Furthering alternative cultures of valuation in higher education research

The value of higher education is often implicit or assumed in educational research. The underlying and antecedent premises that shape and influence debates about value remain unchallenged which perpetuates the dominant, but limiting, terms of the debate and fosters reductionism. I proceed on the premise that analyses of value are not self–supporting or self-referential but are embedded within prevailing cultures of valuation. I contend that challenging, and providing alternatives to, dominant narratives of higher education requires an appreciation of those cultures. I therefore highlight some of the existing cultures of valuation and their influence. I then propose Sayer’s concept of lay normativity as a culture of valuation and discuss how it translates into the practices of research into higher education, specifically the practice of analysis. I animate the discussion by detecting the presence of lay normativity in the evaluative space of the capability approach

Multiple burn fuel-optimal orbit transfers: Numerical trajectory computation and neighboring optimal feedback guidance

This report describes current work in the numerical computation of multiple burn, fuel-optimal orbit transfers and presents an analysis of the second variation for extremal multiple burn orbital transfers as well as a discussion of a guidance scheme which may be implemented for such transfers. The discussion of numerical computation focuses on the use of multivariate interpolation to aid the computation in the numerical optimization. The second variation analysis includes the development of the conditions for the examination of both fixed and free final time transfers. Evaluations for fixed final time are presented for extremal one, two, and three burn solutions of the first variation. The free final time problem is considered for an extremal two burn solution. In addition, corresponding changes of the second variation formulation over thrust arcs and coast arcs are included. The guidance scheme discussed is an implicit scheme which implements a neighboring optimal feedback guidance strategy to calculate both thrust direction and thrust on-off times

Theory and Computation of Optimal Low- and Medium- Thrust Orbit Transfers

This report presents new theoretical results which lead to new algorithms for the computation of fuel-optimal multiple-burn orbit transfers of low and medium thrust. Theoretical results introduced herein show how to add burns to an optimal trajectory and show that the traditional set of necessary conditions may be replaced with a much simpler set of equations. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the utility of the theoretical results and the new algorithms. Two indirect methods from the literature are shown to be effective for the optimal orbit transfer problem with relatively small numbers of burns. These methods are the Minimizing Boundary Condition Method (MBCM) and BOUNDSCO. Both of these methods make use of the first-order necessary conditions exactly as derived by optimal control theory. Perturbations due to Earth's oblateness and atmospheric drag are considered. These perturbations are of greatest interest for transfers that take place between low Earth orbit altitudes and geosynchronous orbit altitudes. Example extremal solutions including these effects and computed by the aforementioned methods are presented. An investigation is also made into a suboptimal multiple-burn guidance scheme. The FORTRAN code developed for this study has been collected together in a package named ORBPACK. ORBPACK's user manual is provided as an appendix to this report

Using the publishing hook to engage faculty in scholarly teaching

Our university’s SoTL Work Group members are offering this workshop as a blueprint for other centers and developers to implement in addressing certain pre-conceptions about SoTL work. In this workshop, we show how to use publication as the “hook” to get people interested in Richlin’s (2006) scholarly teaching process. Activities include a review of what journals consider when evaluating manuscripts, a critique of sample manuscripts, completion of a SoTL project worksheet, and discussion of venues for publishing

Exercising Metabolic, Ventilatory, and Cardiovascular Responses to Isometric Whole Body Vibration Exercise

Purpose: To determine if metabolic, ventilatory, or cardiovascular response to isometric squats with or without external load was enhanced by the addition of a whole body vibration (WBV). Methods: Fifteen subjects (28.4±6.5y; 173.7±8.6 cm; 75.5±20.8 kg) underwent four exercise sessions with three days’ rest between sessions. The sample included 7 males and 8 females. Subject performed 10-sets of one-minute isometrics squats with 45 degrees of knee flexion standing on a WBV platform under four conditions: Unloaded, Unloaded Vibration, Loaded, and Loaded Vibration. Each condition was performed on a separate day; the session order was presented at random. One-minute recovery was given between sets. During the vibration conditions, the plate vibrated at 4mm peak-to-peak displacement and 30Hz. Loaded sessions were performed with a barbell equal to 30% body weight across the subjects shoulder. Oxygen consumption (VO2) and ventilation (VE) were measured using a metabolic cart and heart rate was obtained using polar chest straps. A 2x2 ANOVA was used to evaluate main effects for vibration (vibration vs. no vibration), load (loaded vs. unloaded), and interactions. Results: There were significant vibration (p = 0.02) and load (p = 0.003) main effects for VO2. VO2 during vibration (9.2±3.3 mL.kg-1.min-1) was significantly greater than no vibration (7.9±1.2 mL.kg-1.min-1); VO2 was also greater during the loaded (9.6 ± 3.1 mL . kg-1 . min-1) condition compared to unloaded (7.5±1.1 mL.kg-1.min-1). There were significant vibration (p=0.01) and load (p=0.01) main effects for VE. VE during vibration (20.8±10.0 L.min-1) was greater than no vibration (17.8±4.8 L.min-1); VE was greater during loaded (21.5±9.4 L.min-1) conditions compared to unloaded (17.7±5.5 L.min-1). There were significant vibration (p=0.02) and load (p=0.008) main effects for HR. HR during vibration (97.0±20.3 beats . min-1) was greater than no vibration (86.8 ± 25.7 beats . min-1); HR was also greater during loaded (101.3±20.8 beats . min-1) conditions compared to unloaded (90.8±12.6 beats.min-1). No interaction effects were detected for VO2 (p= 0.16), VE (p=0.14), or HR (p=0.84). Conclusion: Significant differences were observed in VO2, VE, and HR while exercising with WBV. Differences were similar across loaded and unloaded conditions. It is unclear if these small differences would be sufficient to induce enhanced long-term training adaptations. Future research should investigate similar physiological responses during dynamic exercise with a range of loads. Further, research is also needed to determine if these responses are enhanced or diminished by the amplitude, frequency, or duration of the vibration stimulus

