Computational Nuclear Physics and Post Hartree-Fock Methods

We present a computational approach to infinite nuclear matter employing Hartree-Fock theory, many-body perturbation theory and coupled cluster theory. These lectures are closely linked with those of chapters 9, 10 and 11 and serve as input for the correlation functions employed in Monte Carlo calculations in chapter 9, the in-medium similarity renormalization group theory of dense fermionic systems of chapter 10 and the Green's function approach in chapter 11. We provide extensive code examples and benchmark calculations, allowing thereby an eventual reader to start writing her/his own codes. We start with an object-oriented serial code and end with discussions on strategies for porting the code to present and planned high-performance computing facilities.Comment: 82 pages, to appear in Lecture Notes in Physics (Springer), "An advanced course in computational nuclear physics: Bridging the scales from quarks to neutron stars", M. Hjorth-Jensen, M. P. Lombardo, U. van Kolck, Editor

Report of the Women in Science and Engineering Initiatives Committee

The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Committee was charged with identifying resources at the University of Maine that encourage the participation of women in science and engineering, both as students and as faculty; identifying ways to increase the recruitment and retention of women in these areas and recommending ways that the University can support this effort. Our work has convinced us that this initiative would benefit individual women as well as contributing to the good of the University and society as a whole. We have found that although some departments and programs are more successful than others in addressing issues facing women students and faculty in science and engineering, there are no institutionalized organizations, guidelines, or goals directed toward these issues. We believe that significant progress and long-term change will result if there is campus-wide commitment. To that end, the WISE Committee recommends: 1. Recruiting and retaining women in fields of science and engineering at the University of Maine, both as students and as faculty, be made a high priority of the Affirmative Action Plan of the University. 2. The Women in Science and Engineering Committee of the University of Maine (WISE) be institutionalized as a standing committee, appointed by the President, and charged with developing an annual plan recommending a full spectrum of activities directed towards women in science and engineering. Furthermore, we recommend that approximately $20,000 be made available for FY 93 to be earmarked for the WISE Committee (pending approval of a plan and attached budget) to initiate several high-profile, relatively low-cost programs to create institutional momentum for change. 3. Commitment to and accountability for these goals be assured at all levels of the University (i.e., department chairs and faculty, deans and directors, vice presidents, and the president) through allocation of resources and evaluation of programs

English for science and technology: a computer corpus-based analysis of English science and technology texts for application in higher education

Doutoramento em LinguísticaThis thesis presents two analyses: first the analysis of computer corpora from undergraduate textbooks to isolate the (American) English language of science and technology they present; secondly an analysis of the English language competence of undergraduates starting their university studies in science and technology. These two analyses are contrasted in order to apply the results to the design of an English language syllabus for first year undergraduates. A frequency and range word list was produced using a large baseline corpus to contrast with the main corpora taken from physics and chemistry textbooks on the students’ bibliographies as a resource for syllabus design. Secondly, four corpora, two main and two sub-corpora produced from the physics and chemistry textbooks on the bibliographies of the undergraduates were analysed using Biber’s (1988) algorithms and functions for variation across speech and writing. The student intake was tested over five years and the results of those tests analysed. It was found that there was considerable variation in the students’ levels of language competence. However, there was a close correlation between the students’ competence and the number of years they had studied English in secondary school. Nevertheless there were students with extremely advanced competence and some with little or no competence in English amongst the undergraduates. Comprehension of scientific texts was generally found to correlate with more advanced competence and more years of study. The frequency and range word list showed the contexts which are appropriate for materials to be used with these students and demonstrated variation from many of the accepted views of the language of science and technology. The computer corpora analyses varied from Biber’s academic prose category. The sub-corpora demonstrated greatest variation which is believed to be as a result of specific cultural and/or literary material in the analogies used in the textbooks. The heavy load of cultural background knowledge which the reader would need in order to work with the textbooks adequately was also found in the exercises the students were supposed to use for practice on the topic presented in the chapter. This and the interpretation of visuals in the textbooks were considered to be two principle factors that needed to be emphasised in a syllabus for first year undergraduates. However, given the time constraints on language teaching for science and technology students, a methodology which would lead to greater student autonomy is suggested using computer corpus-based studies - data- viii driven learning and computer-supported distance communications and learning.Esta tese apresenta duas análises: primeiro uma análise de corpora computadorizados, criados a partir de livros dos estudantes de licenciaturas, para isolar a linguagem Inglesa (Americana) das ciências e tecnologias que apresentam; segundo uma análise dos conhecimentos da língua Inglesa que estes alunos apresentam ao iniciar os seus estudos universitários em ciências e tecnologias. Estas duas análises são postas em contraste para se aplicar os resultados obtidos ao desenho de um programa de língua Inglesa para os alunos do primeiro ano. Foi criada uma lista com a abrangência e a frequência das palavras de um corpus de larga base, para ser contrastada com os principais corpora compilados dos livros de física e química constantes das bibliografias dos estudantes, como uma fonte para o desenho de programas. Seguidamente, quatro corpora, dois principais e dois subordinados, produzidos a partir dos livros de física e química referidos nas bibliografias dos estudantes, foram analisados usando os algoritmos e funções de Biber (1988) para variações entre linguagem falada e escrita. Durante cinco anos, à entrada para a Universidade, os estudantes foram submetidos a testes e os resultados analisados. Constatou-se que havia variações consideráveis no nível de conhecimentos da língua por parte dos estudantes. Contudo, havia uma correlação apertada entre as competências dos estudantes e o número de anos que tinham estudado Inglês nas escolas secundárias. Todavia, havia estudantes com competências extremamente avançadas e outros com competências reduzidas, ou quase nulas, em Inglês. A compreensão de textos científicos estava geralmente correlacionada com os níveis mais avançados de competências e maior número de anos de estudo. A lista com a abrangência e a frequência das palavras mostrou os contextos apropriados dos materiais a utilizar com estes estudantes e demonstrou que havia diferenças em relação a muitos dos pontos de vista aceites em relação à linguagem das ciências e tecnologias. A análise dos corpora computadorizados varia das categorias da linguagem da prosa académica de Biber. Os corpora subordinados mostram uma maior variação, que se julga ser devida a materiais específicos, culturais e/ou literário, usados nas analogias dos livros de estudo. O grande peso dos conhecimentos de fundo de que os estudantes necessitam para trabalhar adequadamente com os livros de estudo foi, também, encontrado nos exercícios que necessitam de fazer para praticarem o que está referido nos tópicos dos capítulos. Isto, juntamente com a interpretação das imagens dos livros, foram considerados os dois principais factores a precisarem de ser relevados no programa para o primeiro ano dos estudantes. Contudo, atendendo às restrições de tempo x para o ensino de línguas a estudante de ciências e tecnologias, a metodologia que conduziria a maior autonomia dos alunos será baseada na utilização de corpora computadorizados (data-driven learning) e aprendizagem à distância assistida por computador

