)-1,2,5-oxadiazole-1-oxide (DNTF. The deliverables were the synthesis of 5g of DNTF along with quantities of the precursor compounds. In addition, small-scale safety tests on DNTF were performed, which to confirmed that DNTF has no undesirable safety properties before scaling up the synthesis in Phase II of this project.

Materials sciences programs: Fiscal Year 1987

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1987-09-01

Purpose of this report is to provide a convenient compilation and index of the DOE Materials Sciences Division programs. This compilation is primarily intended for use by administrators, managers, and scientists to help coordinate research. The report is divided into seven sections. Section A contains all Laboratory projects, Section B has all contract research projects, Section C has projects funded under the Small Business Innovation Research Program, Sections D and E have information on DOE collaborative research centers, gives distribution of funding, and Section G has various indexes.

Experiencing Teaching and Learning Quantitative Reasoning in a Project-Based Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Tracey; Beswick, Kim; Callingham, Rosemary; Jade, Katara

2016-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a small-scale study that investigated the issues and challenges of teaching and learning about quantitative reasoning (QR) within a project-based learning (PjBL) context. Students and teachers were surveyed and interviewed about their experiences of learning and teaching QR in that context in contrast to…

Overcoming Barriers: Engaging Younger Students in an Online Intercultural Exchange

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peiser, Gillian

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a small-scale project involving an online school exchange between two classes of 12-/13-year olds located in the North of England and the Ruhr area of Germany. The overarching aim of the project was to develop intercultural understanding in foreign language learning through communication in an online environment. Analysing…

"I'm Used to It Now": Experiences of Homophobia among Queer Youth in South African Township Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Msibi, Thabo

2012-01-01

This paper explores how sexually marginalised black high-school students from conservative schooling contexts in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, experience schooling. It draws on queer theories through life narratives in presenting findings from a small-scale interventionist project designed by the author. The project involved 14 participants…

Geospatial application of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Model

Treesearch

D. C. Flanagan; J. R. Frankenberger; T. A. Cochrane; C. S. Renschler; W. J. Elliot

2011-01-01

The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model is a process-based technology for prediction of soil erosion by water at hillslope profile, field, and small watershed scales. In particular, WEPP utilizes observed or generated daily climate inputs to drive the surface hydrology processes (infiltration, runoff, ET) component, which subsequently impacts the rest of the...

Geospatial application of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model

Treesearch

D. C. Flanagan; J. R. Frankenberger; T. A. Cochrane; C. S. Renschler; W. J. Elliot

2013-01-01

At the hillslope profile and/or field scale, a simple Windows graphical user interface (GUI) is available to easily specify the slope, soil, and management inputs for application of the USDA Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model. Likewise, basic small watershed configurations of a few hillslopes and channels can be created and simulated with this GUI. However,...

Wind Technology Modeling Within the System Advisor Model (SAM) (Poster)

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

Blair, N.; Dobos, A.; Ferguson, T.

This poster provides detail for implementation and the underlying methodology for modeling wind power generation performance in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) System Advisor Model (SAM). SAM's wind power model allows users to assess projects involving one or more large or small wind turbines with any of the detailed options for residential, commercial, or utility financing. The model requires information about the wind resource, wind turbine specifications, wind farm layout (if applicable), and costs, and provides analysis to compare the absolute or relative impact of these inputs. SAM is a system performance and economic model designed to facilitate analysismore » and decision-making for project developers, financers, policymakers, and energy researchers. The user pairs a generation technology with a financing option (residential, commercial, or utility) to calculate the cost of energy over the multi-year project period. Specifically, SAM calculates the value of projects which buy and sell power at retail rates for residential and commercial systems, and also for larger-scale projects which operate through a power purchase agreement (PPA) with a utility. The financial model captures complex financing and rate structures, taxes, and incentives.« less

Can Environmental Education Actions Change Public Attitudes? An Example Using the Pond Habitat and Associated Biodiversity

PubMed Central

Sousa, Eunice; Quintino, Victor; Palhas, Jael; Rodrigues, Ana Maria; Teixeira, José

2016-01-01

Ponds provide vital ecological services. They are biodiversity hotspots and important breading sites for rare and endangered species, including amphibians and dragonflies. Nevertheless, their number is decreasing due to habitat degradation caused by human activities. The “Ponds with Life” environmental education project was developed to raise public awareness and engagement in the study of ponds by promoting the direct contact between the public and nature, researchers and pedagogical hands-on exploration activities. A pre-post- project survey was set-up to assess the effects of the project on the environmental consciousness, knowledge and attitude changes towards ponds and the associated biodiversity of school students aged 15 to 18. The survey questions were based on Likert scales and their pre-post project comparisons used an innovative multivariate hypothesis testing approach. The results showed that the project improved the students’ knowledge and attitudes towards ponds and associated biodiversity, especially the amphibians. Ponds can be found or constructed in urban areas and despite small sized, they proved to be interesting model habitats and living laboratories to foster environmental education, by encompassing a high number of species and a fast ecological succession. PMID:27148879

Can Environmental Education Actions Change Public Attitudes? An Example Using the Pond Habitat and Associated Biodiversity.

PubMed

Sousa, Eunice; Quintino, Victor; Palhas, Jael; Rodrigues, Ana Maria; Teixeira, José

2016-01-01

Ponds provide vital ecological services. They are biodiversity hotspots and important breading sites for rare and endangered species, including amphibians and dragonflies. Nevertheless, their number is decreasing due to habitat degradation caused by human activities. The "Ponds with Life" environmental education project was developed to raise public awareness and engagement in the study of ponds by promoting the direct contact between the public and nature, researchers and pedagogical hands-on exploration activities. A pre-post- project survey was set-up to assess the effects of the project on the environmental consciousness, knowledge and attitude changes towards ponds and the associated biodiversity of school students aged 15 to 18. The survey questions were based on Likert scales and their pre-post project comparisons used an innovative multivariate hypothesis testing approach. The results showed that the project improved the students' knowledge and attitudes towards ponds and associated biodiversity, especially the amphibians. Ponds can be found or constructed in urban areas and despite small sized, they proved to be interesting model habitats and living laboratories to foster environmental education, by encompassing a high number of species and a fast ecological succession.

Subgrid-scale models for large-eddy simulation of rotating turbulent channel flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silvis, Maurits H.; Bae, Hyunji Jane; Trias, F. Xavier; Abkar, Mahdi; Moin, Parviz; Verstappen, Roel

2017-11-01

We aim to design subgrid-scale models for large-eddy simulation of rotating turbulent flows. Rotating turbulent flows form a challenging test case for large-eddy simulation due to the presence of the Coriolis force. The Coriolis force conserves the total kinetic energy while transporting it from small to large scales of motion, leading to the formation of large-scale anisotropic flow structures. The Coriolis force may also cause partial flow laminarization and the occurrence of turbulent bursts. Many subgrid-scale models for large-eddy simulation are, however, primarily designed to parametrize the dissipative nature of turbulent flows, ignoring the specific characteristics of transport processes. We, therefore, propose a new subgrid-scale model that, in addition to the usual dissipative eddy viscosity term, contains a nondissipative nonlinear model term designed to capture transport processes, such as those due to rotation. We show that the addition of this nonlinear model term leads to improved predictions of the energy spectra of rotating homogeneous isotropic turbulence as well as of the Reynolds stress anisotropy in spanwise-rotating plane-channel flows. This work is financed by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) under Project Number 613.001.212.

A comparison of working in small-scale and large-scale nursing homes: A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence.

PubMed

Vermeerbergen, Lander; Van Hootegem, Geert; Benders, Jos

2017-02-01

Ongoing shortages of care workers, together with an ageing population, make it of utmost importance to increase the quality of working life in nursing homes. Since the 1970s, normalised and small-scale nursing homes have been increasingly introduced to provide care in a family and homelike environment, potentially providing a richer work life for care workers as well as improved living conditions for residents. 'Normalised' refers to the opportunities given to residents to live in a manner as close as possible to the everyday life of persons not needing care. The study purpose is to provide a synthesis and overview of empirical research comparing the quality of working life - together with related work and health outcomes - of professional care workers in normalised small-scale nursing homes as compared to conventional large-scale ones. A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. A systematic literature search (April 2015) was performed using the electronic databases Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Web of Science. References and citations were tracked to identify additional, relevant studies. We identified 825 studies in the selected databases. After checking the inclusion and exclusion criteria, nine studies were selected for review. Two additional studies were selected after reference and citation tracking. Three studies were excluded after requesting more information on the research setting. The findings from the individual studies suggest that levels of job control and job demands (all but "time pressure") are higher in normalised small-scale homes than in conventional large-scale nursing homes. Additionally, some studies suggested that social support and work motivation are higher, while risks of burnout and mental strain are lower, in normalised small-scale nursing homes. Other studies found no differences or even opposing findings. The studies reviewed showed that these inconclusive findings can be attributed to care workers in some normalised small-scale homes experiencing isolation and too high job demands in their work roles. This systematic review suggests that normalised small-scale homes are a good starting point for creating a higher quality of working life in the nursing home sector. Higher job control enables care workers to manage higher job demands in normalised small-scale homes. However, some jobs would benefit from interventions to address care workers' perceptions of too low social support and of too high job demands. More research is needed to examine strategies to enhance these working life issues in normalised small-scale settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Renewable Energy Finance Tracking Initiative (REFTI) Solar Trend Analysis

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

Hubbell, R.; Lowder, T.; Mendelsohn, M.

This report is a summary of the finance trends for small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects (PV <1 MW), large-scale PV projects (PV greater than or equal to 1 MW), and concentrated solar power projects as reported in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Renewable Energy Finance Tracking Initiative (REFTI). The report presents REFTI data during the five quarterly periods from the fourth quarter of 2009 to the first half of 2011. The REFTI project relies exclusively on the voluntary participation of industry stakeholders for its data; therefore, it does not offer a comprehensive view of the technologies it tracks. Despite thismore » limitation, REFTI is the only publicly available resource for renewable energy project financial terms. REFTI analysis offers usable inputs into the project economic evaluations of developers and investors, as well as the policy assessments of public utility commissions and others in the renewable energy industry.« less

Distributed and grid computing projects with research focus in human health.

PubMed

Diomidous, Marianna; Zikos, Dimitrios

2012-01-01

Distributed systems and grid computing systems are used to connect several computers to obtain a higher level of performance, in order to solve a problem. During the last decade, projects use the World Wide Web to aggregate individuals' CPU power for research purposes. This paper presents the existing active large scale distributed and grid computing projects with research focus in human health. There have been found and presented 11 active projects with more than 2000 Processing Units (PUs) each. The research focus for most of them is molecular biology and, specifically on understanding or predicting protein structure through simulation, comparing proteins, genomic analysis for disease provoking genes and drug design. Though not in all cases explicitly stated, common target diseases include research to find cure against HIV, dengue, Duchene dystrophy, Parkinson's disease, various types of cancer and influenza. Other diseases include malaria, anthrax, Alzheimer's disease. The need for national initiatives and European Collaboration for larger scale projects is stressed, to raise the awareness of citizens to participate in order to create a culture of internet volunteering altruism.

The Power of Engaging Citizen Scientists for Scientific Progress

PubMed Central

Garbarino, Jeanne; Mason, Christopher E.

2016-01-01

Citizen science has become a powerful force for scientific inquiry, providing researchers with access to a vast array of data points while connecting nonscientists to the authentic process of science. This citizen-researcher relationship creates an incredible synergy, allowing for the creation, execution, and analysis of research projects that would otherwise prove impossible in traditional research settings, namely due to the scope of needed human or financial resources (or both). However, citizen-science projects are not without their challenges. For instance, as projects are scaled up, there is concern regarding the rigor and usability of data collected by citizens who are not formally trained in research science. While these concerns are legitimate, we have seen examples of highly successful citizen-science projects from multiple scientific disciplines that have enhanced our collective understanding of science, such as how RNA molecules fold or determining the microbial metagenomic snapshot of an entire public transportation system. These and other emerging citizen-science projects show how improved protocols for reliable, large-scale science can realize both an improvement of scientific understanding for the general public and novel views of the world around us. PMID:27047581

Ocean Sciences meets Big Data Analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurwitz, B. L.; Choi, I.; Hartman, J.

2016-02-01

Hundreds of researchers worldwide have joined forces in the Tara Oceans Expedition to create an unprecedented planetary-scale dataset comprised of state-of-the-art next generation sequencing, microscopy, and physical/chemical metadata to explore ocean biodiversity. This summer the complete collection of data from the 2009-2013 Tara voyage was released. Yet, despite herculean efforts by the Tara Oceans Consortium to make raw data and computationally derived assemblies and gene catalogs available, most researchers are stymied by the sheer volume of the data. Specifically, the most tantalizing research questions lie in understanding the unifying principles that guide the distribution of organisms across the sea and affect climate and ecosystem function. To use the data in this capacity researchers must download, integrate, and analyze more than 7.2 trillion bases of metagenomic data and associated metadata from viruses, bacteria, archaea and small eukaryotes at their own data centers ( 9 TB of raw data). Accessing large-scale data sets in this way impedes scientists' from replicating and building on prior work. To this end, we are developing a data platform called the Ocean Cloud Commons (OCC) as part of the iMicrobe project. The OCC is built using an algorithm we developed to pre-compute massive comparative metagenomic analyses in a Hadoop big data framework. By maintaining data in a cloud commons researchers have access to scalable computation and real-time analytics to promote the integrated and broad use of planetary-scale datasets, such as Tara.

NASA SBIR abstracts of 1990 phase 1 projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwenk, F. C.; Gilman, J. A.; Paige, J. B.

1991-01-01

The research objectives of the 280 projects placed under contract in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 1990 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 program are described. The basic document consists of edited, non-proprietary abstracts of the winning proposals submitted by small businesses in response to NASA's 1990 SBIR Phase 1 Program Solicitation. The abstracts are presented under the 15 technical topics within which Phase 1 proposals were solicited. Each project was assigned a sequential identifying number from 001 to 280, in order of its appearance in the body of the report. The document also includes Appendixes to provide additional information about the SBIR program and permit cross-reference in the 1990 Phase 1 projects by company name, location by state, principal investigator, NASA field center responsible for management of each project, and NASA contract number.

Greased Lightning (GL-10) Performance Flight Research: Flight Data Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McSwain, Robert G.; Glaab, Louis J.; Theodore, Colin R.; Rhew, Ray D. (Editor); North, David D. (Editor)

2017-01-01

Modern aircraft design methods have produced acceptable designs for large conventional aircraft performance. With revolutionary electronic propulsion technologies fueled by the growth in the small UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) industry, these same prediction models are being applied to new smaller, and experimental design concepts requiring a VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) capability for ODM (On Demand Mobility). A 50% sub-scale GL-10 flight model was built and tested to demonstrate the transition from hover to forward flight utilizing DEP (Distributed Electric Propulsion)[1][2]. In 2016 plans were put in place to conduct performance flight testing on the 50% sub-scale GL-10 flight model to support a NASA project called DELIVER (Design Environment for Novel Vertical Lift Vehicles). DELIVER was investigating the feasibility of including smaller and more experimental aircraft configurations into a NASA design tool called NDARC (NASA Design and Analysis of Rotorcraft)[3]. This report covers the performance flight data collected during flight testing of the GL-10 50% sub-scale flight model conducted at Beaver Dam Airpark, VA. Overall the flight test data provides great insight into how well our existing conceptual design tools predict the performance of small scale experimental DEP concepts. Low fidelity conceptual design tools estimated the (L/D)( sub max)of the GL-10 50% sub-scale flight model to be 16. Experimentally measured (L/D)( sub max) for the GL-10 50% scale flight model was 7.2. The aerodynamic performance predicted versus measured highlights the complexity of wing and nacelle interactions which is not currently accounted for in existing low fidelity tools.

Banana production systems: identification of alternative systems for more sustainable production.

PubMed

Bellamy, Angelina Sanderson

2013-04-01

Large-scale, monoculture production systems dependent on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, increase yields, but are costly and have deleterious impacts on human health and the environment. This research investigates variations in banana production practices in Costa Rica, to identify alternative systems that combine high productivity and profitability, with reduced reliance on agrochemicals. Farm workers were observed during daily production activities; 39 banana producers and 8 extension workers/researchers were interviewed; and a review of field experiments conducted by the National Banana Corporation between 1997 and 2002 was made. Correspondence analysis showed that there is no structured variation in large-scale banana producers' practices, but two other banana production systems were identified: a small-scale organic system and a small-scale conventional coffee-banana intercropped system. Field-scale research may reveal ways that these practices can be scaled up to achieve a productive and profitable system producing high-quality export bananas with fewer or no pesticides.

An Evaluation of a Course That Introduces Undergraduate Students to Authentic Aerospace Engineering Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mena, Irene B.; Schmitz, Sven; McLaughlin, Dennis

2015-01-01

This paper describes the implementation and assessment of an aerospace engineering course in which undergraduate students worked on research projects with graduate research mentors. The course was created using the principles from cooperative learning and project-based learning, and consisted of students working in small groups on a complex,…

Determining Perceptual Gaps of Service Quality and Value in Higher Education: A Midwestern Bible College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntosh, Benjamin T.

2017-01-01

This doctoral research project examined perceptual gaps of service quality and value in the context of higher education. The researcher performed quantitative analysis of survey data gathered from students at a small, Midwestern Bible college. Students self-selected to participate in this research project and, using class status as an independent…

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-01

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread : across the state. A small, medium, and large project from each of the seven MoDOT districts was : selected by a regional manager for the project for a ...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread : across the state. A small, medium, and large project from each of the seven MoDOT districts was : selected by a regional manager for the project for a ...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-12-01

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread : across the state. A small, medium, and large project from each of the seven MoDOT districts was : selected by a regional manager for the project for a ...

Contribution to fusion research from IAEA coordinated research projects and joint experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gryaznevich, M.; Van Oost, G.; Stöckel, J.; Kamendje, R.; Kuteev, B. N.; Melnikov, A.; Popov, T.; Svoboda, V.; The IAEA CRP Teams

2015-10-01

The paper presents objectives and activities of IAEA Coordinated Research Projects ‘Conceptual development of steady-state compact fusion neutron sources’ and ‘Utilisation of a network of small magnetic confinement fusion devices for mainstream fusion research’. The background and main projects of the CRP on FNS are described in detail, as this is a new activity at IAEA. Recent activities of the second CRP, which continues activities of previous CRPs, are overviewed.

