Pragmatic assessment of meeting the 2030 U.S. sustainable aviation fuel goal

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production is essential for decarbonizing the aviation sector in the short and mid-term as well as maintaining the global competitiveness of U.S. airlines, supporting job creation, and ensuring U.S. energy independence. The near-term U.S. SAF target, set by the SAF Grand Challenge, is 11.4 billion liters (3 billion gallons) of domestic SAF production by 2030, with a minimum 50 % reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. In 2024 U S. SAF production was less than 2 % of the stated goal, demonstrating that the remaining production growth is significant. Barriers to scale-up include technological readiness, feedstock availability, and delays in facility development. This study uses a database of U.S. SAF production announcements to assess the feasibility of attaining the 2030 targets by analyzing production potential, construction paradigms, feedstock availability, and CO2 abatement cost. Our analysis indicates that the hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids pathway will dominate U.S. SAF production through 2030, with notable contributions from alcohol to jet and co-processing. However, probable U.S. production of SAF is predicted to fall short of the current goal by 3.6-billion liters although there are scenarios that meet the goal. Existing U.S. policies favor on-road transportation fuels and are insufficient to drive necessary SAF production scale-up. Additional measures, such as non-government scope 3 emission purchases, long-term incentives, a national low-carbon fuel standard, or volume mandates, are options to close the gap. These measures are needed to ensure the profitability of SAF production and competitiveness with renewable diesel.[Display omitted]•U.S. SAF production will be dominated by HEFA through 2030.•SAF production in the U.S. is expected to fall short of the near-term goal of 11.4 billion L/yr.•Further growth of the nascent SAF industry will require additional supportive measures

MANAGING ALCOHOL IN THE VINEYARD AND THE WINERY UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF ETHANOL ON WINE FLAVOR AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AROMA COMPOSITION AND AROMA PERCEPTION IN SAUVIGNON BLANC AND CABERNET SAUVIGNON WINES

This work consists of two manuscripts, one published, and one ready-to-submit, that embody the same experimental purpose and design with two different well-known wine grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon blanc. A review of the literature is included beforehand. Ripening and alcohol were investigated for potential impacts to wine aroma and taste. Two different methods of alcohol adjustment, pre-fermentation dilution and post-fermentation membrane filtration, were implemented at three ripening targets for two vintages. Volatile composition was determined quantitatively for the wines and was correlated with significant sensory attributes. Volatile thiols in Sauvignon blanc and methoxypyrazines in Cabernet Sauvignon were quantified in addition to esters, higher alcohols, terpenes, and C13-norisoprenoids. Harvest and alcohol as treatment factors were compared as well as alcohol adjustment method and timing.Sauvignon blanc wine aroma and taste were significantly altered by changes in ethanol concentration but had fewer distinctive aromas at later harvests. Post-fermentationdealcoholization significantly reduced the concentration of volatile esters, as did pre-fermentative dilution of the must using water. Pre-fermentative dilution with sugar solution to increase alcohol concentration led to wines with higher concentrations of volatile esters, terpenes and norisoprenoids that had noticeably higher aroma intensities of tropical fruit, grapefruit, sour candy, and alcohol as well as a hotter mouthfeel and more bitter taste. Volatile thiols 3-mercaptohexanol (3-MH) and 3-merceptohexyl acetate (3-MHA) were affected by harvest timing, not alcohol, though no clear trend was observed for differences between harvests.Unlike Sauvignon blanc wines, evaluating alcohol adjustment effects showed many aroma attributes that remain discriminating for Cabernet Sauvignon wines throughout ripening. Retro-nasal aroma, taste, and mouthfeel were affected more by changes in alcohol than ortho-nasal aroma for Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Higher alcohol wines had more bruised fruit ortho-nasal aroma and more artificial fruit, pepper, and alcohol retro-nasal aroma. Both late harvest wines and high alcohol wines were high in dark fruit aroma but late harvest wines were not described distinctively by the artificial fruit descriptor, likely due to the increased concentrations of volatile esters measured in those wines. Methoxypyrazines 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) and 2-isopropryl-3-methoxypyrazine (IPMP) behaved incongruently. IBMP was mostly undetectable after the early harvest but was significantly higher, when quantifiable, in all low alcohol treatment wines. IPMP was significantly higher in high alcohol wines and was detected at all harvests at similar concentration ranges. Sensorially, IBMP was highly associated with both pyrazine ortho-nasal and retro-nasal aroma while IPMP associated with bruised fruit and alcohol aromas. It is recommended to harvest early and chaptalize to improve sensory qualities of these wines if more hang time presents a conflict for the vineyard or winery. Adjusting alcohol either before or after fermentation had similar effects on aroma and volatile ester reductions. However, membrane filtration offered more precision in the final outcome

