English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher Experiences with Newcomer Students at the Secondary Level: A Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers and other staff members who work with newcomer English Language Learners (ELLs) at the secondary level in two Northern Virginia public school systems. Stephen Krashen’s (1982) theory of second language acquisition guided this study as it explains the ways in which students learn and acquire new language skills throughout their schooling and social experiences. The following central research question guided this study: What are the experiences of ESOL teachers and staff members who work with newcomer ELLs at the secondary level in Northern Virginia? Three sub-questions will support the central question: How do participants describe the learning environment? How do participants describe the process of second language acquisition for their students? How do participants describe the process of content area knowledge acquisition for their students? Participants were current newcomer ESOL teachers or other staff members (administrator, counselor, educational coach, or other school-based staff member) who work in one of two school districts in the Northern Virginia region. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, writing prompt responses, a focus group, and a classroom analysis. Data analysis included bracketing, horizonalization, code clustering, textural description, structural description, and the essence of the phenomenon. Results of the study show that the learning environment, support, pedagogy and practices, and understanding student backgrounds are all major themes that shape newcomer ESOL teacher experiences at the secondary level

Sterile Neutrinos: An Introduction to Experiments

This paper is written as one chapter in a collection of essays on neutrino physics for beginning graduate students. The text presents important experimental methods and issues for those interested in searches for sterile neutrinos. Other essays in the collection, written by other authors, will cover introduction to neutrinos in the Standard Model, a description of the theory, and discussion of details of detectors, thus these aspects are not covered here. However, beyond these points, this represents a self-contained tutorial on experimental studies of sterile neutrino oscillations, covering such issues as signals vs. limits, designing experiments, and performing and interpreting global fits to the oscillation data.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1505855)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1505858)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1404209

An Enhanced Actualized DNP Model to Improve DNP Project Placements, Rigor, and Completion: A Research Brief

Doctor of nursing practice (DNP) projects are summative evaluations of enactment of the DNP Essentials. However, information about structure, process, and outcomes of DNP projects is scarce. Guided by an enhanced actualized DNP model, this study tested the effect of a PhD-DNP-site mentor model to guide DNP projects. Time-to-complete assignments, defense, and graduation improved; high satisfaction for students, mentors, and faculty were found; and a strengthened academic-practice partnership occurred, leading to additional student placements. Broader testing of the enhanced model in various size and types of academic-practice settings is needed prior to use

Extraits de l'évolution de l'entomologie appliquée au Québec : emphase sur la phytoprotection