Raising Concerns about Sharing and Reusing Large-Scale Mathematics Classroom Observation Video Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ing, Marsha; Samkian, Artineh

2018-01-01

There are great opportunities and challenges to sharing large-scale mathematics classroom observation data. This Research Commentary describes the methodological opportunities and challenges and provides a specific example from a mathematics education research project to illustrate how the research questions and framework drove observational…

Views of School Managers and Teachers regarding the School Councils Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuksel, Sedat; Karadag, Engin

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine teachers' views regarding democracy education and the Project for School Councils which have been used in schools in Turkey. In the study, the researchers developed a perception scale for the project (PSPDA), which was administered to the teachers. Based on the results of this research, female teachers and…

Overview of NASA's Pulsed Plasma Thruster Development Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pencil, Eric J.; Kamhawi, Hani; Arrington, Lynn A.

2004-01-01

NASA's Pulsed Plasma Thruster Program consists of flight demonstration experiments, base research, and development efforts being conducted through a combination of in-house work, contracts, and collaborative programs. The program receives sponsorship from Energetics Project, the New Millennium Program, and the Small Business Innovative Research Program. The Energetics Project sponsors basic and fundamental research to increase thruster life, improve thruster performance, and reduce system mass. The New Millennium Program sponsors the in-orbit operation of the Pulsed Plasma Thruster experiment on the Earth Observing 1 spacecraft. The Small Business Innovative Research Program sponsors the development of innovative diamond-film capacitors, piezoelectric ignitors, and advanced fuels. Programmatic background, recent technical accomplishments, and future activities for each programmatic element are provided.

Establishing the validity and reliability of the Project Talent Personality Inventory

PubMed Central

Pozzebon, Julie; Damian, Rodica I.; Hill, Patrick L.; Lin, Yuchen; Lapham, Susan; Roberts, Brent W.

2013-01-01

Project Talent is a national longitudinal study that started in 1960. The original sample included over 440,000 students, which amounted to a 5% representative sample of high school students across the United States. Previous research has not yet established the validity and reliability of the personality measure used in this study, that is, the Project Talent Personality Inventory (PTPI). Given the potential interest and use of the PTPI in forthcoming research, the goals of the present paper were to establish (a) the construct and predictive validity and (b) the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the PTPI. This information will be valuable to researchers who might be interested in using the PTPI to predict life course outcomes, such as mortality, occupational success, relationship success, and health. Study 1 found that the 10 sub-scales of the PTPI showed good internal consistency reliability, as well as good construct and predictive validity. With the use of several modern personality measures, we showed how the 10 PTPI scales can be mapped onto the Big Five personality traits, and we examined their relations with health, well-being, and life satisfaction outcomes. Study 2 found that the 10 PTPI scales showed good test-retest reliability. Together, these findings allow researchers to better understand and use the PTPI scales, as they are available in Project Talent. PMID:24399984

A case study of autonomy and motivation in a student-led game development project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prigmore, M.; Taylor, R.; De Luca, D.

2016-07-01

This paper presents the findings of an exploratory case study into the relationship between student autonomy and motivation in project based learning, using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to frame the investigation. The case study explores how different forms of motivation affect the students' response to challenges and their intention to complete the project. Earlier studies have made little explicit use of theoretical perspectives on student autonomy and motivation, a weakness this study attempts to address. As an exploratory case study seeking to evaluate the suitability of a particular theoretical framework, we chose a small case: three students on a one-term computer games development project. Given the small scale, the approach is necessarily qualitative, drawing on project documentation and one-to-one interviews with the students. Our conclusion is that the concepts of SDT provide a useful framework for analysing students' motivations to undertake project work, and its predictions can offer useful guidance on how to initiate and supervise such projects.

What Does It Take to Scale Up and Sustain Evidence-Based Practices?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klingner, Janette K.; Boardman, Alison G.; Mcmaster, Kristen L.

2013-01-01

This article discusses the strategic scaling up of evidence-based practices. The authors draw from the scholarly work of fellow special education researchers and from the field of learning sciences. The article defines scaling up as the process by which researchers or educators initially implement interventions on a small scale, validate them, and…

Development and analysis of educational technologies for a blended organic chemistry course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Michael James

Blended courses incorporate elements of both face-to-face and online instruction. The extent to which blended courses are conducted online, and the proper role of the online components of blended courses, have been debated and may vary. What can be said in general, however, is that online tools for blended courses are typically culled together from a variety of sources, are often very large scale, and may present distractions for students that decrease their utility as teaching tools. Furthermore, large-scale educational technologies may not be amenable to rigorous, detailed study, limiting evaluation of their effectiveness. Small-scale educational technologies run from the instructor's own server have the potential to mitigate many of these issues. Such tools give the instructor or researcher direct access to all available data, facilitating detailed analysis of student use. Code modification is simple and rapid if errors arise, since code is stored where the instructor can easily access it. Finally, the design of a small-scale tool can target a very specific application. With these ideas in mind, this work describes several projects aimed at exploring the use of small-scale, web-based software in a blended organic chemistry course. A number of activities were developed and evaluated using the Student Assessment of Learning Gains survey, and data from the activities were analyzed using quantitative methods of statistics and social network analysis methods. Findings from this work suggest that small-scale educational technologies provide significant learning benefits for students of organic chemistry---with the important caveat that instructors must offer appropriate levels of technical and pedagogical support for students. Most notably, students reported significant learning gains from activities that included collaborative learning supported by novel online tools. For the particular context of organic chemistry, which has a unique semantic language (Lewis structures), the incorporation of shared video was a novel but important element of these activities. In fields for which mere text would not provide enough information in communications between students, video offers an appealing medium for student-student interaction.

Effects of lateral boundary condition resolution and update frequency on regional climate model predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pankatz, Klaus; Kerkweg, Astrid

2015-04-01

The work presented is part of the joint project "DecReg" ("Regional decadal predictability") which is in turn part of the project "MiKlip" ("Decadal predictions"), an effort funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to improve decadal predictions on a global and regional scale. In MiKlip, one big question is if regional climate modeling shows "added value", i.e. to evaluate, if regional climate models (RCM) produce better results than the driving models. However, the scope of this study is to look more closely at the setup specific details of regional climate modeling. As regional models only simulate a small domain, they have to inherit information about the state of the atmosphere at their lateral boundaries from external data sets. There are many unresolved questions concerning the setup of lateral boundary conditions (LBC). External data sets come from global models or from global reanalysis data-sets. A temporal resolution of six hours is common for this kind of data. This is mainly due to the fact, that storage space is a limiting factor, especially for climate simulations. However, theoretically, the coupling frequency could be as high as the time step of the driving model. Meanwhile, it is unclear if a more frequent update of the LBCs has a significant effect on the climate in the domain of the RCM. The first study examines how the RCM reacts to a higher update frequency. The study is based on a 30 year time slice experiment for three update frequencies of the LBC, namely six hours, one hour and six minutes. The evaluation of means, standard deviations and statistics of the climate in the regional domain shows only small deviations, some statistically significant though, of 2m temperature, sea level pressure and precipitation. The second part of the first study assesses parameters linked to cyclone activity, which is affected by the LBC update frequency. Differences in track density and strength are found when comparing the simulations. Theoretically, regional down-scaling should act like a magnifying glass. It should reveal details on small scales which a global model cannot resolve, but it should not affect the large scale flow. As the development of the small scale features takes some time, it is important that the air stays long enough within the regional domain. The spin-up time of the small scale features is, of course, dependent on the resolution of the LBC and the resolution of the RCM. The second study examines the quality of decadal hind-casts over Europe of the decade 2001-2010 when the horizontal resolution of the driving model, namely 2.8°, 1.8°, 1.4°, 1.1°, from which the LBC are calculated, is altered. The study shows, that a smaller resolution gap between LBC resolution and RCM resolution might be beneficial.

Service Family Support -- A Small-Scale Project of Educational Psychologists Working with Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogg, Jane; Hart, Anne; Collins, Zoe V.

2014-01-01

Being in a Service family can be a difficult position for children and parents alike due to high levels of mobility, parental separation, and the remaining parent's stress and emotional well-being. A Service family is defined as a family with one or both parents employed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The current project looked at the…

Seeding Writing Project Principles and Practices in a School Community: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Locke, Terry; Kato, Helen

2014-01-01

This article reports on a small-scale case study involving all English teachers of junior classes in a rural high school in New Zealand. The Head of English had been involved in Writing Project professional learning, designed in accordance with principles and practices that can be found in a number of countries, especially the United States. The…

Development and validation of the Medical Student Scholar-Ideal Mentor Scale (MSS-IMS).

PubMed

Sozio, Stephen M; Chan, Kitty S; Beach, Mary Catherine

2017-08-08

Programs encouraging medical student research such as Scholarly Concentrations (SC) are increasing nationally. However, there are few validated measures of mentoring quality tailored to medical students. We sought to modify and validate a mentoring scale for use in medical student research experiences. SC faculty created a scale evaluating how medical students assess mentors in the research setting. A validated graduate student scale of mentorship, the Ideal Mentor Scale, was modified by selecting 10 of the 34 original items most relevant for medical students and adding an item on project ownership. We administered this 11-item assessment to second year medical students in the Johns Hopkins University SC Program from 2011 to 2016, and performed exploratory factor analysis with oblique rotation to determine included items and subscales. We correlate overall mentoring quality scale and subscales with four student outcomes: 'very satisfied' with mentor, 'more likely' to do future research, project accepted at a national meeting, and highest SC faculty rating of student project. Five hundred ninety-eight students responded (87% response rate). After factor analysis, we eliminated three items producing a final scale of overall mentoring quality (8 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.92) with three subscales: advocacy, responsiveness, and assistance. The overall mentoring quality scale was significantly associated with all four student outcomes, including mentor satisfaction: OR [(95% CI), p-value] 1.66 [(1.53-1.79), p < 0.001]; likelihood of future research: OR 1.06 [(1.03-1.09), p < 0.001]; abstract submission to national meetings: OR 1.05 [(1.02-1.08), p = 0.002]; and SC faculty rating of student projects: OR 1.08 [(1.03-1.14), p = 0.004]. Each subscale also correlated with overall mentor satisfaction, and the strongest relationship of each subscale was seen with 'mentor advocacy.' Mentor quality can be reliably measured and associates with important medical student scholarly outcomes. Given the lack of tools, this scale can be used by other SC Programs to advance medical students' scholarship.

$6 Million in Awards to Advance Solar Cell Research

Science.gov Websites

five companies for high tech research into non-conventional, photovoltaic technologies for creating can have significant cost advantages over conventional technologies. This non-conventional solar , Newbury Park, $498,000 (small business) Project Title: Non-Vacuum Processing of CIGS Solar Cells Project

Initiatives for Sustainable Community Development in Sierra Leone.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamara, John M.; Kargbo, Stephen B.

1999-01-01

In Sierra Leone, two church-sponsored programs are focused on sustainable development. The Wesleyan Development Education and Awareness Programme trains people to initiate community projects. Women's Loan Scheme encourages development of small-scale enterprises. (SK)

PoPLAR: Portal for Petascale Lifescience Applications and Research

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background We are focusing specifically on fast data analysis and retrieval in bioinformatics that will have a direct impact on the quality of human health and the environment. The exponential growth of data generated in biology research, from small atoms to big ecosystems, necessitates an increasingly large computational component to perform analyses. Novel DNA sequencing technologies and complementary high-throughput approaches--such as proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, and meta-genomics--drive data-intensive bioinformatics. While individual research centers or universities could once provide for these applications, this is no longer the case. Today, only specialized national centers can deliver the level of computing resources required to meet the challenges posed by rapid data growth and the resulting computational demand. Consequently, we are developing massively parallel applications to analyze the growing flood of biological data and contribute to the rapid discovery of novel knowledge. Methods The efforts of previous National Science Foundation (NSF) projects provided for the generation of parallel modules for widely used bioinformatics applications on the Kraken supercomputer. We have profiled and optimized the code of some of the scientific community's most widely used desktop and small-cluster-based applications, including BLAST from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), HMMER, and MUSCLE; scaled them to tens of thousands of cores on high-performance computing (HPC) architectures; made them robust and portable to next-generation architectures; and incorporated these parallel applications in science gateways with a web-based portal. Results This paper will discuss the various developmental stages, challenges, and solutions involved in taking bioinformatics applications from the desktop to petascale with a front-end portal for very-large-scale data analysis in the life sciences. Conclusions This research will help to bridge the gap between the rate of data generation and the speed at which scientists can study this data. The ability to rapidly analyze data at such a large scale is having a significant, direct impact on science achieved by collaborators who are currently using these tools on supercomputers. PMID:23902523

Synthesis and Integration of Pre-treatment Results from the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project

Treesearch

Wendy K. Gram; Victoria L. Sork; Robert J. Marquis

1997-01-01

Integrating results across disciplines is a critical component of ecosystem management and research. The common research sites, landscape-scale experimental design, and breadth of research subjects in Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project provide circumstances conducive for addressing multidisciplinary questions. Our objectives were to (1) summarize the treatment and...

ECO-Report - Scale matters - some thoughts on landscape sustainability

Treesearch

Sharon Ritter; Janie Canton-Thompson; Greg Jones; Ward McCaughey; Dave Calkin; Mick Harrington; Peter Kolb; LaWen Hollingsworth; Joe Jensen; Katie Knotek; Brooke Thompson

2005-01-01

ECO-Report is an annual Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) publication which contains a set of articles showcasing the Bitterroot Ecosystem Management Research Project (BEMRP) research projects and activities. The articles are concise, user-friendly, and designed to inform a broad range of audiences interested in ecosystem management. Articles featured in...

Bantam: A Cautionary Tale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McNeal, Curtis I., Jr.

2004-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the history of the Bantam program that was cancelled in 1999 due to the decision that the focus on the small payloads was unsustainable and that there would be no return on investment. The comparison is made between NASA's Bantam program, and DARPA's (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) two similar projects (Falcon and Rascal). The Bantam Program was to be a small launch vehicle, aimed at launching small payloads (i.e., of 150-300 kg) into space.

Black start research of the wind and storage system based on the dual master-slave control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, Xue; Shen, Li; Hu, Tian; Liu, Li

2018-02-01

Black start is the key to solving the problem of large-scale power failure, while the introduction of new renewable clean energy as a black start power supply was a new hotspot. Based on the dual master-slave control strategy, the wind and storage system was taken as the black start reliable power, energy storage and wind combined to ensure the stability of the micorgrid systems, to realize the black start. In order to obtain the capacity ratio of the storage in the small system based on the dual master-slave control strategy, and the black start constraint condition of the wind and storage combined system, obtain the key points of black start of wind storage combined system, but also provide reference and guidance for the subsequent large-scale wind and storage combined system in black start projects.

Small business innovation research: Abstracts of 1984. Phase 1 awards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

On September 27, 1984, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced the selection of Phase I projects for the Small Business Innovation Research Program. These awards resulted from the evaluation of proposals submitted in response to the 1984 Program Solicitation, SBIR 84-1. In order to make available information on the technical content of the Phase I projects supported by the NASA SBIR Program, the abstracts of those proposals which resulted in awards of contracts are given. In addition, the name and address of the firm performing the work are given for those who may desired additional information about the project. Propulsion, aerodynamics, computer techniques, exobiology and composite materials are among the areas covered.

H2@Scale Laboratory CRADA Call | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells | NREL

Science.gov Websites

research and development agreement (CRADA) projects with the Hydrogen at Scale (H2@Scale) national CRADA Call H2@Scale CRADA Agreement Template Responses to CRADA Call Questions: Part 1 (includes

Renewable Energy in China: Xiao Qing Dao Village Power Wind/Diesel Hybrid Pilot Project

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

Not Available

2006-01-01

In 2000, DOE/NREL and the State Power Corporation of China (SPCC) developed a pilot project to electrify Xiao Qing Dao, a small island located in China's Yellow Sea. The project demonstrates the practicality of renewable energy systems for medium-scale, off-grid applications. It consists of four 10 k-W wind turbines connected to a 30-kW diesel generator, a 40-kW inverter and a battery bank.

Zooniverse - Web scale citizen science with people and machines. (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, A.; Lynn, S.; Lintott, C.; Simpson, R.

2013-12-01

The Zooniverse (zooniverse.org) began in 2007 with the launch of Galaxy Zoo, a project in which more than 175,000 people provided shape analyses of more than 1 million galaxy images sourced from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. These galaxy 'classifications', some 60 million in total, have since been used to produce more than 50 peer-reviewed publications based not only on the original research goals of the project but also because of serendipitous discoveries made by the volunteer community. Based upon the success of Galaxy Zoo the team have gone on to develop more than 25 web-based citizen science projects, all with a strong research focus in a range of subjects from astronomy to zoology where human-based analysis still exceeds that of machine intelligence. Over the past 6 years Zooniverse projects have collected more than 300 million data analyses from over 1 million volunteers providing fantastically rich datasets for not only the individuals working to produce research from their project but also the machine learning and computer vision research communities. The Zooniverse platform has always been developed to be the 'simplest thing that works' implementing only the most rudimentary algorithms for functionality such as task allocation and user-performance metrics - simplifications necessary to scale the Zooniverse such that the core team of developers and data scientists can remain small and the cost of running the computing infrastructure relatively modest. To date these simplifications have been appropriate for the data volumes and analysis tasks being addressed. This situation however is changing: next generation telescopes such as the Large Synoptic Sky Telescope (LSST) will produce data volumes dwarfing those previously analyzed. If citizen science is to have a part to play in analyzing these next-generation datasets then the Zooniverse will need to evolve into a smarter system capable for example of modeling the abilities of users and the complexities of the data being classified in real time. In this session I will outline the current architecture of the Zooniverse platform and introduce new functionality being developed to enable the development of a true 'social machines'. Our platform is evolving into a system capable of integrating human and machine intelligence in a live environment thus capable of addressing some of the biggest challenges in big-data science.

Research to Real Life, 2006: Innovations in Deaf-Blindness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leslie, Gail, Ed.