Application of artificial intelligence in educational measurement: opportunities and ethical challenges

人工智能（Artificial Intelligence, AI）与教育测量的结合促进了测评方法的转变，通过机器学习和自然语言处理，实现了自动评分、快速内容分析和个性化反馈。这些发展为学生的表现提供了宝贵的见解，同时也提升了整体测评体验。然而，AI在教育领域的应用也引发了有关效度、信度、透明性、公平性和公正性的重大伦理问题。算法偏差和AI决策过程不透明等问题有可能加剧不平等，影响测评结果。为此，包括教育工作者、政策制定者和测试机构在内的各利益相关方制定了指导方针，以确保AI在教育领域中的应用符合伦理规范。美国国家教育测量委员会测量与教育中的人工智能特别兴趣小组（AI in Measurement and Education, AIME）致力于制定该领域的伦理规范并推动研究的进一步发展。在本文中，不同背景的AIME成员共同探讨了AI工具在教育测量中的伦理影响，分析了自动化偏差和环境影响等重大挑战，并提出了确保AI在教育领域负责任且高效应用的解决方案

Soil Compaction in Annual Crop Production Causes, Impacts, and Solutions

Soil compaction is commonly understood to be a serious and widespread concern for agricultural production and environmental health. It results in poor soil structure, restricted water movement, and reduced biological activity, ultimately reducing crop yield and other critical soil functions. Additionally, it can cause environmental damage by increasing the potential for soil erosion and associated surface water pollution. This damage and its consequences are particularly concerning given that soil regenerates so slowly that it can effectively be considered a nonrenewable resource. This publication examines how agricultural activities cause compaction, under what conditions soils are particularly susceptible to compaction, how it is identified and measured, and how it can be repaired using implements and through management practices, such as cover cropping

Finding Your Voice

The process of developing a compositional voice is not a clearly defined sequence of events. It is an experiential process that occurs when a composer creates a unique synthesis of compositional techniques that expresses their creativity while engaging the listener with a story that is sometimes entirely musical. The ability to use music to convey complex emotions or abstract ideas is not new territory. How that goal is achieved is something that is unique to each composer. Discovering the methods and techniques that create a person’s unique sonic voice/identity is a crucial part of the creative journey composers undertake and is a process of research, listening, and creating. This project covers all these aspects of compositional development that result in a performable product that not only shows the development of a choral composer but also a storyteller.This project is a culmination of research, composing, and writing that will result in a song cycle for SATB choir. The song cycle will feature the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Sara Teasdale, chosen for their writing style, and accessibility in the public domain. The purpose of this project is to synthesize research and discuss the compositional choices made while composing a song cycle for choir. The process of selecting poetry that evoked a theme or concept I wanted was challenging due to the large bodies of work from each poet, and narrowing those catalogs down to two poems by each composer was a highly involved process

DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND CONTROL OF THE SPI-MOD CSR: A SINGLE PNEMATIC INPUT MODULAR CONTINUUM SOFT ROBOT