Le développement de l’entomologie au Québec comme science naturelle a commencé avec des naturalistes érudits comme William Couper, Léon Provancher et Henry Lyman qui ont observé abondamment et décrit l’entomofaune du Québec, fondé des sociétés professionnelles et rédigé les premiers ouvrages scientifiques sur les insectes du Québec. Au début du XXe siècle, l’importance économique des plantes agricoles et des essences de coupes forestières a atteint un niveau favorisant la naissance de l’entomologie appliquée. Son développement initial est marqué par la fondation de la SPPQ, la création du premier programme d’études supérieures en entomologie, ainsi que le recrutement d’entomologistes professionnels dans les institutions publiques de protection des plantes contre les ravageurs. Les entomologistes en chef James Fletcher au gouvernement fédéral et Victor Huard au gouvernement provincial, ainsi que les professeurs William Lochhead du Collège Macdonald et Georges Maheux de l’École forestière de l’Université Laval, sont des figures remarquables de cette époque. Les entomologistes publient abondamment sur le cycle de vie des insectes nuisibles, sur les dommages causés et sur les moyens de lutte efficaces avec des insecticides encore primitifs et dangereux. Pendant plusieurs décennies, Ernest-Melville DuPorte se trouve au Collège Macdonald au centre des études supérieures et de la recherche en entomologie au Québec. Après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, la demande en denrées alimentaires et en fibre ligneuse croît à un rythme sans précédent, de même que la lutte aux ravageurs, à l’ère nouvelle des produits chimiques de synthèse, notamment des insecticides comme le DDT. En agriculture, les entomologistes actifs en phytoprotection se regroupent au laboratoire de recherche de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu et au Service de la protection des cultures du MAPAQ, ainsi que dans leurs stations de recherche de terrain. La recherche en entomologie forestière se développe à Québec autour du laboratoire fédéral des Laurentides et à la Faculté d’arpentage et de génie forestier (aujourd’hui la Faculté de foresterie, de géographie et de géomatique) de l’Université Laval. Sous la pression de l’industrie forestière, les arrosages aériens aux insecticides deviennent systématiques et sont surtout régis par l’abondance cyclique de la tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette. À la fin des années 1960, l’entomologie appliquée prend lentement un virage écologique, ouvert au contrôle naturel des ravageurs et aux idées de la résistance des plantes et de la stimulation de l’impact des agents biologiques de répression. La recherche et la formation aux études supérieures en entomologie connaissent un essor marqué dans les centres universitaires établis et nouvellement créés. La fin du XXe siècle est marquée par l’arrivée des plantes transgéniques résistantes aux ravageurs et les conséquences prévisibles du réchauffement climatique sur l’abondance et la diversité des ravageurs. L’entomologie comme activité scientifique professionnelle s’est enrichie de l’arrivée de nombreuses femmes dans les centres de recherche et les universités, bien qu’affectée par le ralentissement du recrutement d’entomologistes professionnels dans les services publics et les universités et l’incertitude des conditions économiques futures.The development of entomology as a natural science in Quebec first involved naturalist erudites such as William Couper, Léon Provancher and Henry Lyman, who abundantly observed and described the Quebec entomofauna, founded societies of professional entomologists, and wrote the first scientific documents about the insects of Quebec. At the turn of the 20th century, the economic importance of agricultural and forest products had reached a sufficient level for applied entomology to develop its own identity. This is evidenced by the birth of the Québec Society for the Protection of Plants, the creation of the first higher education program in entomology, and the establishment of professional entomologist positions in the plant protection services of the federal and provincial governments. Entomologists abundantly published on the life cycle of insect pests, their damages, and early efficient insect pest control using what were then primitive and dangerous insecticides. Entomologists in chief James Fletcher, at the federal level, and Victor Huard, at the provincial level, as well as entomology professors William Lochhead of Macdonald College and Georges Maheux of the École forestière de l’Université Laval, are important figures who initially guided the development of applied entomology in Quebec. For decades, Ernest-Melville DuPorte, while working at Macdonald College, was at the centre of higher education and fundamental research in entomology in Quebec. Following the Second World War, the demand for food products and wood fibre grew at an unprecedented rate, and so did the need to control insect pests, in the new era of synthetic chemicals such as the DDT insecticide. Entomologists active in agriculture were mainly regrouped around the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research Station and at the MAPAQ’s Service of Plant Protection, and at their experimental field stations. Research in forest entomology developed itself in Quebec City at the Laurentians federal laboratory and at the Faculté d’arpentage et de génie forestier (known today as the Faculté de foresterie, de géographie et de géomatique) de l’Université Laval. Due to pressure from the forest industry, the spraying of Quebec forests with chemical insecticides expanded systematically and, for decades, was mainly determined by the cyclic abundance of the spruce budworm. At the end of the 1960s, applied entomology in Quebec slowly took an ecological turn, marked by environmental concerns about chemical insecticides, more attention given to natural control, and a renewed interest in biological control agents. Fundamental research on insects and higher education in entomology expanded in both established and newly created university centres. The recent decades were marked by the arrival of genetically modified crops that are highly resistant to target pests, and the imminent consequences of global warming on the abundance and diversity of insect pests. Entomology as a professional activity benefited from the arrival of many women in research centres and universities; however, there is now some concern about the noticeable decline in the recruitment of specialized entomologists in public services and universities, and an uncertain economic future

First Constraints on the Complete Neutrino Mixing Matrix with a Sterile Neutrino

Neutrino oscillation models involving one extra mass eigenstate beyond the standard three (3+1) are fit to global short baseline experimental data and the recent IceCube ν[subscript μ] + [bar over v][subscript μ] disappearance search result. We find a best fit of Δm[subscript 41][superscript 2]=1.75  eV[superscript 2] with Δx[subscript null-min][superscript 2]/d.o.f. of 50.61/4. We find that the combined IceCube and short baseline data constrain θ[subscript 34] to <80°(<6°) at 90% C.L. for Δm[subscript 41][superscript 2]≈2(6)  eV[superscript 2], which is improved over present limits. Incorporating the IceCube information provides the first constraints on all entries of the 3+1 mixing matrix.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1505858)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1505855

The front-end of IsoDAR

The Isotope Decay-At-Rest (IsoDAR) experiment is a cyclotron based neutrino oscillation exper- iment that is capable of decisively searching for low-mass sterile neutrinos. This paper outlines two new approaches that the IsoDAR collaboration are pursuing in order to increase the amount of H + 2 captured in the cyclotron through innovations in the design of the front-end. A new dedicated multicusp ion source (MIST-1) is currently being commissioned and tested at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) at MIT. Based on previous results from this type of ion source, we ex- pect to be able to achieve an H+₂ current density that will be sufficient for the IsoDAR experiment. We also discuss the results of a new investigation into using a radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) as a high-efficiency buncher to improve the injection efficiency into the cyclotron.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1505858)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1626069