2006-01-01

This publication presents several projects that support children who are deaf-blind. These projects are: (1) Learning To Learn; (2) Project SALUTE; (3) Project SPARKLE; (4) Bringing It All Back Home; (5) Project PRIIDE; and (6) Including Students With Deafblindness In Large Scale Assessment Systems. Each project lists components, key practices,…

Managing Change in Small Primary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Valerie; McPake, Joanna

1998-01-01

This report summarizes a two-phase research project on the strategies used by headteachers in small Scottish primary schools to manage mandated educational changes. The research focused on four initiatives of the past decade: 5-14 Curriculum Guidelines, School Development Planning, Staff Development and Appraisal, and Devolved School Management.…

Mercury Capsule Model in the 1- by 1-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel

NASA Image and Video Library

1959-10-21

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) researchers install a small-scale model of the capsule for Project Mercury in the 1- by 1-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel at the Lewis Research Center. NASA Lewis conducted a variety of tests for Project Mercury, including retrorocket calibration, escape tower engine performance, and separation of the capsule from simulated Atlas and Redstone boosters. The test of this capsule and escape tower model in the 1- by 1-foot tunnel were run in January and February 1960. The 1-by 1-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel had a 15-inch long test section, seen here, that was one foot wide and one foot high. The sides were made of glass to allow cameras to capture the supersonic air flow over the models. The tunnel could generate air flows from Mach 1.3 to 3.0. At the time, it was one of nine small supersonic wind tunnels at Lewis. These tunnels used the exhauster and compressor equipment of the larger facilities. The 1- by 1 tunnel, which began operating in the early 1950s, was built inside a test cell in the expansive Engine Research Building. During the 1950s the 1- by 1 was used to study a variety of inlets, nozzles, and cones for missiles and scramjets. The Mercury capsule tests were among the last at the facility for many years. The tunnel was mothballed in 1960. The 1- by 1 was briefly restored in 1972, then brought back online for good in 1979. The facility has maintained a brisk operating schedule ever since.

Using real options to evaluate the flexibility in the deployment of SMR

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

Locatelli, G.; Mancini, M.; Ruiz, F.

2012-07-01

According to recent estimations the financial gap between Large Reactors (LR) and Small Medium Reactors (SMRs) seems not as huge as the economy of scale would suggest, so the SMRs are going to be important players of the worldwide nuclear renaissance. POLIMIs INCAS model has been developed to compare the investment in SMR with respect to LR. It provides the value of IRR (Internal Rate of Return), NPV (Net Present Value), LUEC (Levelized Unitary Electricity Cost), up-front investment, etc. The aim of this research is to integrate the actual INCAS model, based on discounted cash flows, with the real optionmore » theory to measure flexibility of the investor to expand, defer or abandon a nuclear project, under future uncertainties. The work compares the investment in a large nuclear power plant with a series of smaller, modular nuclear power plants on the same site. As a consequence it compares the benefits of the large power plant, coming from the economy of scale, to the benefit of the modular project (flexibility) concluding that managerial flexibility can be measured and used by an investor to face the investment risks. (authors)« less

Regional climate projection of the Maritime Continent using the MIT Regional Climate Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

IM, E. S.; Eltahir, E. A. B.

2014-12-01

Given that warming of the climate system is unequivocal (IPCC AR5), accurate assessment of future climate is essential to understand the impact of climate change due to global warming. Modelling the climate change of the Maritime Continent is particularly challenge, showing a high degree of uncertainty. Compared to other regions, model agreement of future projections in response to anthropogenic emission forcings is much less. Furthermore, the spatial and temporal behaviors of climate projections seem to vary significantly due to a complex geographical condition and a wide range of scale interactions. For the fine-scale climate information (27 km) suitable for representing the complexity of climate change over the Maritime Continent, dynamical downscaling is performed using the MIT regional climate model (MRCM) during two thirty-year period for reference (1970-1999) and future (2070-2099) climate. Initial and boundary conditions are provided by Community Earth System Model (CESM) simulations under the emission scenarios projected by MIT Integrated Global System Model (IGSM). Changes in mean climate as well as the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events are investigated at various temporal and spatial scales. Our analysis is primarily centered on the different behavior of changes in convective and large-scale precipitation over land vs. ocean during dry vs. wet season. In addition, we attempt to find the added value to downscaled results over the Maritime Continent through the comparison between MRCM and CESM projection. Acknowledgements.This research was supported by the National Research Foundation Singapore through the Singapore MIT Alliance for Research and Technology's Center for Environmental Sensing and Modeling interdisciplinary research program.

HTS-DB: an online resource to publish and query data from functional genomics high-throughput siRNA screening projects.

PubMed

Saunders, Rebecca E; Instrell, Rachael; Rispoli, Rossella; Jiang, Ming; Howell, Michael

2013-01-01

High-throughput screening (HTS) uses technologies such as RNA interference to generate loss-of-function phenotypes on a genomic scale. As these technologies become more popular, many research institutes have established core facilities of expertise to deal with the challenges of large-scale HTS experiments. As the efforts of core facility screening projects come to fruition, focus has shifted towards managing the results of these experiments and making them available in a useful format that can be further mined for phenotypic discovery. The HTS-DB database provides a public view of data from screening projects undertaken by the HTS core facility at the CRUK London Research Institute. All projects and screens are described with comprehensive assay protocols, and datasets are provided with complete descriptions of analysis techniques. This format allows users to browse and search data from large-scale studies in an informative and intuitive way. It also provides a repository for additional measurements obtained from screens that were not the focus of the project, such as cell viability, and groups these data so that it can provide a gene-centric summary across several different cell lines and conditions. All datasets from our screens that can be made available can be viewed interactively and mined for further hit lists. We believe that in this format, the database provides researchers with rapid access to results of large-scale experiments that might facilitate their understanding of genes/compounds identified in their own research. DATABASE URL: http://hts.cancerresearchuk.org/db/public.

The DIS, the CODD, IGSNs and DOIs: Tools you need to succeed with your ocean and continental scientific drilling project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorgas, Thomas; Conze, Ronald; Lorenz, Henning; Elger, Kirsten; Ulbricht, Damian; Wilkens, Roy; Lyle, Mitchell; Westerhold, Thomas; Drury, Anna Joy; Tian, Jun; Hahn, Annette

2017-04-01

Scientific ocean drilling over the past >40 years and corresponding efforts on land (by now for more than >20 years) has led to the accumulation of an enormous amount of valuable petrophysical, geochemical, biological and geophysical data obtained through laboratory and field experiments across a multitude of scale-and time dimensions. Such data can be utilized comprehensively in a holistic fashion, and thereby provide base toward an enhanced "Core-Log-Integration", modeling small-scale basin processes to large-scale Earth phenomena, while also storing and managing all relevant information in an "Open Access" fashion. Since the early 1990's members of our team have acquired and measured a large dataset of physical and geochemical properties representing both terrestrial and marine geological environments. This dataset cover a variety of both macro-to-microscale dimensions, and thereby allowing this type of interdisciplinary data examination. Over time, data management and processing tools have been developed and were recently merged with modern data publishing methods, which allow identifying and tracking data and associated publications in a trackable and concise manner. Our current presentation summarizes an important part of the value chain in geosciences, comprising: 1) The state-of-the-art in data management for continental and lake drilling projects performed with and through ICDP's Drilling Information System (DIS). 2) The CODD (Code for Ocean Drilling Data) as numerical-based, programmable data processing toolbox and applicable for both continental and marine drilling projects. 3) The implementation of Persistent Identifiers, such as the International Geo Sample Number (IGSN) to identify and track sample material as part of Digital-Object-Identifier (DOI)-tagged operation reports and research publications. 4) A list of contacts provided for scientists with an interest in learning and applying methods and techniques we offer in form of basic and advanced training courses at our respective research institutions and facilities around the world.

The Python Project: A Unique Model for Extending Research Opportunities to Undergraduate Students

PubMed Central

Harvey, Pamela A.; Wall, Christopher; Luckey, Stephen W.; Langer, Stephen

2014-01-01

Undergraduate science education curricula are traditionally composed of didactic instruction with a small number of laboratory courses that provide introductory training in research techniques. Research on learning methodologies suggests this model is relatively ineffective, whereas participation in independent research projects promotes enhanced knowledge acquisition and improves retention of students in science. However, availability of faculty mentors and limited departmental budgets prevent the majority of students from participating in research. A need therefore exists for this important component in undergraduate education in both small and large university settings. A course was designed to provide students with the opportunity to engage in a research project in a classroom setting. Importantly, the course collaborates with a sponsor's laboratory, producing a symbiotic relationship between the classroom and the laboratory and an evolving course curriculum. Students conduct a novel gene expression study, with their collective data being relevant to the ongoing research project in the sponsor's lab. The success of this course was assessed based on the quality of the data produced by the students, student perception data, student learning gains, and on whether the course promoted interest in and preparation for careers in science. In this paper, we describe the strategies and outcomes of this course, which represents a model for efficiently providing research opportunities to undergraduates. PMID:25452492

Transient flows of the solar wind associated with small-scale solar activity in solar minimum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slemzin, Vladimir; Veselovsky, Igor; Kuzin, Sergey; Gburek, Szymon; Ulyanov, Artyom; Kirichenko, Alexey; Shugay, Yulia; Goryaev, Farid

The data obtained by the modern high sensitive EUV-XUV telescopes and photometers such as CORONAS-Photon/TESIS and SPHINX, STEREO/EUVI, PROBA2/SWAP, SDO/AIA provide good possibilities for studying small-scale solar activity (SSA), which is supposed to play an important role in heating of the corona and producing transient flows of the solar wind. During the recent unusually weak solar minimum, a large number of SSA events, such as week solar flares, small CMEs and CME-like flows were observed and recorded in the databases of flares (STEREO, SWAP, SPHINX) and CMEs (LASCO, CACTUS). On the other hand, the solar wind data obtained in this period by ACE, Wind, STEREO contain signatures of transient ICME-like structures which have shorter duration (<10h), weaker magnetic field strength (<10 nT) and lower proton temperature than usual ICMEs. To verify the assumption that ICME-like transients may be associated with the SSA events we investigated the number of weak flares of C-class and lower detected by SPHINX in 2009 and STEREO/EUVI in 2010. The flares were classified on temperature and emission measure using the diagnostic means of SPHINX and Hinode/EIS and were confronted with the parameters of the solar wind (velocity, density, ion composition and temperature, magnetic field, pitch angle distribution of the suprathermal electrons). The outflows of plasma associated with the flares were identified by their coronal signatures - CMEs (only in few cases) and dimmings. It was found that the mean parameters of the solar wind projected to the source surface for the times of the studied flares were typical for the ICME-like transients. The results support the suggestion that weak flares can be indicators of sources of transient plasma flows contributing to the slow solar wind at solar minimum, although these flows may be too weak to be considered as separate CMEs and ICMEs. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration under Grant Agreement “eHeroes” (project n° 284461, www.eheroes.eu).

Critical role for hierarchical geospatial analyses in the design of fluvial research, assessment, and management

EPA Science Inventory

River science and management can be conducted at a range of spatiotemporal scales from reach to basin levels as long as the project goals and questions are matched correctly with the study design’s spatiotemporal scales and dependent variables. These project goals should also inc...

NASA Automated Fiber Placement Capabilities: Similar Systems, Complementary Purposes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, K. Chauncey; Jackson, Justin R.; Pelham, Larry I.; Stewart, Brian K.

2015-01-01

New automated fiber placement systems at the NASA Langley Research Center and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center provide state-of-art composites capabilities to these organizations. These systems support basic and applied research at Langley, complementing large-scale manufacturing and technology development at Marshall. These systems each consist of a multi-degree of freedom mobility platform including a commercial robot, a commercial tool changer mechanism, a bespoke automated fiber placement end effector, a linear track, and a rotational tool support structure. In addition, new end effectors with advanced capabilities may be either bought or developed with partners in industry and academia to extend the functionality of these systems. These systems will be used to build large and small composite parts in support of the ongoing NASA Composites for Exploration Upper Stage Project later this year.

Economic analysis of small-scale agricultural digesters in the United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Anaerobic digestion is a manure treatment option that is gaining popularity throughout the world due to its multiple environmental and economic benefits. However, further research is needed for anaerobic technology to become more readily available, cost effective and manageable for small-scale to m...

A methodology for small scale rural land use mapping in semi-arid developing countries using orbital imagery. 1: Introduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vangenderen, J. L. (Principal Investigator); Lock, B. F.

1976-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. This research program has developed a viable methodology for producing small scale rural land use maps in semi-arid developing countries using imagery obtained from orbital multispectral scanners.

HNSciCloud - Overview and technical Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasthuber, Martin; Meinhard, Helge; Jones, Robert

2017-10-01

HEP is only one of many sciences with sharply increasing compute requirements that cannot be met by profiting from Moore’s law alone. Commercial clouds potentially allow for realising larger economies of scale. While some small-scale experience requiring dedicated effort has been collected, public cloud resources have not been integrated yet with the standard workflows of science organisations in their private data centres; in addition, European science has not ramped up to significant scale yet. The HELIX NEBULA Science Cloud project - HNSciCloud, partly funded by the European Commission, addresses these points. Ten organisations under CERN’s leadership, covering particle physics, bioinformatics, photon science and other sciences, have joined to procure public cloud resources as well as dedicated development efforts towards this integration. The HNSciCloud project faces the challenge to accelerate developments performed by the selected commercial providers. In order to guarantee cost efficient usage of IaaS resources across a wide range of scientific communities, the technical requirements had to be carefully constructed. With respect to current IaaS offerings, dataintensive science is the biggest challenge; other points that need to be addressed concern identity federations, network connectivity and how to match business practices of large IaaS providers with those of public research organisations. In the first section, this paper will give an overview of the project and explain the findings so far. The last section will explain the key points of the technical requirements and present first results of the experience of the procurers with the services in comparison to their’on-premise’ infrastructure.

Large-scale standardized phenotyping of strawberry in RosBREED

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A large, multi-institutional, international, research project with the goal of bringing genomicists and plant breeders together was funded by USDA-NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative. Apple, cherry, peach, and strawberry are the Rosaceous crops included in the project. Many (900+) strawberry g...

Auroral zone electric fields from DE 1 and 2 at magnetic conjunctions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weimer, D. R.; Goertz, C. K.; Gurnett, D. A.; Maynard, N. C.; Burch, J. L.

1985-01-01

Nearly simultaneous measurements of auroral zone electric fields are obtained by the Dynamics Explorer spacecraft at altitudes below 900 km and above 4,500 km during magnetic conjunctions. The measured electric fields are usually perpendicular to the magnetic field lines. The north-south meridional electric fields are projected to a common altitude by a mapping function which accounts for the convergence of the magnetic field lines. When plotted as a function of invariant latitude, graphs of the projected electric fields measured by both DE-1 and DE-2 show that the large-scale electric field is the same at both altitudes, as expected. Superimposed on the large-scale fields, however, are small-scale features with wavelengths less than 100 km which are larger in magnitude at the higher altitude. Fourier transforms of the electric fields show that the magnitudes depend on wavelength. Outside of the auroral zone the electric field spectrums are nearly identical. But within the auroral zone the high and low altitude electric fields have a ratio which increases with the reciprocal of the wavelength. The small-scale electric field variations are associated with field-aligned currents. These currents are measured with both a plasma instrument and magnetometer on DE-1.

Computational Everyday Life Human Behavior Model as Servicable Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motomura, Yoichi; Nishida, Yoshifumi

A project called `Open life matrix' is not only a research activity but also real problem solving as an action research. This concept is realized by large-scale data collection, probabilistic causal structure model construction and information service providing using the model. One concrete outcome of this project is childhood injury prevention activity in new team consist of hospital, government, and many varieties of researchers. The main result from the project is a general methodology to apply probabilistic causal structure models as servicable knowledge for action research. In this paper, the summary of this project and future direction to emphasize action research driven by artificial intelligence technology are discussed.

Building the Superconducting Super Collider, 1989-1993: The Problem of Project Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riordan, Michael

2011-04-01

In attempting to construct the Superconducting Super Collider, US particle physicists faced a challenge unprecedented in the history of science. The SSC was the biggest and costliest pure scientific project ever, comparable in overall scale to the Manhattan Project or the Panama Canal - an order of magnitude larger than any previous particle accelerator or collider project. Managing such an enormous endeavor involved coordinating conventional-construction, magnet-manufacturing, and detector-building efforts costing over a billion dollars apiece. Because project-management experience at this scale did not exist within the physics community, the Universities Research Association and the US Department of Energy turned to companies and individuals from the military-industrial complex, with mixed results. The absence of a strong, qualified individual to serve as Project Manager throughout the duration of the project was a major problem. I contend that these problems in its project management contributed importantly to the SSC's 1993 demise. Research supported by NSF Award No. 823296.

Robust, non-invasive methods for metering groundwater well extraction in remote environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulovic, Nevenka; Keir, Greg; McIntyre, Neil

2017-04-01

Quantifying the rate of extraction from groundwater wells can be essential for regional scale groundwater management and impact assessment. This is especially the case in regions heavily dependent on groundwater such as the semi-arid Surat and Bowen Basins in Queensland, Australia. Of the 30 000+ groundwater wells in this area, the majority of which are used for stock watering and domestic purposes, almost none have flow metering devices installed. As part of a research project to estimate regional groundwater extraction, we have undertaken a small scale flow metering program on a selected set of wells. Conventional in-line flow meters were unsuitable for our project, as both non-invasiveness and adaptability / suitability to a variety of discharge pipe characteristics was critical. We describe the use of two metering technologies not widely used in groundwater applications, non-invasive, clamp-on ultrasonic transit time flow meters and tipping bucket flow meters, as semi-permanent installations on discharge pipes of various artesian and sub-artesian groundwater wells. We present examples of detailed extraction rate time-series, which are of particular value in developing predictive models of water well extraction in data limited areas where water use dynamics and drivers are poorly understood. We conclude by discussing future project trajectories, which include expansion of the monitoring network through development of novel metering techniques and telemetry across large areas of poor connectivity.

Discussion on the progress and future of satellite communication (Japan)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogata, M.; Mizusawa, H.; Irie, K.

1985-01-01

The current status of communications satellite development in Japan is presented. It is shown that beginning with research on satellite communucations in the late 1950's, progress was made in the areas of communications, remote sensing, and technology experimentation. The current status of communication satellites is presented, stressing development in the areas of CFRP construction elements, the use of LSI and MIC circuits, advanced multibeam antenna systems, Ku and Ka band transmission systems, and the shift to small-scale earth stations. Methods for reducing costs and increasing transmission efficiency are shown. The technical specifications of all satellite projects currently under development are given. Users of Japanese communications satellite are presented.