Academic training in oral and maxillofacial surgery - when and how to enter the pathway

Entering into surgical academia can seem a daunting prospect for an oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) trainee. However, the streamlining of academic training by the NIHR to create the integrated academic training (IAT) pathway has simplified academic training and more clearly defined academic positions and entry points for trainees. In this article we review the current NIHR IAT pathway and the various grades and entry points available to OMF surgeons, both pre- and post-doctoral. We highlight the unique challenges facing OMF trainees and provide advice and insight from both junior and senior OMFS academics. Finally, we focus on the planning and application for a doctoral research fellowship - discussing funding streams available to OMF surgeons

Magnetohydrodynamic jets from different magnetic field configurations

Using axisymmetric MHD simulations we investigate how the overall jet formation is affected by a variation in the disk magnetic flux profile and/or the existence of a central stellar magnetosphere. Our simulations evolve from an initial, hydrostatic equilibrium state in a force-free magnetic field configuration. We find a unique relation between the collimation degree and the disk wind magnetization power law exponent. The collimation degree decreases for steeper disk magnetic field profiles. Highly collimated outflows resulting from a flat profile tend to be unsteady. We further consider a magnetic field superposed of a stellar dipole and a disk field in parallel or anti-parallel alignment. Both stellar and disk wind may evolve in a pair of outflows, however, a reasonably strong disk wind component is essential for jet collimation. Strong flares may lead to a sudden change in mass flux by a factor two. We hypothesize that such flares may eventually trigger jet knots.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures; proceedings from conference: Protostellar Jets in Context, held in Rhodes, July 7-12, 200

Isolation and Characterization of Precise Dye/Dendrimer Ratios

Fluorescent dyes are commonly conjugated to nanomaterials for imaging applications using stochastic synthesis conditions that result in a Poisson distribution of dye/particle ratios and therefore a broad range of photophysical and biodistribution properties. We report the isolation and characterization of generation 5 poly(amidoamine) (G5 PAMAM) dendrimer samples containing 1, 2, 3, and 4 fluorescein (FC) or 6‐carboxytetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester (TAMRA) dyes per polymer particle. For the fluorescein case, this was achieved by stochastically functionalizing dendrimer with a cyclooctyne “click” ligand, separation into sample containing precisely defined “click” ligand/particle ratios using reverse‐phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC), followed by reaction with excess azide‐functionalized fluorescein dye. For the TAMRA samples, stochastically functionalized dendrimer was directly separated into precise dye/particle ratios using RP‐HPLC. These materials were characterized using 1 H and 19 F NMR spectroscopy, RP‐HPLC, UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, lifetime measurements, and MALDI. High definition : Two approaches for the formation of generation 5 PAMAM samples containing precise dye/dendrimer ratios are presented. The first approach, using direct separation based on dye hydrophobicity, generated a set of TAMRA‐containing dendrimers, and the second, using click chemistry, generated a set of fluorescein‐containing dendrimer (see figure).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106970/1/chem_201304854_sm_miscellaneous_information.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106970/2/4638_ftp.pd

Electrical and Thermal Transport in Metallic Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes on Insulating Substrates

We analyze transport in metallic single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on insulating substrates over the bias range up to electrical breakdown in air. To account for Joule self-heating, a temperature-dependent Landauer model for electrical transport is coupled with the heat conduction equation along the nanotube. The electrical breakdown voltage of SWNTs in air is found to scale linearly with their length, approximately as 5 V/um; we use this to deduce a thermal conductance between SWNT and substrate g ~ 0.17 +/- 0.03 W/K/m per tube length, which appears limited by the SWNT-substrate interface rather than the thermal properties of the substrate itself. We examine the phonon scattering mechanisms limiting electron transport, and find the strong temperature dependence of the optical phonon absorption rate to have a remarkable influence on the electrical resistance of micron-length nanotubes. Further analysis reveals that unlike in typical metals, electrons are responsible for less than 15% of the total thermal conductivity of metallic nanotubes around room temperature, and this contribution decreases at high bias or higher temperatures. For interconnect applications of metallic SWNTs, significant self-heating may be avoided if power densities are limited below 5 uW/um, or if the SWNT-surrounding thermal interface is optimized.Comment: accepted for publication in J. Appl. Phys. (2007

Turbulent Magnetic Reconnection in Two Dimensions

Two-dimensional numerical simulations of the effect of background turbulence on 2D resistive magnetic reconnection are presented. For sufficiently small values of the resistivity ($\eta$) and moderate values of the turbulent power ($\epsilon$), the reconnection rate is found to have a much weaker dependence on $\eta$ than the Sweet-Parker scaling of $\eta^{1/2}$ and is even consistent with an $\eta-$independent value. For a given value of $\eta$, the dependence of the reconnection rate on the turbulent power exhibits a critical threshold in $\epsilon$ above which the reconnection rate is significantly enhanced.Comment: Accepted to MNRA