Developing ontologies in OWL: An observational study

No abstract

Advanced Cyberinfrastructure for Science, Engineering, and Public Policy

Progress in many domains increasingly benefits from our ability to view the systems through a computational lens, i.e., using computational abstractions of the domains; and our ability to acquire, share, integrate, and analyze disparate types of data. These advances would not be possible without the advanced data and computational cyberinfrastructure and tools for data capture, integration, analysis, modeling, and simulation. However, despite, and perhaps because of, advances in "big data" technologies for data acquisition, management and analytics, the other largely manual, and labor-intensive aspects of the decision making process, e.g., formulating questions, designing studies, organizing, curating, connecting, correlating and integrating crossdomain data, drawing inferences and interpreting results, have become the rate-limiting steps to progress. Advancing the capability and capacity for evidence-based improvements in science, engineering, and public policy requires support for (1) computational abstractions of the relevant domains coupled with computational methods and tools for their analysis, synthesis, simulation, visualization, sharing, and integration; (2) cognitive tools that leverage and extend the reach of human intellect, and partner with humans on all aspects of the activity; (3) nimble and trustworthy data cyber-infrastructures that connect, manage a variety of instruments, multiple interrelated data types and associated metadata, data representations, processes, protocols and workflows; and enforce applicable security and data access and use policies; and (4) organizational and social structures and processes for collaborative and coordinated activity across disciplinary and institutional boundaries.Comment: A Computing Community Consortium (CCC) white paper, 9 pages. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1604.0200

The importance of understanding computer analyses in civil engineering

Sophisticated computer modelling systems are widely used in civil engineering analysis. This paper takes examples from structural engineering, environmental engineering, flood management and geotechnical engineering to illustrate the need for civil engineers to be competent in the use of computer tools. An understanding of a model's scientific basis, appropriateness, numerical limitations, validation, verification and propagation of uncertainty is required before applying its results. A review of education and training is also suggested to ensure engineers are competent at using computer modelling systems, particularly in the context of risk management. 1. Introductio

See no evil? Ethics in an interventionist ICTD

This paper considers some of the ethical questions that arise in conducting interventionist ICTD research, and examines the ethical advice and guidance that is readily available to researchers. Recent years have seen a growing interest from technology researchers in applying their skills to address the needs and aspirations of people in developing regions. In contrast to much previous research in Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD) which has sought to study and understand processes surrounding technologies, technology researchers are interested in finding ways to change the forms of these technologies in order to promote desirable social aims. These more interventionist research encounters raise distinctive ethical challenges. This paper explores the discussions that have been presented in the major ICTD journals and conferences and major development studies journals as well as examining codes of conduct from related fields of research. Exploration of this literature shows that the quantity, quality and detail of advice that directly addresses the challenges of interventionist ICTD is actually very limited. This paper argues that the there is an urgent need for the ICTD research community to investigate and debate this subject

Don’t Look Back: The Paradoxical Role of Recording in the Fashion Design Process

Although there is little systematic research in academia or industry examining design processes in Fashion, anecdotal evidence, based on self- reports and observations, suggests that designers very rarely record the process of designing. Conversely, benefits and requirements of recording the design process within other domains, such as Engineering and Architecture, are well supported in the literature. This paper attempts to explore the dichotomy of recording and non-recording practice across these fields through a review of the literature, semi-structured interviews and a report on one case study in particular, drawing out further detail. Commonalities and differences are identified and new directions for research proposed

A multi-wavelength view on the dusty Wolf-Rayet star WR 48a

We present results from the first attempts to derive various physical characteristics of the dusty Wolf-Rayet star WR 48a based on a multi-wavelength view of its observational properties. This is done on the basis of new optical and near-infrared spectral observations and on data from various archives in the optical, radio and X-rays. The optical spectrum of WR 48a is acceptably well represented by a sum of two spectra: of a WR star of the WC8 type and of a WR star of the WN8h type. The strength of the interstellar absorption features in the optical spectra of WR 48a and the near-by stars D2-3 and D2-7 (both members of the open cluster Danks 2) indicates that WR 48a is located at a distance of ~4 kpc from us. WR 48a is very likely a thermal radio source and for such a case and smooth (no clumps) wind its radio emission suggests a relatively high mass-loss rate of this dusty WR star (dM/dt = a few x 10^(-4) solar masses per year). Long timescale (years) variability of WR 48a is established in the optical, radio and X-rays. Colliding stellar winds likely play a very important role in the physics of this object. However, some LBV-like (luminous blue variable) activity could not be excluded as well.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS; 16 pages, 16 figures, 6 table

Usability testing in a library web site redesign project

An intuitive library information gateway is critical to meeting the information needs of library users in the digital age. This article describes the process involved in redesigning a library Web site. In addition to first determining the goals and requirements for the library Web site, a user and task analysis was conducted for defining the library\u27s user base and types of tasks which users might be performing at the site. Usability testing methods, such as observational interviews, provided fresh insights about how users are interacting with the library Web interface as they approach various information seeking tasks. These usability studies uncovered problems related to unclear terminology, proper use of color, size and location of navigational links, and the need for context sensitive help, built-in redundancy, and clear and consistent navigation