Paradigm change in ocean studies: multi-platform observing and forecasting integrated approach in response to science and society needs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tintoré, Joaquín

2017-04-01

The last 20 years of ocean research have allowed a description of the state of the large-scale ocean circulation. However, it is also well known that there is no such thing as an ocean state and that the ocean varies a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. More recently, in the last 10 years, new monitoring and modelling technologies have emerged allowing quasi real time observation and forecasting of the ocean at regional and local scales. Theses new technologies are key components of recent observing & forecasting systems being progressively implemented in many regional seas and coastal areas of the world oceans. As a result, new capabilities to characterise the ocean state and more important, its variability at small spatial and temporal scales, exists today in many cases in quasi-real time. Examples of relevance for society can be cited, among others our capabilities to detect and understand long-term climatic changes and also our capabilities to better constrain our forecasting capabilities of the coastal ocean circulation at temporal scales from sub-seasonal to inter-annual and spatial from regional to meso and submesoscale. The Mediterranean Sea is a well-known laboratory ocean where meso and submesoscale features can be ideally observed and studied as shown by the key contributions from projects such as Perseus, CMEMS, Jericonext, among others. The challenge for the next 10 years is the integration of theses technologies and multiplatform observing and forecasting systems to (a) monitor the variability at small scales mesoscale/weeks) in order (b) to resolve the sub-basin/seasonal and inter-annual variability and by this (c) establish the decadal variability, understand the associated biases and correct them. In other words, the new observing systems now allow a major change in our focus of ocean observation, now from small to large scales. Recent studies from SOCIB -www.socib.es- have shown the importance of this new small to large-scale multi-platform approach in ocean observation. Three examples from the integration capabilities of SOCIB facilities will be presented and discussed. First the quasi-continuous high frequency glider monitoring of the Ibiza Channel since 2011, an important biodiversity hot spot and a 'choke' point in the Western Mediterranean circulation, has allowed us to reveal a high frequency variability in the North-South exchanges, with very significant changes (0.8 - 0.9 Sv) occurring over periods of days to week of the same order as the previously known seasonal cycle. HF radar data and model results have also contributed more recently to better describe and understand the variability at small scales. Second, the Alborex/Perseus project multi-platform experiment (e.g., RV catamaran, 2 gliders, 25 drifters, 3 Argo type profilers & satellite data) that focused on submesoscale processes and ecosystem response and carried out in the Alborán Sea in May 2014. Glider results showed significant chlorophyll subduction in areas adjacent to the steep density front with patterns related to vertical motion. Initial dynamical interpretations will be presented. Third and final, I will discuss the key relevance of the data centre to guarantee data interoperability, quality control, availability and distribution for this new approach to ocean observation and forecasting to be really efficient in responding to key scientific state of the art priorities, enhancing technology development and responding to society needs.

In-Situ Observation of Undisturbed Surface Layer Scaler Profiles for Characterizing Evaporative Duct Properties

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

lowest tens of meters of the MASL from a small Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB), or a small work boat, equipped with a tethered profiling system and...ducting Research (CASPER) project. It is capable of making repeated measurements of the lowest tens of meters of the MASL from a small Rigid Hull ...Naval Postgraduate School ONR Office of Naval Research PJ Paulus-Jeske RHIB rigid- hulled inflatable boat R/V research vessel SST sea

Photovoltaic Subcontract Program

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

Surek, Thomas; Catalano, Anthony

1993-03-01

This report summarizes the fiscal year (FY) 1992 progress of the subcontracted photovoltaic (PV) research and development (R D) performed under the Photovoltaic Advanced Research and Development Project at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)-formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). The mission of the national PV program is to develop PV technology for large-scale generation of economically competitive electric power in the United States. The technical sections of the report cover the main areas of the subcontract program: the Crystalline Materials and Advanced Concepts project, the Polycrystalline Thin Films project, Amorphous Silicon Research project, the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT)more » project, PV Module and System Performance and Engineering project, and the PV Analysis and Applications Development project. Technical summaries of each of the subcontracted programs provide a discussion of approaches, major accomplishments in FY 1992, and future research directions.« less

Review of NASA's Hypersonic Research Engine Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, Earl H.; Mackley, Ernest A.

1993-01-01

The goals of the NASA Hypersonic Research Engine (HRE) Project, which began in 1964, were to design, develop, and construct a hypersonic research ramjet/scramjet engine for high performance and to flight-test the developed concept over the speed range from Mach 3 to 8. The project was planned to be accomplished in three phases: project definition, research engine development, and flight test using the X-15A-2 research aircraft, which was modified to carry hydrogen fuel for the research engine. The project goal of an engine flight test was eliminated when the X-15 program was canceled in 1968. Ground tests of engine models then became the focus of the project. Two axisymmetric full-scale engine models having 18-inch-diameter cowls were fabricated and tested: a structural model and a combustion/propulsion model. A brief historical review of the project with salient features, typical data results, and lessons learned is presented.

Designing Informal Learning Spaces Using Student Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riddle, Matthew David; Souter, Kay

2012-01-01

This article describes the design of informal learning spaces at an Australian university that support students in the generation of knowledge. Recent learning space design projects at La Trobe have been informed by a number of pre-existing projects, including a small research project on student use of technologies, a national project on learning…

Teaching Sociology Students to Become Qualitative-Researchers Using an Internship Model of Learner-Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolich, Martin; Scarth, Bonnie; Shephard, Kerry

2015-01-01

This article examines the experiences of final year undergraduate sociology students enrolled in an internship course where they researched a local community project, mostly in small groups, for a client. A sociology lecturer supervised their projects. Course-related outcomes were assessed using conventional university procedures but a research…

School District-College Collaboration in Research: A Case of Novice Researchers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siskind, Theresa G.; Leonard, Gary

1995-01-01

Reports on a collaborative effort between five graduate education students at the Citadel (Charleston, South Carolina) and the Berkeley County School District (South Carolina) in evaluating the district's in-school suspension programs. Comments from those involved in the project indicate that small, short-term projects between colleges and schools…

A Review of Research on Project STAR and Path Ahead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sohn, Kitae

2016-01-01

Understanding the effects of class size reduction (CSR) has been an enduring issue in education. For the past 3 decades, Project STAR has stimulated research and policy discussions regarding the effects of CSR on a variety of outcomes. Schanzenbach (2007) reviewed STAR studies and concluded that small classes improved student academic outcomes.…

Proceedings of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Symposium: an experimental approach to landscape research

Treesearch

Brian L. Brookshire; Stephen R., eds. Shifley

1997-01-01

Describes the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Projects (MOFEP) that was initiated in 1991 in southeastern Missouri. Describes in detail the coordinated research studies examining vegetation dynamics, down wood, fungi, birds, small mammals, herpetofauna, invertebrates, and genetics. Soils, geolandforms, ecological landtypes, and climate at the sites are described....

Federal Aviation Administration Small Business Innovation Research 5- Year Project Summaries

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

Completed Project: The project’s two primary objectives were to further develop the technology base for the Slaved Tandem Freewing (STF) Airplance and...margins than conventional airplances , and can meet all applicable airworthiness requirements. Adaitionally, basic design parameters were developed

Map projections for global and continental data sets and an analysis of pixel distortion caused by reprojection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steinwand, Daniel R.; Hutchinson, John A.; Snyder, J.P.

1995-01-01

In global change studies the effects of map projection properties on data quality are apparent, and the choice of projection is significant. To aid compilers of global and continental data sets, six equal-area projections were chosen: the interrupted Goode Homolosine, the interrupted Mollweide, the Wagner IV, and the Wagner VII for global maps; the Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area for hemisphere maps; and the Oblated Equal-Area and the Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area for continental maps. Distortions in small-scale maps caused by reprojection, and the additional distortions incurred when reprojecting raster images, were quantified and graphically depicted. For raster images, the errors caused by the usual resampling methods (pixel brightness level interpolation) were responsible for much of the additional error where the local resolution and scale change were the greatest.

Vegetated treatment area (VTAs) efficiences for E. coli and nutrient removal on small-scale swine operations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As small-scale animal feeding operations work to manage their byproducts and avoid regulation, they need practical, cost-effective methods to reduce environmental impact. One such option is using vegetative treatment areas (VTAs) with perennial grasses to treat runoff; however, research is limited ...

A cloud, precipitation and electrification modeling effort for COHMEX

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orville, Harold D.; Helsdon, John H.; Farley, Richard D.

1991-01-01

In mid-1987, the Modeling Group of the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences (IAS) began to simulate and analyze cloud runs that were made during the Cooperative Huntsville Meteorological Experiment (COHMEX) Project and later. The cloud model was run nearly every day during the summer 1986 COHMEX Project. The Modeling Group was then funded to analyze the results, make further modeling tests, and help explain the precipitation processes in the Southeastern United States. The main science objectives of COHMEX were: (1) to observe the prestorm environment and understand the physical mechanisms leading to the formation of small convective systems and processes controlling the production of precipitation; (2) to describe the structure of small convective systems producing precipitation including the large and small scale events in the environment surrounding the developing and mature convective system; (3) to understand the interrelationships between electrical activity within the convective system and the process of precipitation; and (4) to develop and test numerical models describing the boundary layer, tropospheric, and cloud scale thermodynamics and dynamics associated with small convective systems. The latter three of these objectives were addressed by the modeling activities of the IAS. A series of cloud modes were used to simulate the clouds that formed during the operational project. The primary models used to date on the project were a two dimensional bulk water model, a two dimensional electrical model, and to a lesser extent, a two dimensional detailed microphysical cloud model. All of the models are based on fully interacting microphysics, dynamics, thermodynamics, and electrical equations. Only the 20 July 1986 case was analyzed in detail, although all of the cases run during the summer were analyzed as to how well they did in predicting the characteristics of the convection for that day.

The Effectiveness of Videotape Programs as a Communication Tool in the Small-Scale Livestock for Rural Farming Women Project, Honduras.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson-Dean, Lynn

This study examines economic development in Third World countries and the use of portable video systems in development projects. The study, conducted in 1985, attempts to measure the level of effectiveness of videotape programs as a communication tool for training rural subsistence women in Honduras in technical aspects of pig-keeping. Classical…

Engaging L2 Undergraduates in Relevant Project Work and Interaction: A Role for Video Conferencing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colwell O'Callaghan, Veronica

2013-01-01

This article reports on two small-scale international projects, both outcomes of a teaching staff exchange, which seek to exploit the potential afforded by new technologies to enrich L2 learning conditions and learners' experience of using the L2 (in this case English) as a lingua franca. Two undergraduate courses, one for professional and one for…

Contruction worker profile. community report--Center, North Dakota

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

Chalmers, J.A.; Glazner, J.

Center, North Dakota is one of the currently affected communities included in the study to help us learn something of the effects which large-scale construction projects have on small communities. The findings of the Project Survey, which was conducted at the Milton R. Young and Leland Olds Power plants, along with the findings of the Household Survey and the Community Survey, are presented.

[Qualitative evaluation of employer requirements associated with occupational health and safety as good practice in small-scale enterprises].

PubMed

Kuroki, Naomi; Miyashita, Nana; Hino, Yoshiyuki; Kayashima, Kotaro; Fujino, Yoshihisa; Takada, Mikio; Nagata, Tomohisa; Yamataki, Hajime; Sakuragi, Sonoko; Kan, Hirohiko; Morita, Tetsuya; Ito, Akiyoshi; Mori, Koji

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study was to identify what motivates employers to promote good occupational health and safety practices in small-scale enterprises. Previous studies have shown that small-scale enterprises generally pay insufficient attention to issues of occupational health and safety. These findings were mainly derived from questionnaire based surveys. Nevertheless, some small-scale enterprises in which employers exercise good leadership do take a progressive approach to occupational health and safety. Although good practices can be identified in small-scale enterprises, it remains unclear what motivates employers in small-scale enterprises to actively implement occupational health and safety practices. We speculated that identifying employer motivations in promoting occupational health would help to spread good practices among small-scale enterprises. Using a qualitative approach based on the KJ methods, we interviewed ten employers who actively promote occupational health and safety in the workplace. The employers were asked to discuss their views of occupational health and safety in their own words. A semi-structured interview format was used, and transcripts were made of the interviews. Each transcript was independently coded by two or more researchers. These transcripts and codes were integrated and then the research group members discussed the heading titles and structural relationships between them according to the KJ method. Qualitative analysis revealed that all the employers expressed a strong interest in a "good company" and "good management". They emphasized four elements of "good management", namely "securing human resources", "trust of business partners", "social responsibility" and "employer's health condition itself", and considered that addressing occupational health and safety was essential to the achievement of these four elements. Consistent with previous findings, the results showed that implementation of occupational health and safety activities depended on "cost", "human resources", "time to perform", and "advisory organization". These results suggest that employer awareness of the relationship between good management and occupational health is essential to the implementation of occupational health and safety practices in small-scale enterprises.

Proceedings of the 1st Army Installation Waste to Energy Workshop

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-01

Center 2902 Newmark Dr. Champaign, IL 61824 René S. Parker Select Engineering Services (SES) 1544 Woodland Park Ave. Suite 310 Layton , UT 84041...gasification technologies at different scales (Source: Larson, Eric D., “Small-Scale Gasification-Based Biomass Power Generation,” January 1998...Engineering Research Laboratory. Larson, Eric D. 1998. Small-scale gasification-based biomass power generation. Prepared for the Biomass Workshop

Microbiological, Geochemical and Hydrologic Processes Controlling Uranium Mobility: An Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge Site at Rifle, Colorado, Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is cleaning up and/or monitoring large, dilute plumes contaminated by metals, such as uranium and chromium, whose mobility and solubility change with redox status. Field-scale experiments with acetate as the electron donor have stimulated metal-reducing bacteria to effectively remove uranium [U(VI)] from groundwater at the Uranium Mill Tailings Site in Rifle, Colorado. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a multidisciplinary team of national laboratory and academic collaborators has embarked on a research proposed for the Rifle site, the object of which is to gain a comprehensive and mechanistic understanding of the microbial factors andmore » associated geochemistry controlling uranium mobility so that DOE can confidently remediate uranium plumes as well as support stewardship of uranium-contaminated sites. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the Rifle Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge Project.« less

Mantle Convection on Modern Supercomputers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weismüller, J.; Gmeiner, B.; Huber, M.; John, L.; Mohr, M.; Rüde, U.; Wohlmuth, B.; Bunge, H. P.

2015-12-01

Mantle convection is the cause for plate tectonics, the formation of mountains and oceans, and the main driving mechanism behind earthquakes. The convection process is modeled by a system of partial differential equations describing the conservation of mass, momentum and energy. Characteristic to mantle flow is the vast disparity of length scales from global to microscopic, turning mantle convection simulations into a challenging application for high-performance computing. As system size and technical complexity of the simulations continue to increase, design and implementation of simulation models for next generation large-scale architectures is handled successfully only in an interdisciplinary context. A new priority program - named SPPEXA - by the German Research Foundation (DFG) addresses this issue, and brings together computer scientists, mathematicians and application scientists around grand challenges in HPC. Here we report from the TERRA-NEO project, which is part of the high visibility SPPEXA program, and a joint effort of four research groups. TERRA-NEO develops algorithms for future HPC infrastructures, focusing on high computational efficiency and resilience in next generation mantle convection models. We present software that can resolve the Earth's mantle with up to 1012 grid points and scales efficiently to massively parallel hardware with more than 50,000 processors. We use our simulations to explore the dynamic regime of mantle convection and assess the impact of small scale processes on global mantle flow.

High Resolution Model Intercomparison Project (HighResMIP v1.0) for CMIP6

DOE PAGES

Haarsma, Reindert J.; Roberts, Malcolm J.; Vidale, Pier Luigi; ...

2016-11-22

Robust projections and predictions of climate variability and change, particularly at regional scales, rely on the driving processes being represented with fidelity in model simulations. The role of enhanced horizontal resolution in improved process representation in all components of the climate system is of growing interest, particularly as some recent simulations suggest both the possibility of significant changes in large-scale aspects of circulation as well as improvements in small-scale processes and extremes. However, such high-resolution global simulations at climate timescales, with resolutions of at least 50 km in the atmosphere and 0.25° in the ocean, have been performed at relativelymore » few research centres and generally without overall coordination, primarily due to their computational cost. Assessing the robustness of the response of simulated climate to model resolution requires a large multi-model ensemble using a coordinated set of experiments. The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6 (CMIP6) is the ideal framework within which to conduct such a study, due to the strong link to models being developed for the CMIP DECK experiments and other model intercomparison projects (MIPs). Increases in high-performance computing (HPC) resources, as well as the revised experimental design for CMIP6, now enable a detailed investigation of the impact of increased resolution up to synoptic weather scales on the simulated mean climate and its variability. The High Resolution Model Intercomparison Project (HighResMIP) presented in this paper applies, for the first time, a multi-model approach to the systematic investigation of the impact of horizontal resolution. A coordinated set of experiments has been designed to assess both a standard and an enhanced horizontal-resolution simulation in the atmosphere and ocean. The set of HighResMIP experiments is divided into three tiers consisting of atmosphere-only and coupled runs and spanning the period 1950–2050, with the possibility of extending to 2100, together with some additional targeted experiments. This paper describes the experimental set-up of HighResMIP, the analysis plan, the connection with the other CMIP6 endorsed MIPs, as well as the DECK and CMIP6 historical simulations. Lastly, HighResMIP thereby focuses on one of the CMIP6 broad questions, “what are the origins and consequences of systematic model biases?”, but we also discuss how it addresses the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) grand challenges.« less

Performance of the first Japanese large-scale facility for radon inhalation experiments with small animals.

PubMed

Ishimori, Yuu; Mitsunobu, Fumihiro; Yamaoka, Kiyonori; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Kataoka, Takahiro; Sakoda, Akihiro

2011-07-01

A radon test facility for small animals was developed in order to increase the statistical validity of differences of the biological response in various radon environments. This paper illustrates the performances of that facility, the first large-scale facility of its kind in Japan. The facility has a capability to conduct approximately 150 mouse-scale tests at the same time. The apparatus for exposing small animals to radon has six animal chamber groups with five independent cages each. Different radon concentrations in each animal chamber group are available. Because the first target of this study is to examine the in vivo behaviour of radon and its effects, the major functions to control radon and to eliminate thoron were examined experimentally. Additionally, radon progeny concentrations and their particle size distributions in the cages were also examined experimentally to be considered in future projects.

Clustering on very small scales from a large sample of confirmed quasar pairs: does quasar clustering track from Mpc to kpc scales?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eftekharzadeh, S.; Myers, A. D.; Hennawi, J. F.; Djorgovski, S. G.; Richards, G. T.; Mahabal, A. A.; Graham, M. J.