The desktop muon detector: A simple, physics-motivated machine- and electronics-shop project for university students

This paper describes the construction of a desktop muon detector, an undergraduate-level physics project that develops machine-shop and electronics-shop technical skills. The desktop muon detector is a self-contained apparatus that employs a plastic scintillator as the detection medium and a silicon photomultiplier for light collection. This detector can be battery powered and is used in conjunction with the provided software. The total cost per detector is approximately $100. We describe physics experiments we have performed, and then suggest several other interesting measurements that are possible, with one or more desktop muon detectors.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1505858

Precision muon reconstruction in Double Chooz

We describe a muon track reconstruction algorithm for the reactor anti-neutrino experiment Double Chooz. The Double Chooz detector consists of two optically isolated volumes of liquid scintillator viewed by PMTs, and an Outer Veto above these made of crossed scintillator strips. Muons are reconstructed by their Outer Veto hit positions along with timing information from the other two detector volumes. All muons are fit under the hypothesis that they are through-going and ultrarelativistic. If the energy depositions suggest that the muon may have stopped, the reconstruction fits also for this hypothesis and chooses between the two via the relative goodness-of-fit. In the ideal case of a through-going muon intersecting the center of the detector, the resolution is ∼40 mm in each transverse dimension. High quality muon reconstruction is an important tool for reducing the impact of the cosmogenic isotope background in Double Chooz.National Science Foundation (U.S.)United States. Department of Energ

Neutrino physics with JUNO

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), a 20 kton multi-purpose underground liquid scintillator detector, was proposed with the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy (MH) as a primary physics goal. The excellent energy resolution and the large fiducial volume anticipated for the JUNO detector offer exciting opportunities for addressing many important topics in neutrino and astro-particle physics. In this document, we present the physics motivations and the anticipated performance of the JUNO detector for various proposed measurements. Following an introduction summarizing the current status and open issues in neutrino physics, we discuss how the detection of antineutrinos generated by a cluster of nuclear power plants allows the determination of the neutrino MH at a 3–4σ significance with six years of running of JUNO. The measurement of antineutrino spectrum with excellent energy resolution will also lead to the precise determination of the neutrino oscillation parameters sin² θ₁₂, Δm₂₁² and |Δm[subscript ee]²| to an accuracy of better than 1%, which will play a crucial role in the future unitarity test of the MNSP matrix. The JUNO detector is capable of observing not only antineutrinos from the power plants, but also neutrinos/antineutrinos from terrestrial and extra-terrestrial sources, including supernova burst neutrinos, diffuse supernova neutrino background, geoneutrinos, atmospheric neutrinos, and solar neutrinos. As a result of JUNO's large size, excellent energy resolution, and vertex reconstruction capability, interesting new data on these topics can be collected. For example, a neutrino burst from a typical core-collapse supernova at a distance of 10 kpc would lead to ~5000 inverse-beta-decay events and ~2000 all-flavor neutrino–proton ES events in JUNO, which are of crucial importance for understanding the mechanism of supernova explosion and for exploring novel phenomena such as collective neutrino oscillations. Detection of neutrinos from all past core-collapse supernova explosions in the visible universe with JUNO would further provide valuable information on the cosmic star-formation rate and the average core-collapse neutrino energy spectrum. Antineutrinos originating from the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium in the Earth can be detected in JUNO with a rate of ~400 events per year, significantly improving the statistics of existing geoneutrino event samples. Atmospheric neutrino events collected in JUNO can provide independent inputs for determining the MH and the octant of the θ₂₃ mixing angle. Detection of the 7Be and 8B solar neutrino events at JUNO would shed new light on the solar metallicity problem and examine the transition region between the vacuum and matter dominated neutrino oscillations. Regarding light sterile neutrino topics, sterile neutrinos with 10⁻⁵eV² < Δ m₄₁² < 10⁻²eV² and a sufficiently large mixing angle θ₁₄ could be identified through a precise measurement of the reactor antineutrino energy spectrum. Meanwhile, JUNO can also provide us excellent opportunities to test the eV-scale sterile neutrino hypothesis, using either the radioactive neutrino sources or a cyclotron-produced neutrino beam. The JUNO detector is also sensitive to several other beyondthe-standard-model physics. Examples include the search for proton decay via the p [arrow to] K⁺ + [bar ν] decay channel, search for neutrinos resulting from dark-matter annihilation in the Sun, search for violation of Lorentz invariance via the sidereal modulation of the reactor neutrino event rate, and search for the effects of non-standard interactions. The proposed construction of the JUNO detector will provide a unique facility to address many outstanding crucial questions in particle and astrophysics in a timely and cost-effective fashion. It holds the great potential for further advancing our quest to understanding the fundamental properties of neutrinos, one of the building blocks of our Universe