Becoming dislocated: On Bauman's subjective culture

Three of Zygmunt Bauman’s recent books are assessed to present insights into the recent development of his thought and the challenges it poses to the social sciences, humanities and the wider public. By reading Bauman’s recent work through the influence he takes from Georg Simmel, the former’s disparate recent work is understood as an attempt at the cultivation of critical and ethical engagement through the externalization and objectification of his own subjective culture. The more radical elements of Bauman’s work are emphasized in his attempts to stimulate a counter-culture through encouraging critical analysis of society. It is proposed that he achieves this through ‘polylogic’ discourse and engagement with the public. Sociology is presented as a tool of freedom through ‘defamiliarizing the familiar’ and Bauman’s most powerful tool in this is the demonstration of his particular critical view of the world. The broad-ranging engagement with diverse topics in his recent books enables him to place this critical perspective, rather than a particular topic or issue, at the centre of his work. The metaphorical and other literary devices used by Bauman to stimulate critique and in particular to spur on the radical potential of youth are highlighted as some of his most powerful contributions

Gravitational Search and Harmony Search Algorithms for Solving the Chemical Kinetics Optimization Problems

The article is dedicated to the analysis of the global optimization algorithms application to the solution of inverse problems of chemical kinetics. Two heuristic algorithms are considered - the gravitational search algorithm and the harmony algorithm. The article describes the algorithms, as well as the application of these algorithms to the optimization of test functions. After that, these algorithms are used to search for the kinetic parameters of two chemical processes – propane pre-reforming on Ni-catalyst and catalytic isomerization of pentane-hexane fraction. For the first process both algorithms showed approximately the same solution, while for the second problem the gravitational search algorithm showed a smaller value of the minimizing function. Wherefore, it is concluded that on large-scale problems it is better to use the gravitational search algorithm rather than the harmony algorithm, while obtaining a smaller value of the minimizing function in a minimum time. On low-scale problems both algorithms showed approximately the same result, while demonstrating the coincidence of the calculated data with the experimental ones

Zt.Zztin the Anthropocene: arthropod flesh, solar-strip skin and Anthropocene time in The Old Drif

While Namwali Serpell’s novel "The Old Drift" can be read as a fictional account of colonial and post-colonial Zambian history, this article focuses on the text’s exploration of Anthropocene time—geobiochemical and planetary temporal scales that predate human histories, while also gesturing towards futures where "Homo sapiens" may be absent. This article focuses on deep temporality in the novel via the use of mosquito and Moskeetoze (mosquito-like microdrones) narrators. While mosquitoes facilitate encounters with the deep past and of entangled human-nonhuman histories, the Moskeetozes enable representations of the vicissitudes of the “Anthrobscene” (Parrikka) and the creative potentialities of improvised life that emerge in hazardscapes in the Global South. Additionally, "The Old Drift" gestures towards a speculative planetary future where mosquitoes and Moskeetozes integrate to evolve new modalities of swarm intelligence and forms of life.Mientras que la novela “The Old Drift” de Namwali Serpell puede leerse como un relato ficticio de la historia colonial y postcolonial de Zambia, este artículo se centra en cómo la obra explora la era del Antropoceno—las escalas temporales geobioquímicas y planetarias que preceden las historias humanas, a la vez que hacen un gesto hacia los futuros en los que el Homo sapiens puede estar ausente. Este artículo se centra en la profunda temporalidad en la novela por medio del uso del mosquito y del “Moskeetoze” (microdrones que parecen mosquitos) como narradores. Mientras que los mosquitos facilitan los encuentros con el pasado profundo y de historias entrelazadas de humanos y no-humanos, los “Moskeetozes” permiten representar las vicisitudes del “Antrobsceno” (Parrikka) y las posibilidades creativas de la vida improvisada que surge en los paisajes peligrosos del sur global. Además, “The Old Drift” hace un gesto hacia un futuro planetario especulativo en el que los mosquitos y los “Moskeetoze” se integran para desarrollar nuevas formas de inteligencia de enjambre y nuevas formas de vida

Pedestrian-Aware Supervisory Control System Interactive Optimization of Connected Hybrid Electric Vehicles via Fuzzy Adaptive Cost Map and Bees Algorithm

Electrified vehicles are increasingly being seen as a means of mitigating the pressing concerns of traffic-related pollution. Due to the nature of engine-assisted vehicle exhaust systems, pedestrians in close proximity to these vehicles may experience events where specific emission concentrations are high enough to cause health effects. To minimize pedestrians’ exposure to vehicle emissions and pollutants nearby, we present a pedestrian-aware supervisory control system for connected hybrid electric vehicles by proposing an interactive optimization methodology. This optimization methodology combines a novel fuzzy adaptive cost map and the Bees Algorithm to optimize power-split control parameters. It enables the self-regulation of inter-objective weights of fuel and exhaust emissions based on the real-time pedestrian density information during the optimization process. The evaluation of the vehicle performance by using the proposed methodology is conducted on the realistic trip map involving pedestrian density information collected from the University College Dublin campus. Moreover, two bootstrap sampling techniques and effect of communication quality are both investigated in order to examine the robustness of the improved vehicle system. The results demonstrate that 14.42% mass of exhaust emissions can be reduced for the involved pedestrians, by using the developed fuzzy adaptive cost map

Kinetic Modelling Of Thermal Cracking of Vacuum Residue on Eureka Process

In oil refineries, cracking process is an important process for upgrading the raw crude oil into higher quality product that can be used by the consumer. The refining process start from crude distillation unit (CDU), then vacuum distillation unit (VDU) for further product yield. The effluent of VDU is called vacuum residue which can later be upgraded by hydrocracking. In this case thermal cracking is favored than catalytic cracking due to impurities. The work presents the development of a binary reaction kinetic model for Eureka process, a type of thermal cracking chosen for further studies in its kinetics due to potential enhancement to yield more useful product recovery

Applied Research Exemplars

The Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s unique academic environment brings together mid- and senior-level government officials with world-renowned faculty and experts in the diverse disciplines that comprise homeland security. The CHDS classroom is a place where participants think critically about homeland security issues and work collaboratively to develop strategic solutions. Master’s degree participants research and write course papers along with a final thesis. These original works concentrate on proposing creative policies, strategies and approaches to the public safety challenges facing their agencies and the broader homeland security community

Designing algorithms to aid discovery by chemical robots

Recently, automated robotic systems have become very efficient, thanks to improved coupling between sensor systems and algorithms, of which the latter have been gaining significance thanks to the increase in computing power over the past few decades. However, intelligent automated chemistry platforms for discovery orientated tasks need to be able to cope with the unknown, which is a profoundly hard problem. In this Outlook, we describe how recent advances in the design and application of algorithms, coupled with the increased amount of chemical data available, and automation and control systems may allow more productive chemical research and the development of chemical robots able to target discovery. This is shown through examples of workflow and data processing with automation and control, and through the use of both well-used and cutting-edge algorithms illustrated using recent studies in chemistry. Finally, several algorithms are presented in relation to chemical robots and chemical intelligence for knowledge discovery