2017-06-01

We present the most precise estimate to date of the clustering of quasars on very small scales, based on a sample of 47 binary quasars with magnitudes of g < 20.85 and proper transverse separations of ˜25 h-1 kpc. Our sample of binary quasars, which is about six times larger than any previous spectroscopically confirmed sample on these scales, is targeted using a kernel density estimation (KDE) technique applied to Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) imaging over most of the SDSS area. Our sample is 'complete' in that all of the KDE target pairs with 17.0 ≲ R ≲ 36.2 h-1 kpc in our area of interest have been spectroscopically confirmed from a combination of previous surveys and our own long-slit observational campaign. We catalogue 230 candidate quasar pairs with angular separations of <8 arcsec, from which our binary quasars were identified. We determine the projected correlation function of quasars (\\bar{W}_p) in four bins of proper transverse scale over the range 17.0 ≲ R ≲ 36.2 h-1 kpc. The implied small-scale quasar clustering amplitude from the projected correlation function, integrated across our entire redshift range, is A = 24.1 ± 3.6 at ˜26.6 h-1 kpc. Our sample is the first spectroscopically confirmed sample of quasar pairs that is sufficiently large to study how quasar clustering evolves with redshift at ˜25 h-1 kpc. We find that empirical descriptions of how quasar clustering evolves with redshift at ˜25 h-1 Mpc also adequately describe the evolution of quasar clustering at ˜25 h-1 kpc.

Rapid identifying high-influence nodes in complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Bo; Jiang, Guo-Ping; Song, Yu-Rong; Xia, Ling-Ling

2015-10-01

A tiny fraction of influential individuals play a critical role in the dynamics on complex systems. Identifying the influential nodes in complex networks has theoretical and practical significance. Considering the uncertainties of network scale and topology, and the timeliness of dynamic behaviors in real networks, we propose a rapid identifying method (RIM) to find the fraction of high-influential nodes. Instead of ranking all nodes, our method only aims at ranking a small number of nodes in network. We set the high-influential nodes as initial spreaders, and evaluate the performance of RIM by the susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model. The simulations show that in different networks, RIM performs well on rapid identifying high-influential nodes, which is verified by typical ranking methods, such as degree, closeness, betweenness, and eigenvector centrality methods. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61374180 and 61373136), the Ministry of Education Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences Planning Fund Project, China (Grant No. 12YJAZH120), and the Six Projects Sponsoring Talent Summits of Jiangsu Province, China (Grant No. RLD201212).

Technology Base Research Project for electrochemical energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinoshita, K.

1985-06-01

The DOE Electrochemical Energy Storage Program is divided into two projects: (1) the exploratory technology development and testing (ETD) project and (2) the technology base research (TBR) project. The role of the TBR Project is to perform supporting research for the advanced battery systems under development by the ETD Project, and to evaluate new systems with potentially superior performance, durability and/or cost characteristics. The specific goal of the TBR Project is to identify the most promising electrochemical technologies and transfer them to industry and/or the ETD Project for further development and scale-up. This report summarizes the research, financial, and management activities relevant to the TBR Project in CY 1984. General problem areas addressed by the project include identification of new electrochemical couples for advanced batteries, determination of technical feasibility of the new couples, improvements in battery components and materials, establishment of engineering principles applicable to electrochemical energy storage and conversion, and the assessment of fuel-cell technology for transportation applications. Major emphasis is given to applied research which will lead to superior performance and lower life-cycle costs. The TBR Project is divided into three major project elements: exploratory research, applied science research, and air systems research.

Broadcast seeding as a potential tool to reestablish native species in degraded dry forest ecosystems in Hawaii

Treesearch

S. Brooks; S. Cordell; L. Perry

2009-01-01

Hawaiian dry forests currently occupy a small fraction of their former range, and worldwide tropical dry forests are one of the most human-altered systems. Many small-scale projects have been successful in restoring native dry forests in abandoned pastures and degraded woodlands by outplanting after invasive species removal, but this is a costly approach. In this...

Identifying food deserts and swamps based on relative healthy food access: a spatio-temporal Bayesian approach.

PubMed

Luan, Hui; Law, Jane; Quick, Matthew

2015-12-30

Obesity and other adverse health outcomes are influenced by individual- and neighbourhood-scale risk factors, including the food environment. At the small-area scale, past research has analysed spatial patterns of food environments for one time period, overlooking how food environments change over time. Further, past research has infrequently analysed relative healthy food access (RHFA), a measure that is more representative of food purchasing and consumption behaviours than absolute outlet density. This research applies a Bayesian hierarchical model to analyse the spatio-temporal patterns of RHFA in the Region of Waterloo, Canada, from 2011 to 2014 at the small-area level. RHFA is calculated as the proportion of healthy food outlets (healthy outlets/healthy + unhealthy outlets) within 4-km from each small-area. This model measures spatial autocorrelation of RHFA, temporal trend of RHFA for the study region, and spatio-temporal trends of RHFA for small-areas. For the study region, a significant decreasing trend in RHFA is observed (-0.024), suggesting that food swamps have become more prevalent during the study period. For small-areas, significant decreasing temporal trends in RHFA were observed for all small-areas. Specific small-areas located in south Waterloo, north Kitchener, and southeast Cambridge exhibited the steepest decreasing spatio-temporal trends and are classified as spatio-temporal food swamps. This research demonstrates a Bayesian spatio-temporal modelling approach to analyse RHFA at the small-area scale. Results suggest that food swamps are more prevalent than food deserts in the Region of Waterloo. Analysing spatio-temporal trends of RHFA improves understanding of local food environment, highlighting specific small-areas where policies should be targeted to increase RHFA and reduce risk factors of adverse health outcomes such as obesity.

Training Students to Analyze Spatial and Temporal Heterogeneities in Reservoir and Seal Petrology, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry: Implications for CO{sub 2} Sequestration Prediction, Simulation, and Monitoring

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

Bowen, Brenda

The objective of this project was to expose and train multiple students in geological tools that are essential to reservoir characterization and geologic sequestration including but not limited to advanced petrological methods, mineralogical methods, and geochemical methods; core analysis, and geophysical well-log interpretation. These efforts have included training of multiple students through geologically based curriculum and research using advanced petrological, mineralogical, and geochemical methods. In whole, over the last 3+ years, this award has supported 5,828 hours of student research, supporting the work of several graduate and undergraduate students. They have all received training directly related to ongoing CO{sub 2}more » sequestration demonstrations. The students have all conducted original scientific research on topics related to understanding the importance of lithological, textural, and compositional variability in formations that are being targeted as CO{sub 2} sequestration reservoirs and seals. This research was linked to the Mount Simon Sandstone reservoir and overlying Eau Claire Formation seal in the Illinois Basin- a system where over one million tons of CO{sub 2} are actively being injected with the first large-scale demonstration of anthropogenic CO{sub 2} storage in the U.S. Student projects focused specifically on 1) reservoir porosity characterization and evaluation, 2) petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical evidence of fluid-related diagenesis in the caprock, 3) textural changes in reservoir samples exposed to experimental CO{sub 2} + brine conditions, 4) controls on spatial heterogeneity in composition and texture in both the reservoir and seal, 5) the implications of small-scale fractures within the reservoir, and 6) petrographic and stable isotope analyses of carbonates in the seal to understand the burial history of the system. The student-led research associated with this project provided real-time and hands-on experience with a relevant CO{sub 2} system, provided relevant information to the regional partnerships who are working within these formations, and provides more broadly applicable understanding and method development for other carbon capture and storage systems.« less

MSE wall void repair effect on corrosion of reinforcement - phase 2 : specialty fill materials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-08-01

This project provided information and recommendations for material selection for best : corrosion control of reinforcement in mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls with void repairs. The : investigation consisted of small- and large-scale experim...

VIBRATORY SPIRAL BLANCHER-COOLER

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of the demonstration project was to test the commercial feasibility of the vibratory spiral blancher-cooler, a newly designed steam blancher and air cooler that previous small scale tests showed could reduce the wasteload and energy consumption of preparing vegetabl...

The nature of micro CMEs within coronal holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bothmer, Volker; Nistico, Giuseppe; Zimbardo, Gaetano; Patsourakos, Spiros; Bosman, Eckhard

Whilst investigating the origin and characteristics of coronal jets and large-scale CMEs identi-fied in data from the SECCHI (Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation) instrument suites on board the two STEREO satellites, we discovered transient events that originated in the low corona with a morphology resembling that of typical three-part struc-tured coronal mass ejections (CMEs). However, the CMEs occurred on considerably smaller spatial scales. In this presentation we show evidence for the existence of small-scale CMEs from inside coronal holes and present quantitative estimates of their speeds and masses. We interprete the origin and evolution of micro CMEs as a natural consequence of the emergence of small-scale magnetic bipoles related to the Sun's ever changing photospheric magnetic flux on various scales and their interactions with the ambient plasma and magnetic field. The analysis of CMEs is performed within the framework of the EU Erasmus and FP7 SOTERIA projects.

Multipurpose satellite bus (MPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The Naval Postgraduate School Advanced Design Project sponsored by the Universities Space Research Association Advanced Design Program is a multipurpose satellite bus (MPS). The design was initiated from a Statement of Work (SOW) developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The SOW called for a 'proposal to design a small, low-cost, lightweight, general purpose spacecraft bus capable of accommodating any of a variety of mission payloads. Typical payloads envisioned include those associated with meteorological, communication, surveillance and tracking, target location, and navigation mission areas.' The design project investigates two dissimilar missions, a meteorological payload and a communications payload, mated with a single spacecraft bus with minimal modifications. The MPS is designed for launch aboard the Pegasus Air Launched Vehicle (ALV) or the Taurus Standard Small Launch Vehicle (SSLV).

A review of small canned computer programs for survey research and demographic analysis.

PubMed

Sinquefield, J C

1976-12-01

A variety of small canned computer programs for survey research and demographic analysis appropriate for use in developing countries are reviewed in this article. The programs discussed are SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences); CENTS, CO-CENTS, CENTS-AID, CENTS-AIE II; MINI-TAB EDIT, FREQUENCIES, TABLES, REGRESSION, CLIENT RECORD, DATES, MULT, LIFE, and PREGNANCY HISTORY; FIVFIV and SINSIN; DCL (Demographic Computer Library); MINI-TAB Population Projection, Functional Population Projection, and Family Planning Target Projection. A description and evaluation for each program of uses, instruction manuals, computer requirements, and procedures for obtaining manuals and programs are provided. Such information is intended to facilitate and encourage the use of the computer by data processors in developing countries.

Understanding forest ecology from the landscape to the project level

Treesearch

Ward McCaughey

2007-01-01

Several researchers in the Forestry Sciences Laboratory have been actively involved in BEMRP since its inception in the early 1990s. The recent research on the Trapper Bunkhouse Land Stewardship Project began in 2004. In ecosystem management, sometimes we need to look at the big picture, or the landscape scale, and sometimes we need to work on a more local, or project-...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-12

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread across the state. When available, a : small, medium, and large project from each of the ten MoDOT districts was selected by a regional manager for the pr...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-03-01

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread across the state. When available, a : small, medium, and large project from each of the ten MoDOT districts was selected by a regional manager for the pr...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread across the state. When available, a small, medium, and large project from each of the ten MoDOT districts was selected by a regional manager for the proj...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-01

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread across the state. When available, a : small, medium, and large project from each of the ten MoDOT districts was selected by a regional manager for the pr...

Teaching English Critically to Mexican Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

López-Gopar, Mario E.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to present one significant part of a large-scale critical-ethnographic-action-research project (CEAR Project) carried out in Oaxaca, Mexico. The overall CEAR Project has been conducted since 2007 in different Oaxacan elementary schools serving indigenous and mestizo (mixed-race) children. In the CEAR Project, teacher…

The logic of selecting an appropriate map projection in a Decision Support System (DSS)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finn, Michael P.; Usery, E. Lynn; Woodard, Laura N.; Yamamoto, Kristina H.

2017-01-01

There are undeniable practical consequences to consider when choosing an appropriate map projection for a specific region. The surface of a globe covered by global, continental, and regional maps are so singular that each type distinctively affects the amount of distortion incurred during a projection transformation because of the an assortment of effects caused by distance, direction, scale , and area. A Decision Support System (DSS) for Map Projections of Small Scale Data was previously developed to help select an appropriate projection. This paper reports on a tutorial to accompany that DSS. The DSS poses questions interactively, allowing the user to decide on the parameters, which in turn determines the logic path to a solution. The objective of including a tutorial to accompany the DSS is achieved by visually representing the path of logic that is taken to a recommended map projection derived from the parameters the user selects. The tutorial informs the DSS user about the pedigree of the projection and provides a basic explanation of the specific projection design. This information is provided by informational pop-ups and other aids.

An evaluation of the benefits and challenges of video consulting between general practitioners and residential aged care facilities.

PubMed

Wade, Victoria; Whittaker, Frank; Hamlyn, Jeremy

2015-12-01

This research evaluated a project that provided video consultations between general practitioners (GPs) and residential aged care facilities (RACFs), with the aim of enabling faster access to medical care and avoidance of unnecessary hospital transfers. GPs were paid for video consultations at a rate equivalent to existing insurance reimbursement for supporting telehealth services. Evaluation data were gathered by direct observation at the project sites, semi-structured interviews and video call data from the technical network. Three pairs of general practices and RACFs were recruited to the project. 40 video consultations eligible for payment occurred over a 6 month period, three of which were judged to have avoided hospital attendance. The process development and change management aspects of the project required substantially more effort than was anticipated. This was due to problems with RACF technical infrastructure, the need for repeated training and awareness raising in RACFs, the challenge of establishing new clinical procedures, the short length of the project and broader difficulties in the relationships between GPs and RACFs. Video consulting between GPs and RACFs was clinically useful and avoided hospital attendance on a small scale, but further focus on process development is needed to embed this as a routine method of service delivery. © The Author(s) 2015.

Adaptive restoration of river terrace vegetation through iterative experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dela Cruz, Michelle P.; Beauchamp, Vanessa B.; Shafroth, Patrick B.; Decker, Cheryl E.; O’Neil, Aviva

2014-01-01

Restoration projects can involve a high degree of uncertainty and risk, which can ultimately result in failure. An adaptive restoration approach can reduce uncertainty through controlled, replicated experiments designed to test specific hypotheses and alternative management approaches. Key components of adaptive restoration include willingness of project managers to accept the risk inherent in experimentation, interest of researchers, availability of funding for experimentation and monitoring, and ability to restore sites as iterative experiments where results from early efforts can inform the design of later phases. This paper highlights an ongoing adaptive restoration project at Zion National Park (ZNP), aimed at reducing the cover of exotic annual Bromus on riparian terraces, and revegetating these areas with native plant species. Rather than using a trial-and-error approach, ZNP staff partnered with academic, government, and private-sector collaborators to conduct small-scale experiments to explicitly address uncertainties concerning biomass removal of annual bromes, herbicide application rates and timing, and effective seeding methods for native species. Adaptive restoration has succeeded at ZNP because managers accept the risk inherent in experimentation and ZNP personnel are committed to continue these projects over a several-year period. Techniques that result in exotic annual Bromus removal and restoration of native plant species at ZNP can be used as a starting point for adaptive restoration projects elsewhere in the region.

Multi-scale volumetric cell and tissue imaging based on optical projection tomography (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ban, Sungbea; Cho, Nam Hyun; Ryu, Yongjae; Jung, Sunwoo; Vavilin, Andrey; Min, Eunjung; Jung, Woonggyu

2016-04-01

Optical projection tomography is a new optical imaging method for visualizing small biological specimens in three dimension. The most important advantage of OPT is to fill the gap between MRI and confocal microscope for the specimen having the range of 1-10 mm. Thus, it has been mainly used for whole-mount small animals and developmental study since this imaging modality was developed. The ability of OPT delivering anatomical and functional information of relatively large tissue in 3D has made it a promising platform in biomedical research. Recently, the potential of OPT spans its coverage to cellular scale. Even though there are increasing demand to obtain better understanding of cellular dynamics, only few studies to visualize cellular structure, shape, size and functional morphology over tissue has been investigated in existing OPT system due to its limited field of view. In this study, we develop a novel optical imaging system for 3D cellular imaging with OPT integrated with dynamic focusing technique. Our tomographic setup has great potential to be used for identifying cell characteristic in tissue because it can provide selective contrast on dynamic focal plane allowing for fluorescence as well as absorption. While the dominant contrast of optical imaging technique is to use the fluorescence for detecting certain target only, the newly developed OPT system will offer considerable advantages over currently available method when imaging cellar molecular dynamics by permitting contrast variation. By achieving multi-contrast, it is expected for this new imaging system to play an important role in delivering better cytological information to pathologist.

A scale-based approach to interdisciplinary research and expertise in sports.

PubMed

Ibáñez-Gijón, Jorge; Buekers, Martinus; Morice, Antoine; Rao, Guillaume; Mascret, Nicolas; Laurin, Jérome; Montagne, Gilles

2017-02-01

After more than 20 years since the introduction of ecological and dynamical approaches in sports research, their promising opportunity for interdisciplinary research has not been fulfilled yet. The complexity of the research process and the theoretical and empirical difficulties associated with an integrated ecological-dynamical approach have been the major factors hindering the generalisation of interdisciplinary projects in sports sciences. To facilitate this generalisation, we integrate the major concepts from the ecological and dynamical approaches to study behaviour as a multi-scale process. Our integration gravitates around the distinction between functional (ecological) and execution (organic) scales, and their reciprocal intra- and inter-scale constraints. We propose an (epistemological) scale-based definition of constraints that accounts for the concept of synergies as emergent coordinative structures. To illustrate how we can operationalise the notion of multi-scale synergies we use an interdisciplinary model of locomotor pointing. To conclude, we show the value of this approach for interdisciplinary research in sport sciences, as we discuss two examples of task-specific dimensionality reduction techniques in the context of an ongoing project that aims to unveil the determinants of expertise in basketball free throw shooting. These techniques provide relevant empirical evidence to help bootstrap the challenging modelling efforts required in sport sciences.