Soft robotics field is a new field of robotics research that focuses on developing and advancing the use of compliant materials in the development of robots. The inherent properties of these soft materials form the foundation for robots that can safely interact with humans in work environments and adapt to irregular conditions. This foundation has led to the rapid development of soft robot prototypes that range in all sizes and are used for medical devices, search and rescue, and more. The soft nature of the robot’s alternative actuation methods, as compared to heavy rigid motors, is a large focus of soft robotics research. One of the most commonly used actuation methods in the field of soft robotics is pneumatics. Pneumatic robots typically actuate by means of manipulating the shape and properties of soft components to control the direction and force exerted by the expansion of pressurized chambers. While this power system is accessible and capable, the means by which the fluidic pressure is delivered is often cumbersome and restrictive and limits the minimum size of soft robots. For example, common pressure delivery systems for soft robots require a tube for each individually controlled chamber in a robot’s design. Thus, as a soft robot’s design and movement become more complex, more individually controlled chambers are required and the volume for the pressure delivery system increases. This direct relationship of motion complexity to volume for power delivery determines the minimum size of a high degree of freedom robot. In response to this limitation, a nascent concentric-tubed spool valve (CTSV) was developed and integrated into the design of the single pneumatic input modular continuum soft robot (SPI-Mod CSR). The CTSV exploits the three-dimensional space between two concentric tubes to create a flexible adaptable valve system that requires minimal space to supply pneumatic power to multiple chambers in a soft robot with only a single pressure delivery tube. This design allows for a significant decrease in the size of modular continuum soft robots. The SPI-MOD CSR is a continuum soft robot that is fabricated with modular, two-chamber segments that can rotate about a single axis. These segments are attached to each other at a 90-degree offset such that every segment rotates about a different axis than their adjacent segments, providing a discreet approximation of snake-like motion. The central axis of the robot was designed with a channel running through it to serve as the outer tube of the CTSV and allowing for a flexible tube to be inserted. Holes in the pressure supply tube align with the inlets of the robot's chambers allowing for chambers to be selectively pressurized. With segments only one centimeter in length and two centimeters in diameter, the SPI-Mod CSR is one of the smallest modular soft robots to date and required the development of a specialized casting method. The Intermediary Sacrificial Mold Casting method for polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) components presented here allows for the fabrication of the complex and relatively small segments of the SPI-Mod CSR. This fabrication method uses an intermediary sacrificial mold made from Field's metal in combination with the cost-effective high-resolution capabilities of a monochrome LCD 3D printer to bypass the cure inhibition of PDMS parts resulting from chemical compounds found in resin printed parts. The sacrificial nature of the intermediary molds allows for the fabrication of geometrically complex features and fragile components. Due to the single pressure tube nature of the CTSV in the SPI-Mod CSR, the discreet step Jacobian control method was developed to approximate the control found in Jacobian inverse kinematics-based control methods. With the discreet step Jacobian control method and a custom visual feedback system, multiple tests were performed driving the end effector to designated goal positions

Secure Milk Supply Plans Creating Plans Through a Student-Led, Processor-Organized Model

Secure Milk Supply (SMS) plans for enhanced biosecurity provide a business continuity strategy for dairy producers in the event of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. During the summers of 2022, 2023, and 2024, Washington State University veterinary and undergraduate students created SMS plans for 101 premises representing 70 dairies within Washington. This project’s success was dependent upon the collaborative efforts of Northwest Dairy Association field managers who proved to be the bridge between the students and producers. Producers reflected that they appreciated having students as an intermediary between them and state officials, preferring to support education rather than regulation

Teton County Resource Guide - Idaho

County level and region-specific resource guides focused on mental health and substance use

TEACHER LEADERSHIP AND SENSE-MAKING A STUDY OF TEACHER LEADERS IN RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEIR ROLE IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Teacher leaders are widely viewed as key drivers of school improvement efforts, with the capacity to foster a positive learning environment and enhance instructional quality. Yet, much of the existing research focuses on subject-specific initiatives in larger or more resourced contexts, leaving gaps in understanding how teacher leaders operate effectively across diverse educational settings. In particular, teacher leaders in rural areas must possess a broad range of skills and adaptability (Ali, 2014) but often lack the necessary support or professional development opportunities (Hallinger & Liu, 2016). This underscores a vital need to explore how these educators make sense of their roles in schools with limited resources and a varied student population, especially in rural districts (Friedman, 2011). Uncovering how teacher leaders navigate unique challenges, enact leadership strategies, and address evolving school improvement goals will inform how districts can better develop and sustain teacher leadership for continuous improvement.This qualitative study investigates how teacher leaders in a large, rural school district perceive and enact their roles in driving school improvement, with a particular focus on sense-making. Drawing on interviews with 11 full-time teachers who also serve as team leaders, the study examines how these educators balance district-level initiatives and local school priorities, often in contexts characterized by low socioeconomic status and a predominantly Latinx student population. The findings highlight the multifaceted nature of teacher leadership: participants act as bridges between district policies and everyday classroom realities, translating and interpreting directives to ensure initiatives resonate with staff and students. They proactively mitigate resistance by fostering trust, promoting inclusivity, and using evidence-based strategies, all while creating positive, supportive school cultures. The study underscores how deep cultural knowledge, encompassing both community values and student needs, empowers teacher leaders to navigate challenges effectively. These insights offer practical guidance for stakeholders aiming to strengthen teacher leadership structures, enhance professional collaboration, and promote sustainable school improvement in diverse or resource-limited settings

An Investigation of Thrust and Torsional Force Profiles and Their Effects on Hybrid Aerospace Structure Joining