USNA Classroom Utilization Study - Final Report - Analysis of Issues Affecting Classroom Utilization at the United States Naval Academy

EMBA Project ReportEXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Demand on Naval Academy facilities has increased due to sustained growth in the Academy’s academic programs in new areas such as cyber studies, language and cultural studies, and increased emphasis on conferring Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) degrees. In addition, the pedagogical requirements of training the Brigade of Midshipmen in all aspects of their mental, moral and physical development has evolved significantly over the years; requiring new types of teaching, learning spaces and processes that have had significant impact on the usage of classrooms and laboratories at the Academy. This pedagogy has been formalized into a series of processes and regimens that we identify as constraints in this study. These constraints act collectively to define the actual utilization of every facility at the Naval Academy. In addition, they form the basis for almost all of the business rules used by the Academic Dean’s office in their mission of facilitating the mental development of the Brigade, and ultimately become the drivers for new facilities requirements. Despite the restrictive nature of these constraints, the Naval Academy has performed above the national average in its utilization of its classrooms, and as of the fall 2010 semester, has achieved a current classroom average utilization rate of 74%. While this is noteworthy, we believe that by making a few minor adjustments which would not represent a significant departure from its cultural norms, the Academy can utilize its existing classrooms at an even higher level. In this study, we present the constraints pertaining to classroom utilization in five categories; Physical, Student Body, Faculty, Traditional and Technology. We briefly examine each constraint and qualitatively explain its impact on facilities utilization. We recognize that constraints are a reality of doing business and that especially in circumstances such as at the Naval Academy they are even highly desired, valued and part of the cultural heart of the institution. However, we present a series of recommendations that encourage new examinations of the constraints in light of the constrained facilities construction budget in the Department of the Navy and in response to the Naval Academy’s sense of urgency in identifying space for the emerging curriculum requirements in Cyber Studies. We wish to highlight several of these recommendations that, in our assessment, appear to be palatable and executable in the near future without significant disruption to the norms at the Academy; _ Reclaim a seventh daily period of instruction by shortening the noon meal period and beginning the afternoon class sessions earlier. _ Adhere more closely to the Academic Dean guidelines on appropriate sizes of classes and strictly limit the number of small classes (fewer than 16 Midshipmen) to specialized instances. _ Schedule and assign classrooms and labs at the Division level vs. independent Department-led academic scheduling. These opportunities, among others that we present in our recommendations, will have real and immediate impact on the utilization of classrooms at the Naval Academy and can be accomplished in incremental steps or in tandem. Delivering future leaders of the Navy to the Fleet on schedule and on budget is no small task and we applaud the Naval Academy leadership in their dedicated efforts. We hope that this study encourages further dialogue on how to maximize all of the academic facilities and associated resources that are currently available to meet these demands.For Mr. Robert C. Parsons, Chief Financial Officer, USNAhttp://archive.org/details/usnaclassroomuti10945706

Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges

"This report was originally produced as advice to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in July 2010. It was therefore written in a different context, before the Browne Review and changes to higher education policy announced in late 2010... This report was produced in response to a request in our grant letter for 2010-11, issued by the previous Government. In that grant letter, the then Secretary of State indicated that he wished to see a shift away from full-time three-year degrees and towards a wider variety of provision. He asked us to assess current trends in demand, and to provide initial advice as to how ‘diverse provision’ can be encouraged." - Page 2