Large-Scale Spacecraft Fire Safety Experiments in ISS Resupply Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruff, Gary A.; Urban, David

2013-01-01

Our understanding of the fire safety risk in manned spacecraft has been limited by the small scale of the testing we have been able to conduct in low-gravity. Fire growth and spread cannot be expected to scale linearly with sample size so we cannot make accurate predictions of the behavior of realistic scale fires in spacecraft based on the limited low-g testing to date. As a result, spacecraft fire safety protocols are necessarily very conservative and costly. Future crewed missions are expected to be longer in duration than previous exploration missions outside of low-earth orbit and accordingly, more complex in terms of operations, logistics, and safety. This will increase the challenge of ensuring a fire-safe environment for the crew throughout the mission. Based on our fundamental uncertainty of the behavior of fires in low-gravity, the need for realistic scale testing at reduced gravity has been demonstrated. To address this concern, a spacecraft fire safety research project is underway to reduce the uncertainty and risk in the design of spacecraft fire safety systems by testing at nearly full scale in low-gravity. This project is supported by the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems Program Office in the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The activity of this project is supported by an international topical team of fire experts from other space agencies to maximize the utility of the data and to ensure the widest possible scrutiny of the concept. The large-scale space flight experiment will be conducted on three missions; each in an Orbital Sciences Corporation Cygnus vehicle after it has deberthed from the ISS. Although the experiment will need to meet rigorous safety requirements to ensure the carrier vehicle does not sustain damage, the absence of a crew allows the fire products to be released into the cabin. The tests will be fully automated with the data downlinked at the conclusion of the test before the Cygnus vehicle reenters the atmosphere. The international topical team is collaborating with the NASA team in the definition of the experiment requirements and performing supporting analysis, experimentation and technology development.

Heterogeneous Biomedical Database Integration Using a Hybrid Strategy: A p53 Cantcer Research Database

PubMed Central

Bichutskiy, Vadim Y.; Colman, Richard; Brachmann, Rainer K.; Lathrop, Richard H.

2006-01-01

Complex problems in life science research give rise to multidisciplinary collaboration, and hence, to the need for heterogeneous database integration. The tumor suppressor p53 is mutated in close to 50% of human cancers, and a small drug-like molecule with the ability to restore native function to cancerous p53 mutants is a long-held medical goal of cancer treatment. The Cancer Research DataBase (CRDB) was designed in support of a project to find such small molecules. As a cancer informatics project, the CRDB involved small molecule data, computational docking results, functional assays, and protein structure data. As an example of the hybrid strategy for data integration, it combined the mediation and data warehousing approaches. This paper uses the CRDB to illustrate the hybrid strategy as a viable approach to heterogeneous data integration in biomedicine, and provides a design method for those considering similar systems. More efficient data sharing implies increased productivity, and, hopefully, improved chances of success in cancer research. (Code and database schemas are freely downloadable, http://www.igb.uci.edu/research/research.html.) PMID:19458771

High-resolution, high-throughput imaging with a multibeam scanning electron microscope

PubMed Central

EBERLE, AL; MIKULA, S; SCHALEK, R; LICHTMAN, J; TATE, ML KNOTHE; ZEIDLER, D

2015-01-01

Electron–electron interactions and detector bandwidth limit the maximal imaging speed of single-beam scanning electron microscopes. We use multiple electron beams in a single column and detect secondary electrons in parallel to increase the imaging speed by close to two orders of magnitude and demonstrate imaging for a variety of samples ranging from biological brain tissue to semiconductor wafers. Lay Description The composition of our world and our bodies on the very small scale has always fascinated people, making them search for ways to make this visible to the human eye. Where light microscopes reach their resolution limit at a certain magnification, electron microscopes can go beyond. But their capability of visualizing extremely small features comes at the cost of a very small field of view. Some of the questions researchers seek to answer today deal with the ultrafine structure of brains, bones or computer chips. Capturing these objects with electron microscopes takes a lot of time – maybe even exceeding the time span of a human being – or new tools that do the job much faster. A new type of scanning electron microscope scans with 61 electron beams in parallel, acquiring 61 adjacent images of the sample at the same time a conventional scanning electron microscope captures one of these images. In principle, the multibeam scanning electron microscope’s field of view is 61 times larger and therefore coverage of the sample surface can be accomplished in less time. This enables researchers to think about large-scale projects, for example in the rather new field of connectomics. A very good introduction to imaging a brain at nanometre resolution can be found within course material from Harvard University on http://www.mcb80x.org/# as featured media entitled ‘connectomics’. PMID:25627873

Nurse task shifting for antiretroviral treatment services in Namibia: implementation research to move evidence into action.

PubMed

O'Malley, Gabrielle; Asrat, Lily; Sharma, Anjali; Hamunime, Ndapewa; Stephanus, Yvonne; Brandt, Laura; Ali, Deqa; Kaindjee-Tjituka, Francina; Natanael, Salomo; Gweshe, Justice; Feldacker, Caryl; Shihepo, Ella

2014-01-01

Evidence from several sub-Saharan countries support nurse-initiated antiretroviral treatment as a feasible alternative to doctor-led models characteristic of early responses to the HIV epidemic. However, service delivery models shown to be effective in one country may not be readily adopted in another. This study used an implementation research approach to assist policy makers and other stakeholders to assess the acceptability and feasibility of task shifting in the Namibian context. The Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services implemented a Task Shifting Demonstration Project (TSDP) at 9 sites at different levels of the health system. Six months after implementation, a mixed methods evaluation was conducted. Seventy semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients, managers, doctors and nurses directly involved with the TSDP. Physician-evaluators observed and compared health service provision between doctors and nurses for 40 patients (80 observations), documenting performance in agreement with the national guidelines on 13 clinical care indicators. Doctors, nurses, and patients interviewed believed task shifting would improve access to and quality of HIV services. Doctors and nurses both reported an increase in nurses' skills as a result of the project. Observation data showed doctors and nurses were in considerable agreement (>80%) with each other on all dimensions of HIV care and ≥90% on eight dimensions. To ensure success of national scale-up of the task shifting model, challenges involving infrastructure, on-going mentoring, and nursing scope of practice should be anticipated and addressed. In combination with findings from other studies in the region, data from the TSDP provided critical and timely information to the Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services, thus helping to move evidence into action. Small-scale implementation research projects enable stakeholders to learn by doing, and provide an opportunity to test and modify the intervention before expansion.

Nurse Task Shifting for Antiretroviral Treatment Services in Namibia: Implementation Research to Move Evidence into Action

PubMed Central

O’Malley, Gabrielle; Asrat, Lily; Sharma, Anjali; Hamunime, Ndapewa; Stephanus, Yvonne; Brandt, Laura; Ali, Deqa; Kaindjee-Tjituka, Francina; Natanael, Salomo; Gweshe, Justice; Feldacker, Caryl; Shihepo, Ella

2014-01-01

Background Evidence from several sub-Saharan countries support nurse-initiated antiretroviral treatment as a feasible alternative to doctor-led models characteristic of early responses to the HIV epidemic. However, service delivery models shown to be effective in one country may not be readily adopted in another. This study used an implementation research approach to assist policy makers and other stakeholders to assess the acceptability and feasibility of task shifting in the Namibian context. Methods The Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services implemented a Task Shifting Demonstration Project (TSDP) at 9 sites at different levels of the health system. Six months after implementation, a mixed methods evaluation was conducted. Seventy semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients, managers, doctors and nurses directly involved with the TSDP. Physician-evaluators observed and compared health service provision between doctors and nurses for 40 patients (80 observations), documenting performance in agreement with the national guidelines on 13 clinical care indicators. Results Doctors, nurses, and patients interviewed believed task shifting would improve access to and quality of HIV services. Doctors and nurses both reported an increase in nurses’ skills as a result of the project. Observation data showed doctors and nurses were in considerable agreement (>80%) with each other on all dimensions of HIV care and ≥90% on eight dimensions. To ensure success of national scale-up of the task shifting model, challenges involving infrastructure, on-going mentoring, and nursing scope of practice should be anticipated and addressed. Conclusion In combination with findings from other studies in the region, data from the TSDP provided critical and timely information to the Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services, thus helping to move evidence into action. Small-scale implementation research projects enable stakeholders to learn by doing, and provide an opportunity to test and modify the intervention before expansion. PMID:24642894

Progress Report on the GROWTH (GNSS Reflectometry for Ocean Waves, Tides, and Height) Research Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitazawa, Y.; Ichikawa, K.; Akiyama, H.; Ebinuma, T.; Isoguchi, O.; Kimura, N.; Konda, M.; Kouguchi, N.; Tamura, H.; Tomita, H.; Yoshikawa, Y.; Waseda, T.

2016-12-01

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), such as GPS is a system of satellites that provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning with global coverage. It allows small electronic receivers to determine their location to high precision using radio signals transmitted from satellites, GNSS reflectometry (GNSS-R) involves making measurements from the reflections from the Earth of navigation signals from GNSS satellites. Reflected signals from sea surface are considered that those are useful to observe sea state and sea surface height. We have started a research program for GNSS-R applications on oceanographic observations under the contract with MEXT (Ministry of Education Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, JAPAN) and launched a Japanese research consortium, GROWTH (GNSS Reflectometry for Ocean Waves, Tides, and Height). It is aiming to evaluate the capabilities of GNSS-R observations for oceanographic phenomena with different time scales, such as ocean waves (1/10 to tens of seconds), tides (one or half days), and sea surface dynamic height (a few days to years). In situ observations of ocean wave spectrum, wind speed vertical profile, and sea surface height will be quantitatively compared with equivalent estimates from simultaneous GNSS-R measurements. The GROWTH project will utilize different types of observation platforms; marine observation towers (about 20 m height), multi-copters (about 100 to 150 m height), and much higher-altitude CYGNSS data. Cross-platform data, together with in situ oceanographic observations, will be compared after adequate temporal averaging that accounts differences of the footprint sizes and temporal and spatial scales of oceanographic phenomena. This paper will provide overview of the GROWTH project, preliminary test results, obtained by the multi-sensor platform at observation towers, suggest actual footprint sizes and identification of swell. Preparation status of a ground station which will be supplied to receive CYGNSS data at Japan, is also reported. Compatibility tests to CYGNSS data and refurbishment of the ground station were completed.

Ecological Research Division Theoretical Ecology Program. [Contains abstracts

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

Not Available

1990-10-01

This report presents the goals of the Theoretical Ecology Program and abstracts of research in progress. Abstracts cover both theoretical research that began as part of the terrestrial ecology core program and new projects funded by the theoretical program begun in 1988. Projects have been clustered into four major categories: Ecosystem dynamics; landscape/scaling dynamics; population dynamics; and experiment/sample design.

Photovoltaic Subcontract Program. Annual report, FY 1992

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

Not Available

1993-03-01

This report summarizes the fiscal year (FY) 1992 progress of the subcontracted photovoltaic (PV) research and development (R&D) performed under the Photovoltaic Advanced Research and Development Project at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)-formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). The mission of the national PV program is to develop PV technology for large-scale generation of economically competitive electric power in the United States. The technical sections of the report cover the main areas of the subcontract program: the Crystalline Materials and Advanced Concepts project, the Polycrystalline Thin Films project, Amorphous Silicon Research project, the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) project,more » PV Module and System Performance and Engineering project, and the PV Analysis and Applications Development project. Technical summaries of each of the subcontracted programs provide a discussion of approaches, major accomplishments in FY 1992, and future research directions.« less

Recent (1999-2003) Canadian research on contemporary processes of river erosion and sedimentation, and river mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Boer, D. H.; Hassan, M. A.; MacVicar, B.; Stone, M.

2005-01-01

Contributions by Canadian fluvial geomorphologists between 1999 and 2003 are discussed under four major themes: sediment yield and sediment dynamics of large rivers; cohesive sediment transport; turbulent flow structure and sediment transport; and bed material transport and channel morphology. The paper concludes with a section on recent technical advances. During the review period, substantial progress has been made in investigating the details of fluvial processes at relatively small scales. Examples of this emphasis are the studies of flow structure, turbulence characteristics and bedload transport, which continue to form central themes in fluvial research in Canada. Translating the knowledge of small-scale, process-related research to an understanding of the behaviour of large-scale fluvial systems, however, continues to be a formidable challenge. Models play a prominent role in elucidating the link between small-scale processes and large-scale fluvial geomorphology, and, as a result, a number of papers describing models and modelling results have been published during the review period. In addition, a number of investigators are now approaching the problem by directly investigating changes in the system of interest at larger scales, e.g. a channel reach over tens of years, and attempting to infer what processes may have led to the result. It is to be expected that these complementary approaches will contribute to an increased understanding of fluvial systems at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Copyright

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

Rehder, J.B.

The project focuses on an appropriate technology for small-scale hydro power: floating waterwheels and turbines. For background, relic and existing systems such as early floating mills, traditional Amish waterwheels, and micro-hydro systems are examined. In the design phase of the project, new designs for Floating Hydro Power Systems include: an analysis of floatation materials and systems; a floating undershot waterwheel design; a floating cylinder (fiberglass storage tank) design; a submerged tube design; and a design for a floating platform with submerged propellers. Finally, in the applications phase, stream flow data from East Tennessee streams are used in a discussion ofmore » the potential applications of floating hydro power systems in small streams.« less

An Overview of Power, Energy Storage, and Conversion Efforts for 2014 SBIR Phases I and II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2016-01-01

Technological innovation is the overall focus of NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The program invests in the development of innovative concepts and technologies to help NASA's mission directorates address critical research and development needs for agency projects. NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program focuses on technological innovation by investing in development of innovative concepts and technologies to help NASA mission directorates address critical research needs for Agency programs. This report highlights 15 of the innovative SBIR 2014 Phase I and II projects that focus on one of NASA Glenn Research Center's six core competencies-Power, Energy Storage and Conversion. The technologies cover a wide spectrum of applications such as high-radiation-tolerant ceramic voltage isolators, development of hermetic sealing glasses for solid oxide fuel cells, rechargeable lithium metal cells, high-efficiency direct methane solid oxide fuel cell systems, Li metal protection for high-energy space batteries, isolated bidirectional direct current converters for distributed battery energy applications, and high-efficiency rad-hard ultrathin Si photovoltaic cell technology for space. Each article describes an innovation and technical objective and highlights NASA commercial and industrial applications. This report provides an opportunity for NASA engineers, researchers, and program managers to learn how NASA SBIR technologies could help their programs and projects, and lead to collaborations and partnerships between the small SBIR companies and NASA that would benefit both.

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

Boybeyi, Zafer

The Department of Energy (DOE) awarded George Mason University (GMU) with a research project. This project started on June, 2009 and ended July 2014. Main objectives of this research project are; a) to assess the indirect and semi-direct aerosol effects on microphysical structure and radiative properties of Arctic clouds, b) to assess the impact of feedback between the aerosol-cloud interactions and atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) processes on the surface energy balance, c) to better understand and characterize the important unresolved microphysical processes, aerosol effects, and ABL processes and feedbacks, over meso-γ spatial (~1-2 km) and temporal scales (a few minutesmore » to days), and d) to investigate the scale dependency of microphysical parameterizations and its effect on simulations.« less

Going wild: what a global small-animal tracking system could do for experimental biologists.

PubMed

Wikelski, Martin; Kays, Roland W; Kasdin, N Jeremy; Thorup, Kasper; Smith, James A; Swenson, George W

2007-01-01

Tracking animals over large temporal and spatial scales has revealed invaluable and spectacular biological information, particularly when the paths and fates of individuals can be monitored on a global scale. However, only large animals (greater than approximately 300 g) currently can be followed globally because of power and size constraints on the tracking devices. And yet the vast majority of animals is small. Tracking small animals is important because they are often part of evolutionary and ecological experiments, they provide important ecosystem services and they are of conservation concern or pose harm to human health. Here, we propose a small-animal satellite tracking system that would enable the global monitoring of animals down to the size of the smallest birds, mammals (bats), marine life and eventually large insects. To create the scientific framework necessary for such a global project, we formed the ICARUS initiative (www.IcarusInitiative.org), the International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space. ICARUS also highlights how small-animal tracking could address some of the ;Grand Challenges in Environmental Sciences' identified by the US National Academy of Sciences, such as the spread of infectious diseases or the relationship between biological diversity and ecosystem functioning. Small-animal tracking would allow the quantitative assessment of dispersal and migration in natural populations and thus help solve enigmas regarding population dynamics, extinctions and invasions. Experimental biologists may find a global small-animal tracking system helpful in testing, validating and expanding laboratory-derived discoveries in wild, natural populations. We suggest that the relatively modest investment into a global small-animal tracking system will pay off by providing unprecedented insights into both basic and applied nature. Tracking small animals over large spatial and temporal scales could prove to be one of the most powerful techniques of the early 21st century, offering potential solutions to a wide range of biological and societal questions that date back two millennia to the Greek philosopher Aristotle's enigma about songbird migration. Several of the more recent Grand Challenges in Environmental Sciences, such as the regulation and functional consequences of biological diversity or the surveillance of the population ecology of zoonotic hosts, pathogens or vectors, could also be addressed by a global small-animal tracking system. Our discussion is intended to contribute to an emerging groundswell of scientific support to make such a new technological system happen.

Managing Quality by Action Research--Improving Quality Service Delivery in Higher Education as a Marketing Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbitt, Brian

1998-01-01

Describes two action research projects undertaken at an Australian university to improve quality of services to foreign students and improve the institution's image through word of mouth, or informal marketing. Each project, although small, facilitated changes or improvements to a targeted service. The role of management in empowering employees…

Evaluation of an Action Learning Programme for Leadership Development of SME Leaders in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Jean-Anne

2009-01-01

This paper presents the findings from an evaluation research project undertaken by Henley Management College in 2006. This project followed an earlier research study that focused on identifying the leadership development needs for leaders of small and medium sized-enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, developed a leadership development model and made…

Stories of Success and Struggle: California's Small Farms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warnert, Jeannette; McCue, Susan

1999-01-01

Describes the University of California's Small Farms Program, which aims to support the sustainability of small farms by providing small-scale farmers with state-of-the-art information, research, support networks, and technical assistance in technology adoption and decision making. Profiles four successful small farms that grow strawberries,…

Material Ignition and Suppression Test (MIST) in Space Exploration Atmospheres, Summary of Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fernandez-Pello, Carlos

2013-01-01

The Material Ignition and Suppression Test (MIST) project has had the objective of evaluating the ease of ignition and the fire suppression of materials used in spacecraft under environmental condition expected in a spacecraft. For this purpose, an experimental and theoretical research program is being conducted on the effect of space exploration atmospheres (SEA) on the piloted ignition of representative combustible materials, and on their fire suppression characteristics. The experimental apparatus and test methodology is derived from the Forced Ignition and Flame Spread Test (FIST), a well-developed bench scale test designed to extract material properties relevant to prediction of material flammability. In the FIST test, materials are exposed to an external radiant flux and the ignition delay and critical mass flux at ignition are determined as a function of the type of material and environmental conditions. In the original MIST design, a small-scale cylindrical flow duct with fuel samples attached to its inside wall was heated by a cylindrical heater located at the central axis of the cylinder. However, as the project evolved it was decided by NASA that it would be better to produce an experimental design that could accommodate other experiments with different experimental concepts. Based on those instructions and input from the requirements of other researchers that may share the hardware in an ISS/CIR experiment, a cylindrical design based on placing the sample at the center of an optically transparent tube with heaters equally spaced along the exterior of the cylinder was developed. Piloted ignition is attained by a hot wire igniter downstream of the fuel sample. Environment variables that can be studied via this experimental apparatus include: external radiant flux, oxidizer oxygen concentration, flow velocity, ambient pressure, and gravity level (if flown in the ISS/CIR). This constitutes the current experimental design, which maintains fairly good consistency with Dr Tien's and Dr Olson's project approaches. A further goal of the project has been to develop a combined solid/gas phase numerical model based on the MIST test methodology to predict the flammability behavior of practical materials in spacecraft.