Aerospace manufacturers are seeking to make their processes fully autonomous to enhance productivity while reducing costs. The final assembly of an aircraft requires the mechanical fastening process, which is complex and time-consuming. This level of complexity stems from the wide variety of fasteners, an array of installation tooling, and the need for operators to interpret and make in-situ decisions about the installation process, all while maintaining a high level of accuracy and precision. In the pursuit of developing an autonomous robot-based mechanical fastening operation of aircraft structures, it is critical to comprehend the mechanisms associated with the mechanical fastening process.With these goals in mind, this study examines the mechanisms of pin insertion and collar tightening during the mechanical fastening process when joining a composite/metal hybrid stack. The hybrid stacks evaluated in this study consist of Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Polymer composite (CFRP) and 2024-T351 Aluminum coupons in a single shear application. The fastener system used is a commercially available aerospace-grade 4.76mm (0.188in) diameter cadmium-coated 4340 alloy-steel Hi-Lite™ pin system, consisting of a pin and a 7075-T6 Aluminum collar. The experimental process considered the angularity effects of both the stack hole and the pin insertion as the sole input process variation. This resulted in a total of five configurations chosen for both the fastener being inserted, as well as the hole bore’s angle variation, and resulted in the following combinations: 0°-0°, 0°-1°, 1°-1°, 0°-2°, and 2°-2°. These conditions also allowed for the derivation of a hypothesized interference fit percentage between the pin being inserted and the hole bore. The fastening experiments consist of two sequences: pin insertion and collar tightening.During the insertion experiments, a Hi-Lite™ pin was inserted into the hybrid stack using a quasi-static velocity of 25.4mm/min (1in/min), while a 3-axis load cell was used to collect both in-plane, and out-of-plane forces. A total of ten trials per condition were conducted, resulting in a total of fifty independent insertion runs. Following the insertion experiments, each of the pins inserted had a Hi-Lite™ collar installed. During the installation of each collar, a commercially available pneumatic tool was used to apply a constant torsional loading until each collar reached its manufacturers-specified torque-off value. A torque sensor attached to the fixture holding each coupon record torque profiles, and a 3-axis load cell simultaneously collected the associated in-plane and out-of-plane force profiles. Lastly, after completing the tightening process, one coupon set for each configuration was disassembled and inspected for any related damage in either the CFRP or Al. This evaluation was performed to capture any resultant influence the angularity condition imparted on the hybrid stack during either of the installation processes.The experimental results of the insertion process showed that the pin insertion force profiles were close in the three configurations (0°-0°, 1°-1°, and 2°-2°), which are considered to be clearance-fit conditions. When the hole bore and pin are concentric/coaxial, the effects of the angularity are negligible. However, in the case of the interference conditions (0°-1°, and 0°-2°), these two configurations resulted in distinct trends and mainly increased resultant force magnitudes up to 165 N. A sudden change in force magnitudes as the pin passes across material boundaries is potentially due to the variation of friction coefficients of the two dissimilar materials or issues associated with hole bore concentricity. In both the 0°-1°, and 0°-2° it was seen that as the pin being inserted was met with increasing resistance, that it would align itself to the hole bore rather than create the hypothesized localized compressive damage in the CFRP upper layers, or at the exit of the 2024-T351 aluminum (i.e., burr formation). This self-aligning mechanism was also observed to be influenced by the Maximum Material Condition (MMC) of a hole as well as the angularity condition, showing an increase in the aligning behavior as both the hole bore angle and the MMC of a given experiment increased. No localized CFRP surface damage or aluminum exit-burrs were found, concluding that the angularity tolerance of +/- 2° would not result in any material damage during the pin installation.The collar tightening experiments resulted in the required increase in the applied axial loading to the pneumatic fastening tool to ensure the collar fastening completion. Given the single-sided nature of installing a Hi-Lite™ pin and collar system, as the angularity of an installed pin increased, so did the off-angled interference of the pin, hex key, collar, and socket, all of which must line up during the installation. As a result, this increasing interference of the tooling required additional force to ensure the socket and collar remained engaged until the collar reached its shear-off torque value. It was noted that regardless of the external load variation or angularity condition, neither one has any significant impact on the measured torsional profile, and in almost all cases, the torque profile was observed to remain unchanged.The assembly mechanisms altered by the hole and pin angularity will assist in the design and development of the end-effector intended to carry out these tasks in an autonomous fashion, as well as the development of the process monitoring sensor specifications