The HI in Ring Galaxies Survey (HI-RINGS) -- Effects of the bar on the HI gas in ring galaxies

We present a new high-resolution neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) survey of ring galaxies using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). We target a sample of 24 ring galaxies from the Buta (1995) Southern Ring Galaxy Survey Catalogue in order to study the origin of resonance-, collisional- and interaction-driven ring galaxies. In this work, we present an overview of the sample and study their global and resolved HI properties. In addition, we also probe their star formation properties by measuring their star formation rates (SFR) and their resolved SFR surface density profiles. We find that a majority of the barred galaxies in our sample are HI deficient, alluding to the effects of the bar in driving their HI deficiency. Furthermore, for the secularly evolving barred ring galaxies in our sample, we apply Lindblad's resonance theory to predict the location of the resonance rings and find very good agreement between predictions and observations. We identify rings of HI gas and/or star formation co-located at one or the other major resonances. Lastly, we measure the bar pattern speed ($\Omega_{\textrm{bar}}$) for a sub-sample of our galaxies and find that the values range from 10 -- 90 km s$^{-1}$ kpc$^{-1}$, in good agreement with previous studies.Comment: Accepted for publication in PAS

Designing a Culvert Management System for the Town of Spencer, MA

Twenty-two road-stream crossings were assessed for the Town of Spencer, MA and the River and Stream Continuity Database. Each culvert, bridge, or dam was profiled to identify any constraints and possible considerations for future maintenance or replacement. A structural module was designed to assess the current condition of the crossings and work alongside the River and Stream Continuity Project, which does not have a structural component. The resulting analysis was presented to the attention of the Spencer Water Department

Exploring the Factors Influencing Organic Waste Sorting in Denmark

Biogasification harvests energy from recycled and treated food waste. Sorting food waste is key to Denmark’s goal of recycling 50% of household waste by 2022. This project, sponsored by Dansk Affaldsforening, researched practical and motivational factors influencing Danish sorting of household food waste through interviews with citizens and waste sector experts, waste treatment plant site visits, two surveys and a social media photo survey. Our recommendations for an effective campaign to sort waste include: give clear, simple information; show results to intrinsically motivate people; and focus on children to perpetuate the habit. These results yield valuable insights for Dansk Affaldsforening’s members for implementation of future food waste sorting campaigns

Empirical extension of the interpersonal theory of suicide: Investigating the role of interpersonal hopelessness

The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide posits that hopelessness about thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness is an important risk factor for the desire for suicide and suicide risk. Past research has indicated that general feelings of hopelessness interact with the constructs of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness to predict suicide ideation. However, no research has explicitly tested whether hopelessness specific to the interpersonal constructs of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness predicts suicide ideation and suicide risk. Participants in the current study (N = 173) were undergraduate students oversampled for history of suicide ideation, planning for suicide, and suicide attempt(s). Participants completed study measures online, including a new measure of hopelessness about thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. Results indicated that a three-way interaction of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and hopelessness about these interpersonal constructs, but not general hopelessness, predicted unique variance of suicide ideation and suicide risk. Results suggest that hopelessness about thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness may be an important target for reducing suicidal desire

The equivalence principle comes to school : falling objects and other middle school investigations

Comparing two objects falling together is a small-scale version of Galileo's classical experiment, demonstrating the equivalence between gravitational and inertial mass. We present here investigations by a group of ten-year-olds, who used iPads to record the drops. The movie recordings were essential in the follow-up discussions, enabling the students to compare the different situations and to discern situations where air resistance was essential and where it could be neglected. By considering a number of familiar situations and simple investigations that can be performed, e.g., on a playground, students may come closer to an appreciation of the deep significance of the non-influence of mass on motion under gravity