Development and Validation of a Project Package for Junior Secondary School Basic Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Udofia, Nsikak-Abasi

2014-01-01

This was a Research and Developmental study designed to develop and validate projects for Junior Secondary School Basic Science instruction and evaluation. The projects were developed using the project blueprint and sent for validation by experts in science education and measurement and evaluation; using a project validation scale. They were to…

Multi-Vehicle Cooperative Control Research at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, 2000-2014

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, Curt

2014-01-01

A brief introductory overview of multi-vehicle cooperative control research conducted at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center from 2000 - 2014. Both flight research projects and paper studies are included. Since 2000, AFRC has been almost continuously pursuing research in the areas of formation flight for drag reduction and automated cooperative trajectories. An overview of results is given, including flight experiments done on the FA-18 and with the C-17. Other multi-vehicle cooperative research is discussed, including small UAV swarming projects and automated aerial refueling.

Scaling of an information system in a public healthcare market--infrastructuring from the vendor's perspective.

PubMed

Johannessen, Liv Karen; Obstfelder, Aud; Lotherington, Ann Therese

2013-05-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore the making and scaling of information infrastructures, as well as how the conditions for scaling a component may change for the vendor. The first research question is how the making and scaling of a healthcare information infrastructure can be done and by whom. The second question is what scope for manoeuvre there might be for vendors aiming to expand their market. This case study is based on an interpretive approach, whereby data is gathered through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. A case study of the making and scaling of an electronic system for general practitioners ordering laboratory services from hospitals is described as comprising two distinct phases. The first may be characterized as an evolving phase, when development, integration and implementation were achieved in small steps, and the vendor, together with end users, had considerable freedom to create the solution according to the users' needs. The second phase was characterized by a large-scale procurement process over which regional healthcare authorities exercised much more control and the needs of groups other than the end users influenced the design. The making and scaling of healthcare information infrastructures is not simply a process of evolution, in which the end users use and change the technology. It also consists of large steps, during which different actors, including vendors and healthcare authorities, may make substantial contributions. This process requires work, negotiation and strategies. The conditions for the vendor may change dramatically, from considerable freedom and close relationships with users and customers in the small-scale development, to losing control of the product and being required to engage in more formal relations with customers in the wider public healthcare market. Onerous procurement processes may be one of the reasons why large-scale implementation of information projects in healthcare is difficult and slow. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

HSTDEK: Developing a methodology for construction of large-scale, multi-use knowledge bases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, Michael S.

1987-01-01

The primary research objectives of the Hubble Space Telescope Design/Engineering Knowledgebase (HSTDEK) are to develop a methodology for constructing and maintaining large scale knowledge bases which can be used to support multiple applications. To insure the validity of its results, this research is being persued in the context of a real world system, the Hubble Space Telescope. The HSTDEK objectives are described in detail. The history and motivation of the project are briefly described. The technical challenges faced by the project are outlined.

Accelerating Software Development through Agile Practices--A Case Study of a Small-Scale, Time-Intensive Web Development Project at a College-Level IT Competition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Xuesong; Dorn, Bradley

2012-01-01

Agile development has received increasing interest both in industry and academia due to its benefits in developing software quickly, meeting customer needs, and keeping pace with the rapidly changing requirements. However, agile practices and scrum in particular have been mainly tested in mid- to large-size projects. In this paper, we present…

"It's Just More in the Real World Really": How Can a Local Project Support Early Years Practitioners from Different Settings in Working and Learning Together?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotton, Lizzie

2013-01-01

This article describes how early years practitioners working in different settings, with different experiences and qualifications, can work and learn together. It is a small-scale case study of an eight-month project, with a grass-roots approach, involving early years settings within the reach area of an inner-London Children's Centre. The data…

Impact of small-scale structures on estuarine circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhuo; Zhang, Yinglong J.; Wang, Harry V.; Huang, Hai; Wang, Zhengui; Ye, Fei; Sisson, Mac

2018-05-01

We present a novel and challenging application of a 3D estuary-shelf model to the study of the collective impact of many small-scale structures (bridge pilings of 1 m × 2 m in size) on larger-scale circulation in a tributary (James River) of Chesapeake Bay. We first demonstrate that the model is capable of effectively transitioning grid resolution from 400 m down to 1 m near the pilings without introducing undue numerical artifact. We then show that despite their small sizes and collectively small area as compared to the total channel cross-sectional area, the pilings exert a noticeable impact on the large-scale circulation, and also create a rich structure of vortices and wakes around the pilings. As a result, the water quality and local sedimentation patterns near the bridge piling area are likely to be affected as well. However, when evaluating over the entire waterbody of the project area, the near field effects are weighed with the areal percentage which is small compared to that for the larger unaffected area, and therefore the impact on the lower James River as a whole becomes relatively insignificant. The study highlights the importance of the use of high resolution in assessing the near-field impact of structures.

Lessons from a Large-Scale Assessment: Results from Conceptual Inventories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thacker, Beth; Dulli, Hani; Pattillo, Dave; West, Keith

2014-01-01

We report conceptual inventory results of a large-scale assessment project at a large university. We studied the introduction of materials and instructional methods informed by physics education research (PER) (physics education research-informed materials) into a department where most instruction has previously been traditional and a significant…

A topology visualization early warning distribution algorithm for large-scale network security incidents.

PubMed

He, Hui; Fan, Guotao; Ye, Jianwei; Zhang, Weizhe

2013-01-01

It is of great significance to research the early warning system for large-scale network security incidents. It can improve the network system's emergency response capabilities, alleviate the cyber attacks' damage, and strengthen the system's counterattack ability. A comprehensive early warning system is presented in this paper, which combines active measurement and anomaly detection. The key visualization algorithm and technology of the system are mainly discussed. The large-scale network system's plane visualization is realized based on the divide and conquer thought. First, the topology of the large-scale network is divided into some small-scale networks by the MLkP/CR algorithm. Second, the sub graph plane visualization algorithm is applied to each small-scale network. Finally, the small-scale networks' topologies are combined into a topology based on the automatic distribution algorithm of force analysis. As the algorithm transforms the large-scale network topology plane visualization problem into a series of small-scale network topology plane visualization and distribution problems, it has higher parallelism and is able to handle the display of ultra-large-scale network topology.

Post-project geomorphic assessment of a large process-based river restoration project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erwin, Susannah O.; Schmidt, John C.; Allred, Tyler M.

2016-01-01

This study describes channel changes following completion of the Provo River Restoration Project (PRRP), the largest stream restoration project in Utah and one of the largest projects in the United States in which a gravel-bed river was fully reconstructed. We summarize project objectives and the design process, and we analyze monitoring data collected during the first 7 years after project completion. Post-project channel adjustment during the study period included two phases: (i) an initial phase of rapid, but small-scale, adjustment during the first years after stream flow was introduced to the newly constructed channel and (ii) a subsequent period of more gradual topographic adjustment and channel migration. Analysis of aerial imagery and ground-survey data demonstrate that the channel has been more dynamic in the downstream 4 km where a local source contributes a significant annual supply of bed material. Here, the channel migrates and exhibits channel adjustments that are more consistent with project objectives. The upstream 12 km of the PRRP are sediment starved, the channel has been laterally stable, and this condition may not be consistent with large-scale project objectives.

Abatement of mercury pollution in the small-scale gold mining industry: restructuring the policy and research agendas.

PubMed

Hilson, Gavin

2006-06-01

This paper critiques contemporary research and policy approaches taken toward the analysis and abatement of mercury pollution in the small-scale gold mining sector. Unmonitored releases of mercury from gold amalgamation have caused considerable environmental contamination and human health complications in rural reaches of sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. Whilst these problems have caught the attention of the scientific community over the past 15-20 years, the research that has since been undertaken has failed to identify appropriate mitigation measures, and has done little to advance understanding of why contamination persists. Moreover, the strategies used to educate operators about the impacts of acute mercury exposure, and the technologies implemented to prevent further pollution, have been marginally effective at best. The mercury pollution problem will not be resolved until governments and donor agencies commit to carrying out research aimed at improving understanding of the dynamics of small scale gold mining communities. Acquisition of this knowledge is the key to designing and implementing appropriate support and abatement measures.

Living the lesson: can the Lifestyle Project be used to achieve deep learning in environmental earth science?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padden, M.; Whalen, K.

2013-12-01

Students in a large, second-year environmental earth science class made significant changes to their daily lives over a three-week period to learn how small-scale actions interact with global-scaled issues such as water and energy supplies, waste management and agriculture. The Lifestyle Project (Kirk and Thomas, 2003) was slightly adapted to fit a large-class setting (350 students). Students made changes to their lifestyle in self-selected categories (water, home heating, transportation, waste, food) and created journals over a three-week period as the changes increased in difficulty. The goal of this study is to gain an understanding of which aspects of the project played a pivotal role in impacting long-term learning. Content analysis of the journal entries and follow-up interviews are used to investigate if the Lifestyle Project is having a lasting impact on the students 18 months after the initial assignment.

High-speed inlet research program and supporting analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coltrin, Robert E.

1990-01-01

The technology challenges faced by the high speed inlet designer are discussed by describing the considerations that went into the design of the Mach 5 research inlet. It is shown that the emerging three dimensional viscous computational fluid dynamics (CFD) flow codes, together with small scale experiments, can be used to guide larger scale full inlet systems research. Then, in turn, the results of the large scale research, if properly instrumented, can be used to validate or at least to calibrate the CFD codes.

Characterization of the Boundary Layers on Full-Scale Bluefin Tuna

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

NUWC-NPT Technical Report 12,163 30 September 2014 Characterization of the Boundary Layers on Full-Scale Bluefin Tuna Kimberly M. Cipolla...Center Division Newport, under Section 219 Research Project, “Characterization of the Boundary Layers on Full-Scale Bluefin Tuna ,” principal...K. Amaral (Code 1522). The author thanks Barbara Block (Stanford University), head of the Tuna Research and Conservation Center (TRCC) at the

High school student physics research experience yields positive results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podolak, K. R.; Walters, M. J.

2016-03-01

All high school students that wish to continue onto college are seeking opportunities to be competitive in the college market. They participate in extra-curricular activities which are seen to foster creativity and the skills necessary to do well in the college environment. In the case of students with an interest in physics, participating in a small scale research project while in high school gives them the hands on experience and ultimately prepares them more for the college experience. SUNY Plattsburgh’s Physics department started a five-week summer program for high school students in 2012. This program has proved not only beneficial for students while in the program, but also as they continue on in their development as scientists/engineers. Independent research, such as that offered by SUNY Plattsburgh’s five-week summer program, offers students a feel and taste of the culture of doing research, and life as a scientist. It is a short-term, risk free way to investigate whether a career in research or a particular scientific field is a good fit.

Mantle convection on modern supercomputers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weismüller, Jens; Gmeiner, Björn; Mohr, Marcus; Waluga, Christian; Wohlmuth, Barbara; Rüde, Ulrich; Bunge, Hans-Peter

2015-04-01

Mantle convection is the cause for plate tectonics, the formation of mountains and oceans, and the main driving mechanism behind earthquakes. The convection process is modeled by a system of partial differential equations describing the conservation of mass, momentum and energy. Characteristic to mantle flow is the vast disparity of length scales from global to microscopic, turning mantle convection simulations into a challenging application for high-performance computing. As system size and technical complexity of the simulations continue to increase, design and implementation of simulation models for next generation large-scale architectures demand an interdisciplinary co-design. Here we report about recent advances of the TERRA-NEO project, which is part of the high visibility SPPEXA program, and a joint effort of four research groups in computer sciences, mathematics and geophysical application under the leadership of FAU Erlangen. TERRA-NEO develops algorithms for future HPC infrastructures, focusing on high computational efficiency and resilience in next generation mantle convection models. We present software that can resolve the Earth's mantle with up to 1012 grid points and scales efficiently to massively parallel hardware with more than 50,000 processors. We use our simulations to explore the dynamic regime of mantle convection assessing the impact of small scale processes on global mantle flow.

Building up knowledge on resilience of fragile lands in subarctic climate - a metadatabase for land degradation and restoration in southern Iceland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finger, David C.; de Lavenne, Alban; Þórsson, Jóhann

2016-04-01

Resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem to respond to a perturbation or disturbance by resisting perturbations and recovering quickly. Natural catastrophes, such as floods, droughts, landslides, storms and volcanic eruptions can have devastating impacts on natural and build environment. Nevertheless, researchers worldwide have identified anthropogenic impacts to be the cause for enhanced consequences of natural catastrophes. Iceland, the small island on the mid Atlantic ridge is an ideal location to investigate anthropogenic impacts on the resilience of natural ecosystems. The dramatic deforestation after the arrival of the first settlers ~1100 years ago, the subsequent year round livestock grazing along with devastating ash emissions during volcanic eruptions and a harsh sub-polar oceanic climate have led to severe degradation of large areas of Icelandic soils. Since the beginning of the 20th century diverse restoration measures have been implemented at a large-scale on lowland areas of Iceland making them an ideal case study to investigate the effects of restoration on the resilience of water resources. Since over 100 years the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland (SCSI) has been restoring and investigating degraded landscapes, collecting valuable information and data on restoration research in Iceland. In a joint effort to provide an overview of terminated and ongoing research project, the SCSI and Reykjavik University have established a metadatabase summarizing all relevant restoration projects in the Rangárvellir area, a representative study site in southern Iceland. The SCSI and other governmental agencies have conducted numerous research and restoration projects in the area, including land restoration, land management, reforestation, hydrometeorological monitoring, vegetation mapping, to name just a few. The combination of these projects provides a valuable set of observational data and knowledge regarding the history of land restoration in Rangárvellir. Simultaneously, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) has been monitoring weather patterns and discharge of Ytri- and Eystri-Rangá, the two main rivers in Rangárvellir. The collected data have been categorized in a metadatabase providing an overview for complementary research projects. The presentation will conclude by demonstrating various topics for research collaborations.

A critical reflection of a decade of urbanization and global environmental change research and science coordination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffith, C.

2015-12-01

The Urbanization and Global Environmental Change (UGEC) Project was established in 2005 when attention to the bidirectional interactions of urbanization and GEC issues and the associated system responses was very new and the community of UGEC researchers very small. Much of the urban scholarship used specific disciplinary lenses through which to understand the city, e.g., in terms of demographics and population growth, ecology of cities or economics of cities. Over the last decade new analytical lenses have revealed much more about how cities function, the underlying socio-economic and ecological processes that drive urbanization, their dynamic and teleconnected nature, and other bio-physical interactions within the Earth system. Furthermore, it is within the cities that the impacts of current and projected urbanization and environmental changes are felt, but also where action is taken and where great potential for intervention of urbanization trajectories exists towards creating more livable urban futures. A former IHDP core project, now Future Earth project, UGEC is in its sunset/synthesis phase and exploring future directions. This presentation will: Give an brief overview of UGEC evolution over the course of the last decade not only in terms of the science, but also the institution Present preliminary results from a critical analysis of UGEC's ten year role as a GEC research coordination project including its impact, strengths and weaknesses Make the case for greater interdisciplinarity (particularly across the physical sciences and humanities) and involvement of other stakeholders (private sector and decisionmakers) in future urbanization and environmental research, as 'urban' is a crosscutting issue that has both global to local scale implications Present work that UGEC is leading, which is to advance an urban agenda within the new Future Earth initiative as part of the recently awarded Cluster Activity 'Livable Urban Futures', as an example of research coordination in a new era of GEC governance, the associated challenges and also successes Provide insight into the practical aspects of research coordination from an IPO management perspective including the day to day management, what's required, challenging and what can be improved upon for the betterment of coordinated and networked science.

Techbelt Energy Innovation Center

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

Marie, Hazel; Nestic, Dave; Hripko, Michael

This project consisted of three main components 1) The primary goal of the project was to renovate and upgrade an existing commercial building to the highest possible environmentally sustainable level for the purpose of creating an energy incubator. This initiative was part of the Infrastructure Technologies Program, through which a sustainable energy demonstration facility was to be created and used as a research and community outreach base for sustainable energy product and process incubation; 2) In addition, fundamental energy related research on wind energy was performed; a shrouded wind turbine on the Youngstown State University campus was commissioned; and educationalmore » initiatives were implemented; and 3) The project also included an education and outreach component to inform and educate the public in sustainable energy production and career opportunities. Youngstown State University and the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center (TBEIC) renovated a 37,000 square foot urban building which is now being used as a research and development hub for the region’s energy technology innovation industry. The building houses basic research facilities and business development in an incubator format. In addition, the TBEIC performs community outreach and education initiatives in advanced and sustainable energy. The building is linked to a back warehouse which will eventually be used as a build-out for energy laboratory facilities. The projects research component investigated shrouded wind turbines, and specifically the “Windcube” which was renamed the “Wind Sphere” during the course of the project. There was a specific focus on the development in the theory of shrouded wind turbines. The goal of this work was to increase the potential efficiency of wind turbines by improving the lift and drag characteristics. The work included computational modeling, scale models and full-sized design and construction of a test turbine. The full-sized turbine was built on the YSU campus as a grid-tie system that supplies the YSU research facility. Electrical power meters and weather monitors were installed to record the power generated and aid in continued study. In addition, an education/outreach component to help elicit creative engineering and design from amongst area students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and small business in the energy related fields was performed.« less

Clinical Databases for Chest Physicians.

PubMed

Courtwright, Andrew M; Gabriel, Peter E

2018-04-01

A clinical database is a repository of patient medical and sociodemographic information focused on one or more specific health condition or exposure. Although clinical databases may be used for research purposes, their primary goal is to collect and track patient data for quality improvement, quality assurance, and/or actual clinical management. This article aims to provide an introduction and practical advice on the development of small-scale clinical databases for chest physicians and practice groups. Through example projects, we discuss the pros and cons of available technical platforms, including Microsoft Excel and Access, relational database management systems such as Oracle and PostgreSQL, and Research Electronic Data Capture. We consider approaches to deciding the base unit of data collection, creating consensus around variable definitions, and structuring routine clinical care to complement database aims. We conclude with an overview of regulatory and security considerations for clinical databases. Copyright © 2018 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamic imaging with electron microscopy

ScienceCinema

Campbell, Geoffrey; McKeown, Joe; Santala, Melissa

2018-02-13

Livermore researchers have perfected an electron microscope to study fast-evolving material processes and chemical reactions. By applying engineering, microscopy, and laser expertise to the decades-old technology of electron microscopy, the dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM) team has developed a technique that can capture images of phenomena that are both very small and very fast. DTEM uses a precisely timed laser pulse to achieve a short but intense electron beam for imaging. When synchronized with a dynamic event in the microscope's field of view, DTEM allows scientists to record and measure material changes in action. A new movie-mode capability, which earned a 2013 R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine, uses up to nine laser pulses to sequentially capture fast, irreversible, even one-of-a-kind material changes at the nanometer scale. DTEM projects are advancing basic and applied materials research, including such areas as nanostructure growth, phase transformations, and chemical reactions.

The role of the Department of Defense in PACS and telemedicine research and development.

PubMed

Mogel, Greg T

2003-01-01

The United States Department of Defense (DOD) has played a leading role in the movement of digital imaging, picture archiving and communications systems, and more recently telemedicine with its associated technologies into the mainstream of healthcare. Beginning in the 1980s with domestic implementations, and followed in the 1990s by both small and large-scale military deployments, these technologies have been put into action with varying degrees of success. These efforts however, have always served as a guidepost for similar civilian efforts and the establishment of a marketplace for the technologies. This paper examines the history of the DOD's role in these areas, the projects and programs established, assessing their current state of development and identifying the future direction of the DOD's research and implementation efforts in telemedicine and advanced medical technologies. Copyright 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

CoCoRaHS (The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network): Analysis of Participant Survey Data to Uncover Learning through Participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzer, M. A.; Zimmerman, T.; Doesken, N. J.; Reges, H. W.; Newman, N.; Turner, J.; Schwalbe, Z.

2010-12-01

CoCoRaHS (The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network) is based out of Fort Collins Colorado and is an extremely successful citizen science project with over 15,000 volunteers collecting valuable precipitation data. Forecasters and scientists use data from this dense network to illuminate and illustrate the high small-scale variability of precipitation across the nation. This presentation will discuss the results of a survey of CoCoRaHS participants as related to 1) citizen scientists’ motivation and learning; 2) the challenges of identifying how people learn science in citizen science projects; and 3) a potential research-based framework for how people learn through engaging in the data collection within in a citizen science project. A comprehensive survey of 14,500 CoCoRaHS observers was recently conducted to uncover participant perceptions of numerous aspects of the CoCoRaHS program, including its goal of increasing climate literacy. The survey yielded a response rate of over 50%, and included measures of motivation, engagement and learning. In relationship to motivation and learning, the survey revealed that most (57.1%) observers would make precipitation observations regardless of being a CoCoRaHS volunteer, therefore their motivation is related to their inherent level of interest in weather. Others are motivated by their desire to learn more about weather and climate, they want to contribute to a scientific project, they think its fun, and/or it provides a sense of community. Because so many respondents already had knowledge and interest in weather and climate, identifying how and what people learn through participating was a challenge. However, the narrow project focus of collecting and reporting of local precipitation assisted in identifying aspects of learning. For instance, most (46.4%) observers said they increased their knowledge about the local variability in precipitation even though they had been collecting precipitation data for many years. Because the focus of the survey was to solicit participant opinions and not question their content knowledge, we were limited in our ability to unpack the issue of how people learn while engaging in the project. The next phase of this study will use a theoretical framework shaped from research in the learning sciences and based on social cognition and conceptual change to question a small subset of the volunteers about the data they collect. Citizen science projects such as CoCoRaHS provide a win-win situation for project scientists and participants. Project scientists gather necessary data for their studies, and motivated participants gain skills and knowledge related to the science content and science practices employed in the project. We discuss how these survey results can be applied to similar projects where learning is a key goal for their volunteers. We also discuss pathways for future research to identify aspects of scientific learning in the context of citizen science projects.

Small-Town Rock Trade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robarge, Thomas J.

1977-01-01

Describes an eighth grade rock exchange project in which small groups of students researched, then wrote letters to schools throughout the United States requesting samples of local rocks and minerals. Provides experience in use of the atlas and letter writing. (CS)

Space and time scales in human-landscape systems.

PubMed

Kondolf, G Mathias; Podolak, Kristen

2014-01-01

Exploring spatial and temporal scales provides a way to understand human alteration of landscape processes and human responses to these processes. We address three topics relevant to human-landscape systems: (1) scales of human impacts on geomorphic processes, (2) spatial and temporal scales in river restoration, and (3) time scales of natural disasters and behavioral and institutional responses. Studies showing dramatic recent change in sediment yields from uplands to the ocean via rivers illustrate the increasingly vast spatial extent and quick rate of human landscape change in the last two millennia, but especially in the second half of the twentieth century. Recent river restoration efforts are typically small in spatial and temporal scale compared to the historical human changes to ecosystem processes, but the cumulative effectiveness of multiple small restoration projects in achieving large ecosystem goals has yet to be demonstrated. The mismatch between infrequent natural disasters and individual risk perception, media coverage, and institutional response to natural disasters results in un-preparedness and unsustainable land use and building practices.

CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES: PILOT- & FULL-SCALE TESTS

EPA Science Inventory

Two different project are to be supported in FY03. The first project is being conducted by the North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center (ND-EERC). This project consists of tests on coal-fired utility boilers to determine the effects of SCR catalysts and ammonia in...

Interprofessional learning in primary care: an exploration of the service user experience leads to a new model for co-learning.

PubMed

Worswick, Louise; Little, Christine; Ryan, Kath; Carr, Eloise

2015-01-01

Research about service user involvement in research and education focuses on the purpose, the methods, the barriers and the impact of their involvement. Few studies report on the experience of the service users who get involved. This paper reports an exploration of the experience of service users who participated in an interprofessional educational initiative in primary care - the Learning to Improve the Management of Back Pain in the Community (LIMBIC) project. Service users attended workshops with practice teams and assisted them in developing small scale quality improvement projects to improve their provision of care for people with back pain. To explore the experience of service users involved in the LIMBIC project. Using the philosophical and methodological approaches of pragmatism this study analysed data from the wider LIMBIC project and collected primary data through semi structured interviews with service users. Secondary data were reanalysed and integrated with primary data to address the research question. The study was undertaken in the primary health care setting. Patients participated as service users in workshops and quality improvement projects with members from their practice teams. Interviews with service users were transcribed and analysed thematically. Document and thematic analyses of secondary data from the LIMBIC project included focus group transcripts, patient stories, film, emails, meeting notes, a wiki and educational material such as presentations. Themes identified through the analyses illustrated the importance, to the service users, of the sense of community, of clear communication, and of influencing change through involvement. A model for co-learning with service users resulted from the analyses. The experience of service users can be optimised by planning, preparation and support so that their wealth of expertise can be recognised and utilised. A model for co-learning was developed and is presented in this paper. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Climate SPHINX: High-resolution present-day and future climate simulations with an improved representation of small-scale variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davini, Paolo; von Hardenberg, Jost; Corti, Susanna; Subramanian, Aneesh; Weisheimer, Antje; Christensen, Hannah; Juricke, Stephan; Palmer, Tim

2016-04-01

The PRACE Climate SPHINX project investigates the sensitivity of climate simulations to model resolution and stochastic parameterization. The EC-Earth Earth-System Model is used to explore the impact of stochastic physics in 30-years climate integrations as a function of model resolution (from 80km up to 16km for the atmosphere). The experiments include more than 70 simulations in both a historical scenario (1979-2008) and a climate change projection (2039-2068), using RCP8.5 CMIP5 forcing. A total amount of 20 million core hours will be used at end of the project (March 2016) and about 150 TBytes of post-processed data will be available to the climate community. Preliminary results show a clear improvement in the representation of climate variability over the Euro-Atlantic following resolution increase. More specifically, the well-known atmospheric blocking negative bias over Europe is definitely resolved. High resolution runs also show improved fidelity in representation of tropical variability - such as the MJO and its propagation - over the low resolution simulations. It is shown that including stochastic parameterization in the low resolution runs help to improve some of the aspects of the MJO propagation further. These findings show the importance of representing the impact of small scale processes on the large scale climate variability either explicitly (with high resolution simulations) or stochastically (in low resolution simulations).

Scaling, soil moisture and evapotranspiration in runoff models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Eric F.

1993-01-01

The effects of small-scale heterogeneity in land surface characteristics on the large-scale fluxes of water and energy in the land-atmosphere system has become a central focus of many of the climatology research experiments. The acquisition of high resolution land surface data through remote sensing and intensive land-climatology field experiments (like HAPEX and FIFE) has provided data to investigate the interactions between microscale land-atmosphere interactions and macroscale models. One essential research question is how to account for the small scale heterogeneities and whether 'effective' parameters can be used in the macroscale models. To address this question of scaling, the probability distribution for evaporation is derived which illustrates the conditions for which scaling should work. A correction algorithm that may appropriate for the land parameterization of a GCM is derived using a 2nd order linearization scheme. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated.

Collaboration: integrating practice and research in public health nursing.

PubMed

Henry, V; Schmitz, K; Reif, L; Rudie, P

1992-12-01

The need to integrate clinical practice and research has been stressed for many years in both public health and nursing. This article describes such a collaborative project between two rural upper Midwest public health nursing agencies and public health nursing faculty from a small, liberal arts, baccalaureate nursing program. The high-risk prenatal research project provided an opportunity for nursing staff and faculty research consultants to work together on a clinical study. A model for collaborative research is illustrated, and advantages and disadvantages for practice, administration, and research are discussed.

Effect of Wall Shear Stress on Corrosion Inhibitor Film Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canto Maya, Christian M.

In oil and gas production, internal corrosion of pipelines causes the highest incidence of recurring failures. Ensuring the integrity of ageing pipeline infrastructure is an increasingly important requirement. One of the most widely applied methods to reduce internal corrosion rates is the continuous injection of chemicals in very small quantities, called corrosion inhibitors. These chemical substances form thin films at the pipeline internal surface that reduce the magnitude of the cathodic and/or anodic reactions. However, the efficacy of such corrosion inhibitor films can be reduced by different factors such as multiphase flow, due to enhanced shear stress and mass transfer effects, loss of inhibitor due to adsorption on other interfaces such as solid particles, bubbles and droplets entrained by the bulk phase, and due to chemical interaction with other incompatible substances present in the stream. The first part of the present project investigated the electrochemical behavior of two organic corrosion inhibitors (a TOFA/DETA imidazolinium, and an alkylbenzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride), with and without an inorganic salt (sodium thiosulfate), and the resulting enhancement. The second part of the work explored the performance of corrosion inhibitor under multiphase (gas/liquid, solid/liquid) flow. The effect of gas/liquid multiphase flow was investigated using small and large scale apparatus. The small scale tests were conducted using a glass cell and a submersed jet impingement attachment with three different hydrodynamic patterns (water jet, CO 2 bubbles impact, and water vapor cavitation). The large scale experiments were conducted applying different flow loops (hilly terrain and standing slug systems). Measurements of weight loss, linear polarization resistance (LPR), and adsorption mass (using an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance, EQCM) were used to quantify the effect of wall shear stress on the performance and integrity of corrosion inhibitor films. Different scenarios were evaluated in this section of the work, such as the loss of corrosion inhibitor due to the formation of foam, and the effect of different substrates on the adsorption of corrosion inhibitor. Erosion/corrosion effects due to solids carried by a multiphase flow were investigated both on a small and large scale. Small scale experiments were performed in order to determine whether the corrosion inhibitor concentration was diminished because of adsorption onto the large surface area of entrained solid particles. The large scale experiments were done to evaluate the effect of mechanical erosion corrosion on inhibitor film performance, and vice versa. The analysis of the results obtained by electrochemical characterization shows that the adsorption mechanism having a corrosion inhibitor competing with water molecules for a place on the steel surface is an accurate approach to describe this phenomenon. From the experimental results obtained in the multiphase part of this research project, it can be concluded that the performance of corrosion inhibitor films is not significantly impacted by mechanical forces alone; even under the worst case scenarios tested here (standing slug and erosion/corrosion). Reduction of inhibitor performance was found to be primarily due to the loss of inhibitor due to consumption by adsorption particularly when a gas phase was present, leading to foam formation.

III. FROM SMALL TO BIG: METHODS FOR INCORPORATING LARGE SCALE DATA INTO DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE.

PubMed

Davis-Kean, Pamela E; Jager, Justin

2017-06-01

For decades, developmental science has been based primarily on relatively small-scale data collections with children and families. Part of the reason for the dominance of this type of data collection is the complexity of collecting cognitive and social data on infants and small children. These small data sets are limited in both power to detect differences and the demographic diversity to generalize clearly and broadly. Thus, in this chapter we will discuss the value of using existing large-scale data sets to tests the complex questions of child development and how to develop future large-scale data sets that are both representative and can answer the important questions of developmental scientists. © 2017 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Reconciling Basin-Scale Top-Down and Bottom-Up Methane Emission Measurements for Onshore Oil and Gas Development: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-14-572

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

Heath, Garvin A.

The overall objective of the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA)-funded research project is to develop independent estimates of methane emissions using top-down and bottom-up measurement approaches and then to compare the estimates, including consideration of uncertainty. Such approaches will be applied at two scales: basin and facility. At facility scale, multiple methods will be used to measure methane emissions of the whole facility (controlled dual tracer and single tracer releases, aircraft-based mass balance and Gaussian back-trajectory), which are considered top-down approaches. The bottom-up approach will sum emissions from identified point sources measured using appropriate source-level measurement techniquesmore » (e.g., high-flow meters). At basin scale, the top-down estimate will come from boundary layer airborne measurements upwind and downwind of the basin, using a regional mass balance model plus approaches to separate atmospheric methane emissions attributed to the oil and gas sector. The bottom-up estimate will result from statistical modeling (also known as scaling up) of measurements made at selected facilities, with gaps filled through measurements and other estimates based on other studies. The relative comparison of the bottom-up and top-down estimates made at both scales will help improve understanding of the accuracy of the tested measurement and modeling approaches. The subject of this CRADA is NREL's contribution to the overall project. This project resulted from winning a competitive solicitation no. RPSEA RFP2012UN001, proposal no. 12122-95, which is the basis for the overall project. This Joint Work Statement (JWS) details the contributions of NREL and Colorado School of Mines (CSM) in performance of the CRADA effort.« less

Community-based Rehabilitation in the Philippines: Using Income Generation Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos Valdez, Luzviminda Joy

1998-01-01

Provides examples of people with disabilities who are self-employed and able to generate their own income through community-based models of rehabilitation. Suggests that these small-scale efforts demonstrate the importance of understanding the local socioeconomic context of rehabilitation. (SK)

Technical report on prototype intelligent network flow optimization (INFLO) dynamic speed harmonization and queue warning.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

This Technical Report on Prototype Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) Dynamic Speed Harmonization and Queue Warning is the final report for the project. It describes the prototyping, acceptance testing and small-scale demonstration of the ...

Flexible Positions, Managed Hopes: The Promissory Bioeconomy of a Whole Genome Sequencing Cancer Study

PubMed Central

Haase, Rachel; Michie, Marsha; Skinner, Debra

2015-01-01

Genomic research has rapidly expanded its scope and ambition over the past decade, promoted by both public and private sectors as having the potential to revolutionize clinical medicine. This promissory bioeconomy of genomic research and technology is generated by, and in turn generates, the hopes and expectations shared by investors, researchers and clinicians, patients, and the general public alike. Examinations of such bioeconomies have often focused on the public discourse, media representations, and capital investments that fuel these “regimes of hope,” but also crucial are the more intimate contexts of small-scale medical research, and the private hopes, dreams, and disappointments of those involved. Here we examine one local site of production in a university-based clinical research project that sought to identify novel cancer predisposition genes through whole genome sequencing in individuals at high risk for cancer. In-depth interviews with 24 adults who donated samples to the study revealed an ability to shift flexibly between positioning themselves as research participants on the one hand, and as patients or as family members of patients, on the other. Similarly, interviews with members of the research team highlighted the dual nature of their positions as researchers and as clinicians. For both parties, this dual positioning shaped their investment in the project and valuing of its possible outcomes. In their narratives, all parties shifted between these different relational positions as they managed hopes and expectations for the research project. We suggest that this flexibility facilitated study implementation and participation in the face of potential and probable disappointment on one or more fronts, and acted as a key element in the resilience of this local promissory bioeconomy. We conclude that these multiple dimensions of relationality and positionality are inherent and essential in the creation of any complex economy, “bio” or otherwise. PMID:25697637

Progress of the Photovoltaic Technology Incubator Project Towards an Enhanced U.S. Manufacturing Base: Preprint

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

Ullal, H.; Mitchell, R.; Keyes, B.

In this paper, we report on the major accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP) Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Incubator project. The Incubator project facilitates a company's transition from developing a solar cell or PV module prototype to pilot- and large-scale U.S. manufacturing. The project targets small businesses that have demonstrated proof-of-concept devices or processes in the laboratory. Their success supports U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu's SunShot Initiative, which seeks to achieve PV technologies that are cost-competitive without subsidies at large scale with fossil-based energy sources by the end of this decade. The Incubatormore » Project has enhanced U.S. PV manufacturing capacity and created more than 1200 clean energy jobs, resulting in an increase in American economic competitiveness. The investment raised to date by these PV Incubator companies as a result of DOE's $ 59 million investment totals nearly $ 1.3 billion.« less

Progress of the PV Technology Incubator Project Towards an Enhanced U.S. Manufacturing Base

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

Ullal, H.; Mitchell, R.; Keyes, B.

In this paper, we report on the major accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP) Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Incubator project. The Incubator project facilitates a company's transition from developing a solar cell or PV module prototype to pilot- and large-scale U.S. manufacturing. The project targets small businesses that have demonstrated proof-of-concept devices or processes in the laboratory. Their success supports U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu's SunShot Initiative, which seeks to achieve PV technologies that are cost-competitive without subsidies at large scale with fossil-based energy sources by the end of this decade. The Incubatormore » Project has enhanced U.S. PV manufacturing capacity and created more than 1200 clean energy jobs, resulting in an increase in American economic competitiveness. The investment raised to date by these PV Incubator companies as a result of DOE's $ 59 million investment total nearly $ 1.3 billion.« less